adak island military base

[17] The station was deactivated in 1997 and was superseded by the CDP of Adak in 2000.[18]. The closure of the base brought the population of the island down to 326 residents from a high of 6,000. Fort Wainwright, Elmendorf AFB, and Fort Richardson are the largest bases in Alaska, each averaging about 6,000 military personnel. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. Aug 2, 2018 - Explore Kelly Schuder's board "Adak" on Pinterest. Situated in the western Aleutians, Adak Island is currently the western-most location in Alaska readily accessible to birders. Jun 23, 2017 - Explore Doug Holm's board "Adak, Alaska" on Pinterest. The need for an Aleutian advance base further west became urgent. The P-39s came in first to suppress the anti-aircraft fire with their 37mm cannon fire. Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Virginia Beach VA. An impact that many people are unaware of is the forced evacuation of the Native population of the Aleutian Islands by Japanese and American forces. I live in Anchorage and have visited Adak three times, including twice this year. [3], Tents were erected, a rudimentary electrical system, radios and some rough streets were laid down and by the end of September Adak Army Airfield was home to several 36th Bomb Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers; 54th Fighter Squadron P-38 Lightnings, and five B-24 Liberators of the 21st and 404th Bombardment Squadrons. With the movement of combat operations to Adak, Fort Glenn and also Fort Randall AAF at Cold Bay became support and staging airfields supporting the front line. Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) recognized the contacts as their very highly classified operations and immediate changes were ordered for the reporting procedures. Situated in the western Aleutians, Adak Island is currently the western-most location in Alaska readily accessible to birders. Two Japanese light bombers were shot down over the airfield in full view of the construction engineers. Other than the B-24 operations against Japan, the remainder of Eleventh Air Force personnel simply counted the days until their reassignment elsewhere.[3]. Russian explorers in the 18th century also visited the island but made no permanent settlements. Located in the middle of the Aleutian Islands more than 1,000 miles from Anchorage, Adak is the westernmost inhabited island in the United States. The former Adak Naval Air Facility occupies approximately 76,800 acres on Adak Island and is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. 18th Fighter Squadron P-40 Warhawks began to arrive from Adak and surprised the Japanese by launching counterattacks to their raids. [12][13], The Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) directed closure of the Naval Air Facility and dictate that no military facilities could remain on the island forced the closing of NAVFAC Adak; the only SOSUS facility closed directly as a result of BRAC. Assignments to the Aleutians, however, were looked on with dread. By August 1942, the Americans had established an air base on Adak Island and began bombing the Japanese on Kiska. On 1 July 1950, the Air Force transferred Davis AFB to the United States Navy who established an anti-submarine warfare base there. Nov 4, 2020 - Explore Mary Francis's board "Adak Alaska" on Pinterest. C $19.86. Adak used to house the Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base from 1942 to 1997. Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base were the westernmost bases in the nation for a short while. Jun 23, 2017 - Explore Doug Holm's board "Adak, Alaska" on Pinterest. Adak Island is way out there, so far at the end of the Aleutian archipelago in the Bering Sea that it shares a time zone with Hawaii instead of its own state. 14 photographs of Adak arranged in a … In 1994 the base was added to the National Priority List of contaminated sites, under the terms of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Located at the westernmost end in the Aleutian chain, Adak is wilderness with the exception of a now-abandoned naval base that once housed more than 6,000 people. A … Due to the heavy casualties suffered at Attu Island, planners were expecting another costly operation. Its remote locality proved to be ideal for the United States military during both World War II and the Cold War, causing the area to grow rapidly in a very short amount of time. Most of the base infrastructure and housing has been left in disrepair as the population has dwindled from about 6,000 (at the height of base operations) to the current levels (which range from 100-300 depending on the season). Chloe, John Hale, (1984), Top Cover for America. Located in the middle of the Aleutian Islands more than 1,000 miles from Anchorage, Adak is the westernmost inhabited island in the United States. Superfund Site: In 1994, the Adak base was placed on the National Priorities (Superfund) List. There's hope from locals still living on the island that US Navy Secretary Richard Spencer's growing interest in Arctic operations could change that, as Adak could potentially become a strategic gateway to the Arctic for the military. Get a detailed view of each base by clicking their name. Construction and operations began in September 