A documentary . . .
. . . about those who lived and worked at The North Truro Air Station
The manmade endeavors that have utilized and shaped Cape Cod over recent centuries have been numerous and varied. Of course, its earliest indigenous inhabitants knew for millennia that this land was a fertile fishing area with advantageous waterways for trading with other tribes and cultures. But from its first immigrants who practiced fishing, whaling, and farming, to the mecca for artists and tourists it has become today, this has been a relatively short journey of a few hundred years. Yet, there have been many influential factors and turning points during those years that have led the Cape to its contemporary status.
Whether you are examining the Cape’s history as it relates to the fishing and whaling industry, its later use of land for salt mining or cranberry growing, the ease of waterway trade and commerce it afforded with the installation of the Cape Cod Canal, or its now bucolic setting for artists and tourism, one thing has remained a constant—its location has been the utmost important driving force behind its usefulness for humankind.
This documentary deals with one quite large, yet minimally discussed, facet that has also been drawn to the Cape for its physical logistics; however, this industry is not involved with farming, commerce, or culture. The U.S. military, in its various branches, has been utilizing the unique vantage point of this area for centuries. In more recent times, the necessary military personnel who have been transplanted to the Cape have also been a factor in its existence and evolution. And while some of those personnel stayed for a short while, there were quite a few who chose to remain on the Cape and make it their home even after their military contract was over.
The North Truro Air Force Station was a 125-acre general surveillance radar facility located in Truro, Massachusetts, which took advantage of an expansive, unobstructed location facing east directly over the Atlantic Ocean. It was one of the first of 24 stations built in the early 1950s along the coast of the U.S. for the Air Defense Command radar network, which was actively monitoring for Soviet bombers. Until its closure in 1985, the site hosted a variety of U.S. military branches and national defense networks, and is still partially used by the FAA.
In its heyday of the 1960s and ’70s, the site was home to some 500 personnel and their families, and comprised 90+ buildings, including barracks and officers’ quarters, a family housing neighborhood, a library, a bar, and a bowling alley. This documentary will introduce you to some of the people who have stories to tell about their time working, living, or otherwise interacting with the facility and its residents.
The facility, which today is a decomposing danger that may likely face upcoming demolition, represents a unique moment caught in time; however, this moment is rapidly fading and due to the site’s deteriorating state may only live on for a short time longer through the photography and stories of those who remember it when it was something special and important. We hope you enjoy this journey back in time, and keep the stories alive for years to come.
About the Filmmakers
RALPH MOORE
Vice President and Managing Editor, Moore Media, Inc.
Ralph Moore is an acclaimed filmmaker who has proven that compelling storytelling doesn’t require extravagant budgets. His belief is simple: natural enthusiasm and a thirsty curiosity are keys to creating a film that will resonate with audiences.
His debut short, iMistress, earned Audience Choice for ‘Best Short Film’ at the 2012 Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival. He has since written, directed, produced, and edited several no-budget shorts (he wisely chooses not to act). Other notable projects include the Alzheimer’s drama, Don’t Let Go, which made its debut at the Action On Film International Film Festival in August 2014, and Pilgrim, the story of a lonely pilgrim who has an otherworldly experience. He is currently brainstorming on hours of footage from an abandoned cottage in an undisclosed location in Plymouth.
He believes in the magic and the mystery of abandoned places. You can find some of his work on his youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MooreTubeTV
In addition to his filmmaking pursuits, Ralph spends his time writing, editing, and lending his voice to multimedia training products for Pearson Education and others.
MICHAEL PAYNE
Editor-in-Chief, Pearson Education, (Ret.)
Before he retired, Michael Payne worked in Higher Education educational publishing for more than 35 years. Of that time, 30 years was spent in editorial and editorial management positions. He has broad and deep experience managing the development and publication of books, software, video, and other content-rich media assets.
Since he moved to the Boston area in 1984, Michael has explored, hiked, and vacationed on Cape Cod, particularly on the Outer Cape. It was while spending time at the family summer home in Truro that he discovered the Truro Air Station. The juxtaposition of the Station with the Jenny Lind Tower appealed to his love of history and prompted many visits to this area with friends and family. A self-described “Army Brat,” Payne found that the Station resonates with his memories of growing up on military bases in Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Puerto Rico, and Texas.
Michael moved to Harwich in 2016 and continues to enjoy the history and beauty of Cape Cod. He regularly volunteers with the Harwich Conservation Trust conducting guided constellation tours of the night sky from the Marconi Area observation platform.
VANESSA MOORE
VANESSA MOORE
President and Production Manager, Moore Media, Inc.
Over the past 33 years, Vanessa Moore has worked her way through the printing and publishing industries in New York; St. Thomas, USVI; Boston; and currently Plymouth, MA. Since 1991, she has produced hundreds of textbooks for the leading national educational publishers, as well as monthly print and online magazine issues for the Plymouth-based Spectrum Magazine (2015-2020). In 2005, she and her husband created Moore Media, Inc., a print and multimedia publishing and production company, through which they continue to produce textbooks and online training content for the leading U.S. educational publishers. Moore Media also provides full graphic design services and self-publishing services for individuals and organizations who wish to bring to life their works of fiction and nonfiction in the forms of memoirs, cookbooks, poetry and short story compilations and anthologies, as well as custom artwork, and more. A sampling of these works can be found at the Moore Media website (moore-media-inc.com).
In addition to her passion for the waning world of print and all things book-related, Vanessa has always enjoyed hiking and exploring—from the natural subterranean caverns of the southwestern states to the miles of manmade electrical tunnels under a certain southern state capital, she is always eager to discover and research interesting locales off the beaten path.