Assignments to the Aleutians, however, were looked on with dread. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1913. 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. See more ideas about Alaska, Aleutian islands, Moving to alaska. [2], On 1 December 1962 the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) shore terminal was commissioned. The former base had two areas with extensive development. Roads, ports, and airfields were improved or constructed to facilitate the transportation of troops and supplies. Nine military bases are in Alaska. It was a secretive separate command, though supported by the larger base. Located about 1,400 air miles southwest of Anchorage, Adak Naval Base remained active until the late 1990s. The southern half of Adak Island is also a federal wilderness area. Remote by any definition, Adak is the southernmost community in Alaska, 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage. While investments in military infrastructure, personnel and equipment have caused major growth to Alaska's economy, what happens when bases become obsolete? Adak was a staging point for the American military’s Aleutian campaign. Fighter aircraft flew a dull routine of defensive alerts against an enemy which was a thousand miles away. 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. The 250-mile distance from Adak allowed multiple combat sorties each day to be carried out, weather permitting. British Prime Minister Churchill stated that sending forces to attack the Japanese presence there was a diversion from the North African Campaignand Ad… This is not a place for the fainthearted. 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. 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.. Adak Naval Station first appeared on the 1970 U.S. Census as an unincorporated military installation. Adak Region School District served dependents living on the base. Houses line up in rows before the mountain at Adak Army Base and Naval Operating Base. 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. The Naval Air Facility was also reported to be used as a refueling stop for U-2, Dragon Lady, ultra-high altitude reconnaissance aircraft. 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 … By August 1942, the Americans had established an air base on Adak Island and began bombing the Japanese on Kiska. The 625th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (designated F-11) provided early-warning ground control intercept (GGI) Radar to direct the Black Widows to incoming aircraft. The first inhabitants of Adak were the Aleuts as early as 9,000 years ago. There are no sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Kusilvak Census Area. They also ordered the reduction of the number of combat forces under Eleventh Air Force. 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. 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. National Historic Landmark designated on February 27, 1987, Aleut Corporation | US Fish & Wildlife Service, World War II had a major impact on Alaska, WWII in the Aleutians – photos and anecdotes from locals and veterans of the Aleutian Campaign, Interviews and photo collections of veterans from the Aleutian Campaign, Battle of the Aleutian Islands - History Channel, More National Historic Landmarks in Alaska. Attu, Kiska, and much of Adak are part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Russian explorers in the 18th century also visited the island but made no permanent settlements. Adak Island is off of Alaska’s west coast and is part of the Aleutian Islands. 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. Superfund Site: In 1994, the Adak base was placed on the National Priorities (Superfund) List. Adak used to house the Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base from 1942 to 1997. In addition to the P-40s, several P-38 Lightnings were moved up to the new airfield. The southern half of Adak Island is also a federal wilderness area. 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. The City of Adak, Alaska, the westernmost city in the United States is a community centered among the most productive fisheries in the West. Adak became the ACS Headquarters and the largest Army and Navy base in the Aleutians. [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. 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. (It’s actually the westernmost town in the United States.) 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. After the War, Adak was developed as a Naval air station, playing an importan… C $28.15. Base Realignment and Closure Naval Air Facility Adak Selected for Closure. [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. Your photos are marvelous. The southern portion of Adak Island, as well as most of the other islands in the Aleutian Island chain, is part of … [4] Shortly thereafter, the town of Adak was incorporated at the site of the former base. 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. This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/. The set of bases was declared a National Historic … P-61 Black Widow night fighters of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron were assigned from Shaw AFB, South Carolina and were used as long-range interceptors against incoming unknown aircraft. The U.S. established a military base on Adak in 1942 in response to the Japanese invasion of Attu and Kiska. [3], Attacks continued against Kiska with high intensity through the fall and end of 1942. 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. Photos from our trip to Adak, Alaska in January, 2012. 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. Due to the heavy casualties suffered at Attu Island, planners were expecting another costly operation. Additional gravel and then a sand runway was laid down. the Air Force in Alaska. Although bombers could reach Kiska, they could not be escorted by shorter-range fighters. 