Adak naval air station history books

It is a chronological account of the hours leading up to the flight, inflight emergency, crash landing at sea, overwater survival, rescue by a soviet trawler, and aftermath. Go navy navy military military history illustrations posters cool cars aviation islands aircraft october 10. Our outreach efforts, research, reports, and writing rely on your support. Explore adak island, a cold war military base in the. Naval air facility adak was a united states navy airport located west of adak, on adak island. Adak island salvaging items left behind the alaska life. Adak is an extraordinary place, its military history fascinating and as storied as many of the folks here say. He is the author of six other naval institute press books, beginning with adak in. 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. By 1994, all military dependents had transferred from adak. He is the author of six other naval institute press books, beginning with adak in 2003 and most recently congo. The first inhabitants of adak were the aleuts as early as 9,000 years ago.

Record group 181 17841996 overview of records locations table of contents 181. Adak was developed as a naval air station after the war, playing an important role during the cold war as a submarine surveillance center. In the tradition of great tales of men against the sea, this story offers a compelling look at courage and commitment in the face of certain tragedy. After the war, adak was developed as a naval air station, playing an important. Narrative history of navcommsta adak 19421959 from 200 years adak ak 1976 in 1942, the u. We had reeves aleutian airlines bring in the mail and any new personnel. Site list and links below updated from the epa superfund website on oct.

These bases are typically populated by squadrons, groups or wings, their various support commands, and other tenant commands. I do not know how he got his name but he was a great companion especially when we took hikes around the island. Down from a peak population of 6,000, the island recorded a 2010 census population of 326 residents, all in the city of adak, in. Adak was truly an amazing duty station and i served two tours on adak, 1969 1970 and 1975 1978. Alfa foxtrot 586 was a p3 orion on station on a sensitive cold war mission. General view of the naval air station at attu, 185. I was stationed in adak from 77 to 78 as part of the crash crew fire station on the flight line as an airman. Records of naval districts and shore establishments. In december of 2019 my new book will be out, focusing on adak island during wwii with over 200 images many original photos. Adak historical society collection anchorage museum. Also known as adak army airfield, davis air force base, and naval communications station adak. Collections aleutian islands world war ii national historic area.

During world war ii, it was developed into an air base to attack japaneseoccupied kiska. United states naval air station aber wrach aber wrach 1918 naval air station adak adak, alaska. Navy began flying aircraft in 1911, followed by the united states marine corps in 1912, and there have never been as many aviation functions at one facility as there are now at naval air station. Jun 24, 2017 you need to be a member of naval air station adak to add comments.

Naval station, adak alaska, 1972 1973 the adak forest spruce trees today in 2016 are approx. 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. Alfa foxtrot 586 was a p3 orion on station on a sensitive cold war mission off the kamchatka peninsula on 26 october 1978. I served in adak from 19671968 at the naval communications station. Allegany ballistics laboratory usnavy mineral county wv. Jan 01, 2002 naval air station adak alaska patch beautiful colors veteran owned business. Had buddies in ground electronics and made several trips with them out to the remote site. Complete aeronautical information about adak airport adak island, ak, usa, including location, runways, taxiways, navaids, radio frequencies, fbo information, fuel. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading adak. After its closure in 1997, it was reopened as adak airport.

In late october 1978, patrol squadron 9s crew 6, lt. An island in the central andreanof islands of the aleutian chain. In 1994, nas adak was designated as naval air facility naf adak. Adk, was a united states navy airport located west of adak, on adak island in the u. The naval air facility adak was closed officially in 1997 before reopening as the adak airport. A download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The naval air facility adak was established in 1942, which played a very. Aug 08, 2016 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 remained under navy control until the adak naval air station was. A pictorial and anecdotal history of adak, alaska, u. Naval air station adak alaska patch beautiful colors veteran owned business. The first was the downtown area, where the naf was located. So of course the government built a sprawling naval air station, and as many as 5,000. Alaskas adak island is an isolated destination with rich history, rugged terrain, and scenic.

The southern half of adak island is also a federal wilderness area. Jun 08, 2017 the naval air facility adak was closed officially in 1997 before reopening as the adak airport. The city of adak, alaska, the westernmost city in the united states is a community centered among the most productive fisheries in the west. Dec 24, 2010 a collection of pictures taken during my tour of duty onboard naval station, adak, alaska from january 1972 to june 1973. 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. Building the navys bases in world war ii naval history and heritage.

Adak fights to keep the lights on anchorage daily news. Jerry grigsbys crew, flew from naval air station moffett field, california, to naval station adak, alaska, for what everyone aboard the aircraft assumed would be the second and last sixweek deployment to their parent squadrons detachment in the aleutian islands. Adak army airfield was used during the aleutian campaign by both usaaf and naval air units, particularly in defensive actions against japanese forces occupying attu and kiska following the war, the aaf turned adak over to the united states air force until 1950, and then to the navy who. The former adak naval air facility occupies approximately 76,800 acres on adak island and is part of the alaska maritime national wildlife refuge. In 1984, the adak naval station was renamed naval air station nas adak. A naval air station is a military air base, and consists of a permanent landbased operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of a navy naval aviation. Description of adak for visitors services recent events and news links. The former base had two areas with extensive development. I found this vhs in my stack of tapes and decided to convert it to digital so i could share with my fellow adakiens. A collection of pictures taken during my tour of duty onboard naval station, adak, alaska from january 1972 to june 1973.

While the initial focus of is on camp lejeune contamination, research shows that this is problem is much larger than one base camp lejeune is unfortunately the flagship of contamination on a long list of other contaminated u. Narrative history of navcommsta adak 19421959 from 200 years adak ak 1976. At adak stations peak, the military community housed over 6,000 navy and. Naval air station adak adak, alaska naval air station agana agana, guam.

