Aleutian Island Defenses

nobody@flickr.com (Doug van Kampen) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 22:06:02 -0800

Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base and Fort Mears are located on Amaknak Island in Unalaska Bay, in the Aleutian Islands Chain, 800 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. In early June 1942, Japanese aircraft attacked Unalaska in a fierce two-day bombardment that resulted in 43 American deaths. At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor these two bases were the only U.S. defenses in the Aleutians, and they continued as important coastal defenses throughout the war.

In 1912, the U.S. Navy installed a radio station at Dutch Harbor. In the Washington Naval Treaty of 1912, the United States agreed not to fortify the Aleutians. Even when Japan withdrew from the treaty in 1934, the United States took no steps to fortify the Aleutians. Not until 1938 did a Navy board urge the construction of naval, air and submarine bases at Dutch Harbor and Kodiak and an air base at Sitka. At Dutch Harbor, construction began in July 1940 on both army and naval installations, the army mission being defense of the naval air station. When the first army troops arrived at Dutch Harbor in May 1941, they found a new Marine Barracks and Dutch Harbor's "landmark," a large brick residence at the naval radio station. Construction proceeded on both bases and soon the tiny island was crowded with new buildings. The naval air station was commissioned on September 1, 1941. The army base was formally named Fort Mears on September 10, in honor of Col. Frederick Mears, a member of the original Alaskan Engineering Commission, which built the Alaska Railroad, and chief engineer of the Panama Railroad. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the naval air station at Dutch Harbor and the adjacent army post, Fort Mears, were the only defenses the United States possessed in the entire Aleutian Chain. With the entrance of the United States into World War II, the civilian contractor gave way to the Navy, which continued construction. Naval facilities expanded, new missions were added, and the Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base was commissioned January 1, 1943 to include the air station, submarine base, ship repair facility, and facilities for provisioning the fleet. Eventually 5,680 Navy and 10,000 Army personnel were stationed at the location.

Amaknak Island is about five and a half miles long and varies in width from a few hundred yards to about one mile. In the north Mount Ballyhoo and Ulakta Head rise dramatically from the sea; Ulakta Head still contains World War II coastal defenses and some coast artillery quarters. To the south of Mount Ballyhoo lies the site of former Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base on relatively low but rolling terrain. Most of the World War II era constructions remain, although many are fast deteriorating and some are already ruins. Principle features include: the short (4,385-foot) Navy runway which serves the commercial airport today, airplane revetments (barricade against explosives) along the north side of the runway, magazines, aerology-operations building which later became an airline terminal, double hangar, bombproof power plant, two wharves, brick apartment house, a large number of occupied cottages (former naval quarters), torpedo storehouse and two hillside tunnels. South of the naval base is the original site of Fort Mears which was taken over by the Navy in 1944. Several of the Army barracks remain, but are in poor condition. Several concrete pillboxes and, on the hillsides, personnel trenches complete the landscape, although a former submarine base dock exists in "downtown" Amaknak, and Hill 400, at the south end of Amaknak, still contains reinforced defense structures and the hilltop holds gun emplacements and the ruins of a few quonset huts and frame buildings.

Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base and Fort Mears, U.S. Army, recognized as a National Historic Landmark, lies on Amaknak Island in the Aleutians Island Chain, 800 miles west of Anchorage, the nearest large urban center. It can be reached by air through commercial and charter flights from Anchorage. The Aleutian World War II National Historic Area, also located on Amaknak Island, interprets the history of the Aleut or Unangan people and the Aleutian Islands in the defense of the United States in World War II. It is open year round, although the best time to visit is May through October.

(Source: www.nps.gov/nr/travel/aviation/dut.htm)

Captains Bay - Dutch Harbor, Alaska

nobody@flickr.com (Doug van Kampen) — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:23:57 -0700

Doug van Kampen posted a photo:

Perhaps one of the more beautiful Alaskan landscaped I've ever seen, Captain's Bay plays home to several high-profile crab fishing boats during the extremely short season in Winter. Not only filled with natural beauty, Captain's Bay also boasts some of the best fishing in Alaskan waters. Enjoy! -DvK

Drydock - Anacortes, WA.

nobody@flickr.com (Doug van Kampen) — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:36:13 -0700

Doug van Kampen posted a photo:

Celebrating our 18th wedding Anniversary, Corrieblueeyes and I took a trip out to San Juan Island this weekend. Surrounded by the beautiful inland water ways of Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands are perhaps one of the most beautiful and picturesque places on earth. Just a few hours from our home provides whale watching, great restaurants, and fantastic lodging for a great weekend getaway. If you ever get a chance, I would highly recommend it!

On the return trip this afternoon, I was able to catch this ship from Kodiak Island Alaska being repaired in the Anacortes dry-dock for the coming crab season off Dutch Harbor in the Fall. Not a "Deadliest Catch" boat, but nonetheless impressive out of the water! -DvK

A Forgotten Era

nobody@flickr.com (Doug van Kampen) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:59:44 -0700

Doug van Kampen posted a photo:

Back during the early stages of the Cold-War, the United States had a fear that the Soviet Union would use a chain of islands in the north Pacific to invade mainland America...it never happened. Enjoy the decay from an era long removed!

Uploads from Doug van Kampen, tagged alaska, with geodata

Aleutian Island Defenses

Captains Bay - Dutch Harbor, Alaska

Drydock - Anacortes, WA.

A Forgotten Era