Operation Skywatch Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Come see the great view from a 2,700 foot hilltop at the Avenales Observation Point. The location was a World War II civil defense post where a husband-wife team watched for enemy aircraft.
The past:
The Ground Observer Corps (GOC) traced its roots to World War II when 1.5 million civilian volunteers were enrolled by the Army Air Forces to man 14,000 observation posts positioned along the nation's coasts. With limited radar detection capability, the GOC's mission was to visually search the skies for enemy aircraft attempting to penetrate American airspace. With the declining threat to America from German and Japanese air forces, the Army Air Forces disestablished the GOC in 1944.
In February 1950, Continental Air Command Commander General Ennis C. Whitehead proposed the formation of a 160,000 civilian volunteer GOC to operate 8,000 observation posts scattered in gaps between the proposed radar network sites. With the belief that the Korean War served as a precursor to a possible Soviet attack, ADC had little difficulty recruiting volunteers. In 1951, some 210,000 GOC volunteers manning 8,000 observation posts and twenty-six filter centers were tested for the first time in nationwide exercises. The time recorded for a sighting report to reach the Ground Control Interception centers through the filter centers in this and subsequent drills was unimpressive. Subsequently, the scope of Whitehead's plan was expanded to recruit more volunteers to man more observation posts on a continuing basis. This revised GOC plan, dubbed "Operation SKYWATCH," was initiated on July 14, 1952. Eventually over 800,000 volunteers stood alternating shifts at 16,000 observation posts and seventy-three filter centers. The Air Force used a variety of means to recruit volunteers, including radio. One radio spot announced:
"It may not be a very cheerful thought but the Reds right now have about a thousand bombers that are quite capable of destroying at least 89 American cities in one raid.... Won't you help protect your country, your town, your children? Call your local Civil Defense office and join the Ground Observer Corps today."
The Present:
Your searching for an ammo can that contains a log book, camera, uniform patches, and binoculars. Please use the binoculars to search for enemy aircraft, but leave them in the ammo can when your done. Use the camera to document any enemy aircraft or your observation crew. The best way to access the cache is from Huasna Road. Follow Huasna Road for about 24 miles and then take the 4 wheel drive road off to the left. This narrow one lane trail will lead you near the observation post.
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Treasures
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