Camp Humphreys
3658N 12702E
Camp Humphreys is located approximately
40 kilometers south of Osan. Camp Humphreys is a short distance from
the city of Pyongtaek, and adjacent to the town of Anjung-ri. The
airfield was originally constructed by the Japanese and was known
as the Pyongtaek Airfield, during the Korean War. It was called K-6
when the US Air Force repaired and built a new runway to accommodate
a Marine Air Group and the 614th Tactical Control Group. In 1961 the
airfield was re-named Camp Humphreys, in honor of CWO Benjamin K.
Humphreys, of the 4th Transportation Company, who died in a helicopter
accident near here. The Humphreys District Command was activated in
1964 as a separate installation command of the Eighth US Army. Later
it was designated as the 23rd Direct Support Group which provided
all direct support; supply and maintenance; storage of all conventional
ammunition in Korea; AG publications and training aides; and operated
the Eighth Army Milk Plant. In 1974, with the activation of the 19th
Support Brigade, this was designated as US Army Garrison, Camp Humphreys.
In 1985 it was restructured to support wartime missions and was designated
the 23d Support Group. In 1996 a separate US Army Support Activity
for Area III was activated to provide base operations and community
support.
Cp Humphreys is located about 35 miles south of Seoul, just to the
southeast of Asan Bay. There is a small mountain range about 7 miles
south of Cp Humphreys with tops to 958 feet. Larger mountains are
located NE-E-SW, all within 20 miles with tops to 2293 feet directly
south and tops above 1000 feet mainly southeast. The Ansong River
flows from the east to west toward the West Sea and passes 3 miles
northwest of the airfield. About 12 miles west of Cp Humphreys the
river widens and empties into the Asan Bay, near Koon-ni Range. The
immediate area around Cp Humpreys is mostly agricultural and consists
mainly of rice fields. There are some rolling hills in the vicinity,
but for the most part the elevations are less than 150 feet. Urban
areas are situated mostly to the northeast of the airfield. Pyongtaek
is 4 miles northeast and Seojeong-ja is 1 mile northeast. Although
Dujeong-ri is next to Cp Humphreys, to the south, most of the haze
and smoke that affects the airfield comes from Pyongtaek and Seojeong-ja.
The numerous areas of water around Cp Humphreys has a significant
effect on the local weather. The abundant moisture is responsible
for most of the fog and stratus which occurs in the area. This is
especially true from the spring through fall. Generally flat terrain
from the south through west allows advection of fog and stratus from
the river, bay, or West Sea. Even when no fog or stratus is over the
Asan Bay/West Sea, the extra moisture advected with a light westerly
wind at night can cause problems when combined with radiational cooling.
The Ansong River to the northwest can also contribute to the fog problem.
The river is very close to the airfield and fog is advected in during
periods of light northwesterly flow. When an easterly wind occurs
during the night or early morning fog will normally not form, or will
dissipate rapidly. Since the mountains the east help to produce a
downslope wind this results in a drying and adiabatically warming
effect in the low levels. Another good moisture source for fog are
the irrigated rice fields which contain standing water during the
growing season (May-September). There are various seasonal effects
from the local bodies of water. The West Sea provides moisture for
snowshowers during the winter as cold air is advected over the relativel
warmer West Sea. Although Cp Humphreys is somewhat protected, if the
winds are from 260-300 then snowshowers will be advected over the
airfield. During the spring and summer land/sea breezes can set up
during periods of weak pressure gradients. The Asan Bay can channel
winds when the prevailing direction is 270-310, this is especially
common during the winter after a frontal passage. Thunderstorms occur
mainly during spring through fall with most of the convective activity
associated with the polar and monsoonal front. Airmass thunderstorms
usually occur further inland over the mountains.
The May 24, 2000, groundbreaking ceremony for a 3-phase family housing
project at Camp Humphreys. Phase I is the first of three buildings
which will each have 60 field and company grade officer, warrant officer
and senior noncommissioned officer multi-story apartment family units.
The 5-story buildings will include 3 (1400/1350 sq. ft.), 4 (1450
sq. ft.) and 5-bedroom (1550 sq. ft.) apartment. This first phase,
a nearly $12 million project, will also provide central hot water,
heating and air conditioning, kitchen range, refrigerator, washer,
dryer, garbage disposal, dishwasher and telephone/TV systems. Other
support facilities will include utilities, water wells, grading, parking,
walks, area lighting, children's play areas, multi-purpose courts,
landscaping, drainage, and a perimeter wall around the complex. At
least 5% of the units will be accessible and easily modifiable for
the handicapped. The first phase is scheduled for completion in March
2002.
The FASTBACK system that was
replaced in Korea is reflective of the typical legacy mw systems
used by the US Army to support worldwide long haul communication
requirements. The FASTBACK system (seven individual links) provided
a secure reliable means of transmitting bulk data collected along
the Demilitarized Zone to command groups located in the southern
part of the country. The equipment (i.e., radios and multiplexers)
supporting the FASTBACK system had been in operation for over
fifteen years, utilizing technology that was over twenty years
old. The FASTBACK system consisted of an AN/FRC-162 radio and
AN/FCC-97 multiplexer. In the late 1990s it was replaced by a
high speed (155 Mbps) SONET digital microwave radio that utilize
the digital data multiplexer (DDM)-2000 OC3 multiplexer. The Digital
Microwave Upgrade DMU Phase I is a good example of what occurs
when the link bandwidth is increased (8 DS1s to 84 DS1s (three
45 Mbps DS3)) with high speed SONET digital microwave and interface
requirements to existing older, low speed mw technology. The Yongsan
to Madison, Osan to Madison, and Camp Humphreys to Madison FASTBACK
links were replaced during Phase I with the Harris MegaStar 2000
SONET radio. The remaining FASTBACK mw links between Madison and
Kamaksan, Kangwhado, and Songnam, and Kamaksan and Yawolsan, were
replaced during DMU Phase III. In conjunction with the DMU, the
digital patch and access systems (DPAS) at Yongsan, Osan, and
Camp Humphreys were upgraded to support up to three DS3s each.
|