1942. See more ideas about Alaska, Aleutian islands, Moving to alaska. were stationed on the island. By 10 September enough construction had been completed that a 73d Bomb Squadron B-18 Bolo successfully landed on the runway. The troops there were guarding Alaska against incursions by the Japanese military, which had invaded the Aleutian Islands and gained control over two other islands in the Chain, Kiska and Attu, and attacked Dutch Harbor. During World War II, the following units were assigned to Adak AAF: By 13 September, enough construction had been completed at Adak to justify the movement of operations from Fort Glenn AAF on Umnak to the new airfield which was 400 miles closer to the Japanese forces on Kiska. Most of the base infrastructure and housing has been left in disrepair as the population has dwindled from about 6,000 (at the height of base operations) to the current levels … The Native regional Aleut Corporation owns much of the land on Adak Island and is promoting a military return to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska Public Media reported Thursday. The facility was designated a National Historic Landmark for its role in World War II, although most of its elements from that period have been demolished or lie in ruins. Adak flourished as a Cold War era Navy base. Alaska's infrastructure grew immensely as a result. Remote by any definition, Adak is the southernmost community in Alaska, 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage. On June 6/7, 1942, the Japanese Navy and Army participated in the only invasion of the United States during World War II through the Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu as part of the Aleutian Islands Campaign. the Air Force in Alaska. After the War, Adak was developed as a Naval air station, playing an importan… The Army began establishing a forward combat airfield (A-3) on the island. Adak is an island, the largest town on the island goes by the same name though it was formerly Adak Station, and is the southernmost city in Alaska. It would be a month before the Japanese could send out a reconnaissance aircraft from Kiska to fly over Adak. The American reaction was to construct a new military base on Adak island – a Naval and air facility that could take full control of all the Aleutian Islands and oust the invaders. A … [3], On 12 January 1943, American forces made an unopposed landing on Amchitka Island, 50 miles from Kiska and 260 miles from Attu. Japanese operations from Kiska consisted of a few reconnaissance missions over Adak or a nuisance bombing mission where an aircraft would drop one or two bombs without causing any significant damage. Several cargo ships and minesweepers were hit with the harbor facilities and float planes taking a considerable beating. [2], On 1 December 1962 the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) shore terminal was commissioned. Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (USNAVY) Mineral County WV. Adak was most recently run by the U.S. Navy as a deployment base for P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, primarily to conduct antisubmarine warfare operations against submarines and surveillance of naval surface vessels of the former Soviet Union. The military continued their presence on the north end of the island and in postwar years the population peaked at about 6,000. Instead of coming in at high altitudes, the attack was a low-level sweep over the water that caught the Japanese defenses off-guard. Ordnance The Navy has aggressively investigated and addressed ordnance issues on Adak. This former World War II military base was used to fight the Japanese in the Aleutian battles at Kiska, Attu, and Dutch Harbor, and was converted to a U.S. naval base after the war. U.S. National Register of Historic Places, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, List of National Historic Landmarks in Alaska, National Register of Historic Places listings in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base. Additional P-38s were flown in along with some P-39D Airacobras of the 42d Fighter Squadron which had been providing air defense for Kodiak. The Navy and Marine Corps do not have any bases here. Your photos are marvelous. [3], The first major combat mission of the Aleutian Campaign from Adak occurred on 14 September 1942 when thirteen B-24 Liberators and one B-17 Flying Fortress; supported by fourteen P-38 Lightnings, fourteen P-40 Warhawks and seven P-39 Airacobras attacked Kiska harbor. The landing was made in a storm and within a week additional forces, including the 807th Engineer Aviation Battalion were landed on the island at Kuhluk Bay. Had a northern invasion of Japan's Home Islands occurred, as was once proposed, Adak's Reserve Depot would have provided the essential materiel for such an undertaking. And its rugged tundra-covered terrain and fierce weather provided ideal conditions for training the Allied invasion force in amphibious warfare in the Aleutians. It held an important strategical location in WW2 for the Army in the retaking of Kiska and Attu Islands from the Japanese. In 1950, Adak was commissioned as a naval station. Navy use of approximately 77,000 acres on the northern half of the island was authorized by a public land withdrawal in 