An excerpt from "http://www.militarycity.com/ins/site4805.rlc.html"
INSTALLATION OVERVIEW
Location........................ : Chesapeake, Virginia
Major Command................... : Naval Security Group Activity
Mission......................... :
To provide cryptologic support to the Fleet, Joint Commanders,
and National Agencies.
Population assigned-served...... : 2,445
Telephone Access................ :
All numbers listed are within the (804) area code unless
otherwise indicated. DSN access: 564-1336/1376 (ask for
extension). Commercial access: (804) 421-XXXX. Command Fax:
(804) 421-8218. NSGA Quarterdeck: (804) 421-8202/03.
On July 11, 1951, the Secretary of the Navy approved the acquisition of land through the condemnation process for the future site of the Naval Radio Station (R) Northwest. Consisting of 1,491 acres of land in Currituck County, North Carolina and 3,186 acres in Chesapeake, Virginia, the site is located partially in the Great Dismal Swamp.
On December 14, 1951, SESCO construction company of Dallas, Texas, commenced construction of the Naval Radio Station (R) under the Bureau of Yards and Docks contract NO 28472. The project, including buildings and equipment, was completed on March 25, 1953, at a total cost of $4,000,000.
In the fall of 1960, preliminary design and engineering work was completed on a new HFDF Wullenweber antenna array. The building, nicknamed SHOTGUN, was accepted from the contractor by DIRLANTDOCKS on October 25, 1963. The new HFDF "SHOTGUN" station was activated in July, 1964.
During the SHOTGUN construction period of the 1960's, another facet of the Naval Security Group began to emerge, Communications Security (COMSEC). Realizing the importance of COMSEC, NAVCOMMSTA Norfolk provided one officer and 11 enlisted personnel. The COMSEC team not only provided communications security support from the shore, but also went aboard various ships to support Fleet exercises.
Originally, each of the Naval Security Group elements functioned as separate divisions within NAVCOMMSTA Norfolk. A reorganization took place in January, 1966, when all divisions were brought together under one department with CDR G. C. Lawrence, USN, acting as both Naval Security Department Head and Officer-In-Charge, Naval Radio Station (R) Northwest. The Security Group Department was composed of RPIO, ARFCOS, HFDF, COMSEC, and SECGRU operations and consisted of 20 officers and 130 enlisted personnel.
Reorganization once again found its way into Northwest when OPNAVNOTICE 5490 dated 5 October 1970 directed disestablishment of the Naval Radio Station (R) Northwest under an Officer-in- Charge and redesignated it Naval Receiving Facility Northwest. CDR J.T. Hodgkinson, USN, was at the helm with the new title, Head, Naval Security Group Department/Naval Receiving Facility Northwest in July, 1975.
In January 1972, the NATO Headquarters in Brussels gave the green light to commence construction of a NATO Satellite Communications Center on board Northwest. Planning for the SATCOMM system began in 1971 and was completed and officially opened in 1972 under the direction of LCDR Omer A. Livernois. Since construction began on the NATO SATCOMM facility in 1972 there have been eight other tenant commands added to Northwest, the most recent being the Electronic Warfare Operational Programming Facility and the Navy Family Services Center.
May 2001 addition to history - As reported in the NCVA 'Cryptolog', Spring 2001: "Naval Security Group Activity, Northwest, Virginia is in the process of closing. The work at Northwest can be accomplished elsewhere, jointly, at lower cost. Northwest joins the long list of other traditional NSG sites no longer needed. The station, however, will continue to exist as home for several other commands. The base name will be changed on 1 October, 2001, or when the activity is completely closed."