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(Buildings: 9020-1, 9020-2, 9037D, 9044-1, 9094-1, 9302-1, 9302-2)
Architectural Feature: Exterior
Date: 1945
Seven of the DDUs are located outside the Historic District in an area were all structures will be demolished to create an extension campus for a community college. One is located opposite the east end of H-building 9037D (Photo Nos. 200 and 202). They are identical in design. The only variation is differences in doors and some special window modifications. Three of the DDUs, 9094-1, 9302-1 and 9302-2, have suffered mechanical damage by BRAC contractors operating construction equipment (Photos Nos. 205 and 206). The DDUs have not been painted in over ten years are beginning to suffer corrosion at points were moisture, physical impact, or weathering have broken paint surfaces. One DDU is freestanding in a parking lot near building 9044. The DDUs were designed to be transportable and the concrete pads were made to allow removal and replacement of DDUs. A former Camp Evans employee who worked as a full-time on-site rigger often relocated the DDUs. He explained the techniques they employed and equipment they used. The two remaining of five DDUs west of building 9020 (Photo No. 204) can be seen in a 1945 photo in the NRHP nomination package. These DDUs and building 9020 were the site of a documented WWII event. General McArthur requested special radar be developed to stop American casualties from Japanese mortar fire during Pacific Island landings. A team of engineers led by Mr. John Marchetti fabricated modification kits to update existing radar units to detect and destroy with counter fire the attacking Japanese mortars. In a 96-hour non-stop effort by 20 engineers emergency kits were built in time to be flown to the Pacific Theater for the next Pacific Island landing. The radar was later designated the AN/TPS-3 and was the first in a long history of enemy artillery counter-fire systems designed at Camp Evans. During 2001 the BRAC environmental coordinator found chemical contamination around some of the DDU pads. If removing the pads is required, alternative plans will be proposed.
Photos: 200, 202, 203, 204, 205 and 206.
Proposed work
Up to eight DDUs are proposed to be relocated from their current location
to empty pads along Third Street, (Photo No. 198) which once was lined
with the units. As directed by the New Jersey SHPO, offer DDUs outside
the District to the Fuller Institute, Ford Museum and other interested
museums. If interested they can disassemble and relocate to their
institutions. The remaining units will be carefully relocated using
the techniques employed by Camp Evans personnel to move these same units.
The DDUs associated with the AN/TPS-3 will be relocated and preserved along
Third Street to interpret this interesting story of wartime ingenuity.
An immediate use is for storage. A potential future use for the other
DDUs, post Phase V, is for Scout and/or school group sleep-over events.
Another potential usage would be for unattended exhibits, such as an exhibit
interpreting Buckminster Fuller's engineering accomplishments.
Photo 200
Photo 202
Photo 203
Photo 204
Photo 205
Photo 206
Updated January 27, 2004
Page created February 8, 2002
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