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. 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. In November of 2019, explorer and hunter Donnie Vincent traveled to Adak Island, Alaska. 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. or Best Offer. Since the early 1940s, the northern half of Adak Island has been used for military … [3], On 12 January 1943, American forces made an unopposed landing on Amchitka Island, 50 miles from Kiska and 260 miles from Attu. Get a detailed view of each base by clicking their name. [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. Aircraft from Adak flew constant combat air patrols over Amchitka against attacking Japanese Rufe fighter-bombers from Kiska and longer-range bombers from Attu. 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. Other than the B-24 operations against Japan, the remainder of Eleventh Air Force personnel simply counted the days until their reassignment elsewhere.[3]. [16] It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980. 18th Fighter Squadron P-40 Warhawks began to arrive from Adak and surprised the Japanese by launching counterattacks to their raids. The City of Adak, Alaska, the westernmost city in the United States is a community centered among the most productive fisheries in the West. Establishing a base on Adak, about 250 miles from Kiska, allowed U.S. forces to mount a successful offensive against the two Japanese-held islands. In July 1995, Naval Security Group activity (NSGA) Adak was slated for closure under the Base Realignment and Closure Act and deactivated on January 31, 1996. By 16 February, the construction of the runway at Amchitka AAF had progressed to the point where light fighters could be brought in. 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. Jun 23, 2017 - Explore Doug Holm's board "Adak, Alaska" on Pinterest. The P-39s came in first to suppress the anti-aircraft fire with their 37mm cannon fire. Alaska's infrastructure grew immensely as a result. Maurer, Maurer (1983). Previously, only the long-range P-38s had been able to reach Kiska from Fort Glenn AAF, and only with great difficulty. Accompanying 14 photos, from 1943, 1983, and 1985–1986. On May 11th, 1943, American soldiers landed on Attu Island and successfully defeated the Japanese Army garrison. The Japanese forces on Attu, (430 miles from Adak) however, remained only within the range of the B-24 Liberators, although the P-38s could fly escort missions. The P-40s then strafed the harbor, attacking the Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" float plane fighter/bombers. However, the island had not been properly surveyed to find a suitable site to build the airfield. There were no South Pacific Beaches, Piccadilly Circuses, or the warmth of Southern Italy. Allowed American forces to mount a successful offensive against the Japanese-held Aleutian islands of Attu and Kiska during World War II. Adak Station was built during the Aleutian Island Campaign where the United States and Japan fought to control key islands that would allow either side a massive advantage when launching a coastal or airborne attack during World War II. Eleventh Air force lost two P-38s in an airborne collision and claimed five Japanese aircraft shot down. Adak used to house the Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base from 1942 to 1997. By 10 September enough construction had been completed that a 73d Bomb Squadron B-18 Bolo successfully landed on the runway. All of Adak Island is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. A … Adak Army Airfield was renamed "Davis Army Airfield" in honor of Colonel Davis. The military mission at Adak ended on March 31, 1997. 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. [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]. The Navy will address the discovery either through Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, or through UXO-qualified contractors. The military continued their presence on the north end of the island and in postwar years the population peaked at about 6,000. Despite the importance of the roles they played, the airmen and –women who were stationed there were far from home and at the mercy of often unforgiving weather. Join me as I explore the creepy homes and abandoned neighborhoods of Adak Island. Construction began on September 1, 1942 and was completed by the end of 1943 with the first bombers carrying out missions from the base on September 14, 1942. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. Its excellent harbor provided shelter for the assembly of a large task force for the assault on Kiska. It held an important strategical location in WW2 for the Army in the retaking of Kiska and Attu Islands from the Japanese. Now, the base and housing facilities are largely abandoned. Photo courtesy of James Robert Weatherstone. 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). 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. From United States ... a5 Photo 1940's Alaska Adak Military Base soldier w/ puppy on soldier 117a. Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (USNAVY) Mineral County WV. 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. Two Japanese light bombers were shot down over the airfield in full view of the construction engineers. Fort Wainwright, Elmendorf AFB, and Fort Richardson are the largest bases in Alaska, each averaging about 6,000 military personnel. Even while aircraft were landing, construction continued at a rapid pace to cover the PSP with several layers of asphalt and construct additional station facilities.