1959. As the most westerly American base Adak allowed for intensified bombing (with fighter plane protection) of the Japanese garrisons. Adak Island, Lupines at Finger Bay Creek. By the 1980s there were over 6,000 Navy personnel on the islands. The landing was made in a storm and within a week additional forces, including the 807th Engineer Aviation Battalion were landed on the island at Kuhluk Bay. Army installations at Adak allowed U.S. forces to mount a successful offensive against the Japanese-held islands of Kiska and Attu. However, the incessant and continual air attacks had reduced the Japanese forces defenses considerably and the Japanese tactical planners had realized the isolated island was no longer defensible and evacuated its garrison. In 1962 NAVFAC Adak contact reports went to Commander, Alaskan Sea Frontier an that command published a secret report containing the Petropavlovsk contacts presuming they were Soviet. Located about 1,400 air miles southwest of Anchorage, Adak Naval Base remained active until the late 1990s. The Navy and Marine Corps do not have any bases here. 1976 Craig Roberts NAS Adak patch ; 1976 Slideshow by Mike Lindsey 1976-1977. This was particularly true for the fighters, which were now within easy striking range of enemy targets. Aircraft from Adak flew constant combat air patrols over Amchitka against attacking Japanese Rufe fighter-bombers from Kiska and longer-range bombers from Attu. Adak’s air base was a key player in the campaign that occurred in the island chain. Understand []. Being so remote, it proved to be a prime location to build a military base and was key to successful missions in both World War II and the Cold War. The video explores areas on the former Naval Air Facility Adak Island, Alaska. Mike Dunleavy has asked the U.S. Department of Energy to consider expanding the nation’s emergency stash of crude oil by adding a storage site at the former military base on Adak Island. Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base were the westernmost bases in the nation for a short while. In 1973 such contacts were again almost published and stopped only when contact information was matched, on advice by a visiting civilian expert who recognized the signatures, by NAVFAC people to one of the submarine's logs when that submarine put into Adak for a medical emergency. By the end of October, the Japanese had decided to pull out most of its garrison to Attu, which they believed was worth retaining, and began transporting additional units from Hokkaido to Attu and began upgrading their defenses. Located about 1,400 air miles southwest of Anchorage, Adak Naval Base remained active until the late 1990s. (It’s actually the westernmost town in the United States.) [3], Attacks continued against Kiska with high intensity through the fall and end of 1942. The wreckage was found later in 1943. It wasn’t easy for civilians to visit, and other facilities such as Shemya Air Force Base, west … Despite the first loss of U.S. soil to a foreign enemy since the War of 1812, the campaign was not considered a priority by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In addition to the P-40s, several P-38 Lightnings were moved up to the new airfield. Alameda Naval Air Station Alameda CA. Houses line up in rows before the mountain at Adak Army Base and Naval Operating Base. After the fighters, the heavy bombers attacked, also at low level, dropping 1,000 bombs on the harbor installations. I have a strong interest in the island's WWII history (I have written a play, currently in revision, which takes place on Adak Army Air Base in March 1944---you can learn more at www.windblownanddripping.com, a site in need of an update). This is not a place for the fainthearted. Additional long-range B-24 Liberator heavy bombers were moved down from mainland Alaskan bases to operate in the Aleutians, which enabled Air Force commanders to send the bombers with full loads to Attu, while B-25 Mitchell and B-26 Marauder medium bombers attacked Kiska several times each day. [6][7][8], The station was designated a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 for its role in the Second World War, even though little remained of the period facilities. [3], With the removal of Japanese forces from the Aleutians, the Joint Chiefs of Staff acknowledged the importance of the islands. On May 11th, 1943, American soldiers landed on Attu Island and successfully defeated the Japanese Army garrison. During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army took control of two of the westernmost Aleutian Islands—Attu and Kiska—in the incorporated territory of Alaska, the first foreign enemy to occupy American soil since the War of 1812. The first was the "downtown" area, where the NAF was located. Commanders in Alaska, however, believed the Japanese occupiers would establish airbases in the Aleutians that would put major cities along the United States West Coast within range of their bombers and once the islands were again in United States hands, forward bases could be established to attack Japan from there. At that time, I’d never heard of Adak Island, although it was an important military base. The Naval Air Facility was also reported to be used as a refueling stop for U-2, Dragon Lady, ultra-high altitude reconnaissance