Adak formerly adak station, is a city located on adak island, in the aleutians west census area. Adak naval air station alaska patch b verison navy day go navy fixed wing aircraft navy military aircraft carrier military aircraft alaska aviation color zoom slide show page file adak wrightshotgunorwullenwebber. Was stationed with naval communications adak in special communications in building p80, about a mile from the comm station, just below i believe it was mt. Adak island, far out in the bering sea, may be where the. Adak island is located in the andreanof island group of the aleutian islands, the string of rugged, volcanic islands archipelago curving 1,200 mi 1,900 km west from the tip of the alaska peninsula. It is a powerful blend of human drama and reallife naval operations, but unlike most books in the genre, its heroes are airmen not seamen, and most survived their ordeal. Published on the twentiethfifth anniversary of alfa. Adak island sits midway between the united states and russia, where the bering sea meets the pacific ocean.

Air base at naval air station, adak, alaska, altitude of 10,000 feet, july 25, 1943 author. Many buildings have since closed or become abandoned, but there are still. What happens when a navy ditches into the freezing sees off the aleutian islands. Explore abandoned wwii and cold war military remnants on. The military mission at adak ended on march 31, 1997. See more on the history of nas patuxent river here naval aviations early years. Adak island, far out in the bering sea, may be where the wind begins. 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. The former navy air facility adak is located about 1,200 miles southwest of anchorage, alaska. With the fall of the soviet union in the early 1990s, nas adaks operational viability as. Support civilian exposure in its mission to build awareness, accountability and assistance for everyone exposed to toxic contamination aboard u. United states military history see all 15 departments.

Marine barracks adak naval air station, alaska photos after closing. Naval air facility, adak aka adak naval air station adak, aleutian islands census, alaska. Retired adak marine barracks section opened on 122201 not affiliated with the marine corps, navy or any other us government agency. How to survive alone in the wilderness for 1 week eastern woodlands duration. Naval air station akron akron, ohio now akron fulton international airport naval air station alameda california. Coast guard members disciplined for vandalism at adaks. Naval station, adak, and on 2 october 1951, secnav letter, serial 3977p21, established u. 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.

The military first developed an air station on adak during world war ii. Jampoler spent nearly twentyfive years as an active duty naval aviator including a year on the ground in vietnam, command of a squadron and a naval air station, and service on several high level staffs. Mar 25, 2017 i served in adak from 19671968 at the naval communications station. Naval air station albany georgia former turner afb until 1967, closed 1974. Although the facility became listed as a national historic landmark for its role in wwii, most of the remnants of the past have since been demolished or lie in shambled ruins. The facility was designated a national historic landmark for its role in world war ii, although most of its elements from. A united states naval air station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent landbased operations locations for the naval aviation division of the united states navy. Naval communications station navcommsta adak alaska nud. Navy established a naval operating base on the island of adak.

Jampoler is a retired naval aviator and former commanding officer of patrol squadron 19 and of naval air station moffett field. Coast guard recently disciplined several service members for damaging a house and a church on adak, highlighting the problem of vandalism on the deteriorating former military base. Veteran clifford mcginnis saved this history of the conflict in the aleutians, written in the 1940s by the intelligence section of general headquarters on adak. At its peak, the station housed 6,000 naval personnel and their families. So of course the government built a sprawling naval air station, and as. At the same time, communication facilities were set up as an integral part of this base.

The rescue of alfa foxtrot 586 provides narrative alongside the investigation into the ditching of a navy p3 into the frigid north pacific in 1978. List of united states naval air stations wikipedia. As of the 2010 census, adak was the only city in alaska to have a majority asian population 171 of 326 residents. By 1990, over 5,000 people were at the base, almost 3,000 of whom were military, the remainder composed of military dependents and civilian employees. Census as a censusdesignated place cdp, although it previously was the adak naval station from 1970 to 1990.

There is an excellent book called soldiers of the mist and another called the. The adak naval air station closed in 1997, and over the next. Adak army airfield was used during the aleutian campaign by both usaaf and naval air units, particularly in defensive actions against japanese forces occupying attu and kiska. Atsdr pha naval air facility, adak aka adak naval air. The dramatic history of aviations most controversial airliner. The compound later became a cold war naval air and submarine surveillance station, which in its heyday was.

Shortly thereafter, the town of adak was incorporated at the site of the former base. Even after the permanent aleut villages were abandoned in the 1830s, seasonal and subsistence use of the island continued until world war ii wwii. The former naval air facility was listed under the base realignment and closure program in july 1995. Large earthquakes rocked the island in 1957, 1964 and 1977. I remember the wind was so strong at times we had to hold onto things while outside, we had a dog which belonged to everyone and his name was jim beam.

Naval air facility adak 19421997 naval air facility adak was alternately an army air field, air force base, and naval air and communications facility located on adak island in the western aleutian island chain. After the war, adak was developed as a naval air station, playing an important role. A collection of pictures taken during my tour of duty onboard naval station, adak, alaska from january 1972 to june adak was a very unique place. Since the early 1940s, the northern half of adak island has been used for military operations. Adak former naval air facility alaska dec state of alaska. Zoom slide show page file adakwrightshotgunorwullenwebber. The rescue of alfa foxtrot 586 kindle edition by jampoler, andrew c. List of united states naval air stations military wiki. Support civilian exposure in its mission to build awareness, accountability and assistance for everyone exposed to. In the tradition of great tales of men against the sea, adak offers a compelling look at courage and commitment in the face of certain tragedy. Navy began flying aircraft in 1911, followed by the united states marine corps in 1912, and there have never been as many aviation functions at one facility as there are now at naval air station patuxent river.