[3]. Although the town of Adak was incorporated with the former base, many structures were left abandoned. [3], On 10 September 1943, Funeral Services for Col Everett S. Davis, former Chief of Staff, Eleventh Air Force, were held on Fort Richardson and he was buried in the Fort Richardson Cemetery. 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. 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. 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. 14 photographs of Adak arranged in a … 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. Fort Wainwright, Elmendorf AFB, and Fort Richardson are the largest bases in Alaska, each averaging about 6,000 military personnel. Navy use of approximately 77,000 acres on the northern half of the island was authorized by a public land withdrawal in 1959. [3], Headquarters, Eleventh Air Force was moved to Adak in August 1943 to provide operational control of the raids against the Kurile Islands. With the long-range Radar-Equipped Twin Mustangs operating from Davis, AAC moved the 625th AC&W Squadron to Elmendorf AFB on 1 July 1948 where it was attached to the 57th Fighter Wing. As the most westerly American base Adak allowed for intensified bombing (with fighter plane protection) of the Japanese garrisons. 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. Adak’s air base was a key player in the campaign that occurred in the island chain. [3], The establishment of Adak Army Airfield (Code Name A-2, also "Longview") on 30 August 1942 gave the United States Army Air Forces a forward base to attack the Japanese forces on Kiska Island. By 1994, all military dependents had transferred from Adak. 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. Nine military bases are in Alaska. Since the early 1940s, the northern half of Adak Island has been used for military operations. Understand []. 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). Adak Island 1. World War II had a major impact on Alaska. See more ideas about alaska, aleutian islands, moving to alaska. C $19.86. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. It is one of eight National Historic Landmarks in Alaska that was designated to commemorate the World War II in Alaska. Houses line up in rows before the mountain at Adak Army Base and Naval Operating Base. In… Located about 1,400 air miles southwest of Anchorage, Adak Naval Base remained active until the late 1990s. Nov 4, 2020 - Explore Mary Francis's board "Adak Alaska" on Pinterest. [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. 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. The establishment of Adak Army Airfield (Code Name A-2, also "Longview") on 30 August 1942 gave the Air Force a forward base to attack the Japanese forces on Kiska Island. 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. 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. Adak, also known as Adak Station, is also the southernmost city in Alaska. The need for an Aleutian advance base further west became urgent. It would be a month before the Japanese could send out a reconnaissance aircraft from Kiska to fly over Adak. Situated in the western Aleutians, Adak Island is currently the western-most location in Alaska readily accessible to birders. On 1 July 1950, the Air Force transferred Davis AFB to the United States Navy who established an anti-submarine warfare base there. 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. Military Base Contamination: The Facts: ... Adak Naval Air Station Adak AK. At the height of the war, 50,000 troops. 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. Chloe, John Hale, (1984), Top Cover for America. (Link to his own website). While investments in military infrastructure, personnel and equipment have caused major growth to Alaska's economy, what happens when bases become obsolete? [3], On 15 August 1943, U.S. forces landed unopposed on Kiska. Before the closure of the naval station, Adak was once Alaska’s sixth-largest city, with some 6,000 people. 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. The Japanese campaign coincided with the more wel… 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 was a staging point for the American military’s Aleutian campaign. The Navy and Marine Corps do not have any bases here. The Former Naval Air Facility was listed under the Base Realignment and Closure Program in July 1995. The garrison dug in and began to practice anti-aircraft drills. The race for bases between Kiska Island, 650 miles west, where the Japanese were entrenched in force, and Umnak Island was on. At one time Adak was the 6th largest city in Alaska. By August 1942, the Americans had established an air base on Adak Island and began bombing the Japanese on Kiska. 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. 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. On 31 March 1997, the Navy closed Adak Naval Air Facility. Ordnance The Navy has aggressively investigated and addressed ordnance issues on Adak. [17] The station was deactivated in 1997 and was superseded by the CDP of Adak in 2000.[18]. Construction and operations began in September 1942. Adak Island has been the home to Aleut peoples since ancient times. 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. 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 video explores areas on the former Naval Air Facility Adak Island, Alaska. The lowering of the flag for the last time ended an era that began of 31 August 1942, when U.S. forces landed on the Aleutian Island and established an advance base there for operations against the Japanese on Kiska and Attu Islands. The first was the "downtown" area, where the NAF was located. See more ideas about alaska, aleutian islands, moving to alaska. His C-53 had crashed into a mountainside near Naknek on 28 November 1942. 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