aircraft. [2], On June 6/7, 1942, the Japanese Navy and Army participated in the only invasion of the United States during World War II through the Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu as part of the Aleutian Islands Campaign. At the time of deactivation approximately 500 military and 50 civilian personnel were on the island. Adak (/ ˈ eɪ d æ k /, Aleut: Adaax), formerly Adak Station, is a city located on Adak Island, in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States.At the 2010 census the population was 326, up from 316 in 2000. Davis Army Airfield was transferred to Alaskan Air Command on 18 December 1945 when Eleventh Air Force was inactivated. Its excellent harbor provided shelter for the assembly of a large task force for the assault on Kiska. [1] After its closure in 1997, it was reopened as Adak Airport. Naval Air Facility Adak (IATA: ADK, ICAO: PADK, FAA LID: ADK), was a United States Navy airport located west of Adak, on Adak Island in the U.S. state of Alaska. While investments in military infrastructure, personnel and equipment have caused major growth to Alaska's economy, what happens when bases become obsolete? Maurer, Maurer (1983). There are no sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Kusilvak Census Area. His C-53 had crashed into a mountainside near Naknek on 28 November 1942. A 5,000 ft Pierced Steel Planking was laid down shortly afterward and the transports from the 42d Troop Carrier Squadron arrived the following day, landing on compacted sand next to where the matting was being laid. Narrative History of NAVCOMMSTA Adak 1942-1959 (from "200 Years Adak AK 1976") In 1942, the U.S. Navy established a Naval Operating Base on the island of Adak, .At the same time, communication facilities were set up as an integral part of this base. Top Rated Seller … About Winds of ADAK. Once hosting a U.S. military base supporting a population of thousands, Adak’s current population is fewer than 400 hardy inhabitants, many of whom work in the commercial fish processing industry. With passage of Public Laws 100-256 and 101-510 in 1988 and 1990, the Secretary of Defense created the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) to provide a fair process that would result in timely closure and realignment of military installations. The military continued to have a presence on the island with Adak Naval Air Station which remained operational during the Cold War and finally closed in 1997. There were no South Pacific Beaches, Piccadilly Circuses, or the warmth of Southern Italy. Adak Naval Air Station continued to be a military base during the Cold War but was designated a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site in 1995 and closed in March 1997. While investments in military infrastructure, personnel and equipment have caused major growth to Alaska's economy, what happens when bases become obsolete? Construction and operations began in September 1942. Our prime location and strategic assets, transferred as part of the Base Realignment and Closure process, make Adak a strong area for future growth and economic activity in relation to the Arctic. Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island (Seaplane Base) Whidbey Island WA. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Other articles where Adak is discussed: Aleutian Islands: History: Adak (formerly Adak Station) was the site of a naval station (1942–97), its military installations used as a base for mounting the Attu campaign in May 1943. All of Adak Island is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. It is the westernmost municipality in the United States and the southernmost city in Alaska. Initially Davis AAF was Headquarters of AAC until it was moved to Elmendorf Field on 1 October 1946. The southern portion of Adak Island, as well as most of the other islands in the Aleutian Island chain, is part of … The American reaction was to construct a new military base on Adak island – a Naval and air facility that could take full control of all the Aleutian Islands and oust the invaders. [4] Shortly thereafter, the town of Adak was incorporated at the site of the former base. AAC Operations ceased at Davis in May 1949 due to a lack of personnel and consolidation of AAC resources on the mainland. The southern half of Adak Island is also a federal wilderness area. Accompanying 14 photos, from 1943, 1983, and 1985–1986. The P-40s then strafed the harbor, attacking the Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" float plane fighter/bombers. The battle, which lasted for more than two weeks, ended when most of the Japanese defenders were killed in brutal hand-to-hand combat after a final banzai charge broke through American lines. Adak, also known as Adak Station, is also the southernmost city in Alaska. Work began on 2 September with the construction of an enclosing dike around the marsh and a system of drainage canals drain off the water, followed by scraping off the topsoil to reach the gravel underneath. Adak (/ ˈ eɪ d æ k /, Aleut: Adaax), formerly Adak Station, is a city located on Adak Island, in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States.At the 2010 census the population was 326, up from 316 in 2000. Adak’s air base was a key player in the campaign that occurred in the island chain. A very quick survey of the coast located a tidal marsh which had a firm foundation of sand and gravel beneath it. In November of 2019, explorer and hunter Donnie Vincent traveled to Adak Island, Alaska. Since the early 1940s, the northern half of Adak Island has been used for military … Military Base Contamination: The Facts: ... Adak Naval Air Station Adak AK. Movement. (It’s actually the westernmost town in the United States.) Immediately, they begin building Adak Airfield. After World War II, Adak became a strategically important Cold War base housing over 6,000 people. Channel 2's Nikki Carvajal and photojournalist Albert Lutan traveled to Adak, a remote island on the Aleutian chain, to see what's left of a once heavily populated navy base. The video explores areas on the former Naval Air Facility Adak Island, Alaska. As the most westerly naval operations base from the fall of 1942 to the end of the campaign, it provided support to the ships and submarines of the North Pacific Force in their fight against the enemy in northern waters. Remote by any definition, Adak is the southernmost community in Alaska, 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage. The Former Naval Air Facility was listed under the Base Realignment and Closure Program in July 1995. The northern portion of Adak Island was occupied by the Department of the Navy, however, the military facility closed in 1995 under the Base Realignment and Closure Act. By 1994, all military dependents had transferred from Adak. Adak Region School District served dependents living on the base. I have a strong interest in the island's WWII history (I have written a play, currently in revision, which takes place on Adak Army Air Base in March 1944---you can learn more at www.windblownanddripping.com, a site in need of an update). Officially, the military mission ended on March 31, 1997, and the station closed.… Although the Americans were not aware of it at the time, this raid essentially ended the ability of the Japanese to send out offensive strikes from Kiska and so effectively crippled the facility that the Japanese began withdrawing their shipping from the harbor. From United States ... a5 Photo 1940's Alaska Adak Military Base soldier w/ puppy on soldier 117a. It divides the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. [3], Headquarters, Eleventh Air Force was moved to Adak in August 1943 to provide operational control of the raids against the Kurile Islands. The northern portion of Adak Island was occupied by the Department of the Navy, however, the military facility closed in 1995 under the Base Realignment and Closure Act. [14] Acoustic data from the Adak array was routed to the Naval Facility Whidbey Island and the Adak facility was decommissioned 30 September 1992 after thirty years of surveillance.[9][10]. Adak was a staging point for the American military’s Aleutian campaign. Activities on the Adak Naval Air Station were not advertised during the Cold War. Fort Wainwright, Elmendorf AFB, and Fort Richardson are the largest bases in Alaska, each averaging about 6,000 military personnel. The 250-mile distance from Adak allowed multiple combat sorties each day to be carried out, weather permitting. At the height of the war, 50,000 troops. In March 1943, a cruiser and destroyer force, assigned to eliminate the Japanese supply convoy, met the Japanese fleet in the naval Battle of the Komandorski Islands. The Japanese also attacked the American base at Dutch Harborby air. The former Naval Air Facility (NAF) Adak is located approximately 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The 449th FS was moved to Ladd AFB and the base was put into a caretaker status. The former Adak Naval Air Facility occupies approximately 76,800 acres on Adak Island and is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Adak became the ACS Headquarters and the largest Army and Navy base in the Aleutians. It was a secretive separate command, though supported by the larger base. Credit: US Fish and Wildlife Service. Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base on Adak Island is significant for having served as a staging area for the American assaults, during World War II, on Japanese-held Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu.. Eleventh Air force lost two P-38s in an airborne collision and claimed five Japanese aircraft shot down. Before the closure of the naval station, Adak was once Alaska’s sixth-largest city, with some 6,000 people. By 16 February, the construction of the runway at Amchitka AAF had progressed to the point where light fighters could be brought in. On 24 August 1943, the Aleutian Islands campaign was successfully completed. [16] It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980. Base Realignment and Closure Naval Air Facility Adak Selected for Closure. The southern half of Adak Island is also a federal wilderness area. The 415th was replaced by the 449th Fighter Squadron on 1 September 1947; later being re-equipped with new F-82H Twin Mustang interceptors and being re-designated as the 449th Fighter Squadron (All Weather) on 20 July 1948. By August 1942, the Americans had established an air base on Adak Island and began bombing the Japanese on Kiska. 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