F10AK1057--_08.11_0500_p200-1f

F10AK0151--_08.11_0500_p200-1f

F10AK0280--_08.11_0500_p200-1f

F10AK0998--_08.11_0500_p200-1f

F10AK0095--_08.11_0500_p200-1f

F10AK0840-- _08.11_0500y200-1f

F10AK0279--_08.11_0500_p200-1f

F10AK0902--_08.11_0500_p200-1f

~nstruction c!f Kodiak Fortifications

from the Kodiak Beal; October 1941

Prescription For Heating"Omygoshl A war going on and what do thoseTent citians have to do? Why install a Sibleystove in their tent outhouse. Are we mice ormen?"

In September 1939, civilian contrac-tor Siems-Drake Puget Sound arrived atremote Kodiak Island to create a naval basefrom the ground up, beginning with an airstation and later adding an operating baseand submarine base.

In 1940, fearing attack on the newlybuilt and critically important navalfacilities, the Navy prioritized buildingArmy coastal defense units. Construction ofFort Greely, a new U.S. Army post locatednear the Navy base at Chiniak Bay, beganon February 1, 1941. Troop housing andadministration and hospital facilities werebuilt prior to the arrival of troops. Extremeweather conditions, including high winds,excessive rain, and heavy seas, hamperedconstruction and destroyed buildingsupplies. Almost all labor and materials-including worker housing-had to beshipped from Seattle, increasing expensesand requiring the stockpiling of materialsto prevent delays.

To defend the vulnerable naval base prior to theconstruction of fixed military defenses, mobile guns wererushed to strategic points along the island's coast. OnApril 3, 1941, BatteryC of the 250th Coast Artillery arrivedat Kodiak and moved into temporary quarters at the navalbase. On April 6, 1941, 155-mm guns were moved totemporary locations in the Buskin Flats area. Additionallocations for gun batteries were reconnoitered while theinitial defense plan was prepared. Colonel Benjamin B.Talley of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was in charge of

~~~~. ~ -~ .a;:;t,.;).;:.-:i"',~ '\..

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~.... ...___"'-'-"'-'-"'-'-.o...1l-"'-'- _Aeria{view ifArmy tent camy. Sptem6er 1941. (Kodtak Historica{ Society)

the construction of both permanent and temporary coastaldefense gun batteries and antiaircraft pOSitions, whichwere built by civilian labor.

Other early arrivals at Kodiak in 1941 included amedical detachment, which landed on July 6, and the firstunits of the 215th Coast Artillery, which arrived on August3. These troops joined construction laborers to build a"Tent City" near Barometer Mountain to shelter themselvesand the thousands of other troops to come in theapproaching winter. By October 1941, Fort Greely was athousand strong, including 17Army nurses, whose arrivalwas headlined by the post's small mimeographed newspa-per, the Fort Greely Weekly. It was reported that Armyofficers met the nurses at their boat and immediatelyconducted them on a tour of Kodiak and Fort Greely.Brigadier General Charles H. Corlett also arrived in Octoberto assume command of Fort Greely from Colonel William D.Fiaz·et.. . " " , ....•:

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Hawaii andAfaska Attacked ~r* --,-

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7,1941, triggered an explosive increase in militaryconstruction at Kodiak Fort Greely went on alert statuswith orders that positions be guarded and ready for actionaround the clock_ War had come to the Pacific just 10months after construction of the Army post had begun, butFort Greely's only coastal armaments consisted of four155-mm guns-not enough firepower to defend Kodiakagainst a determined attack by the Japanese_

In the December 15, 1941, edition of the new postnewspaper, the Kodiak Bear, General Charles H. corlettwarned, "They [the Japanese forces] will catch us off ourguard if they can. An appropriate time for their attackagainst us might very probably be on Christmas Eve orNew Year's Eve or on payday. While we must be everwatchful, we want to live as nearly normal as we can_ Wemust ever remain proud that we are soldiers and we mustwear our uniform in a way that marks a good soldier."

But for militaryfamilies at Fort Greely, lifewould be far from normal-military dependents wereordered to evacuate.

After LieutenantColonel James Doolittlelaunched a daring B-25a ttack on Tokyo fromaircraft carriers in April1942, war moved evencloser to Fort Greely.Japanese naval forces underthe command of ViceAdmiral Boshiro Hosogayaattacked Alaska in June1942, first launching airstrikes against DutchHarbor from aircraft

carriers. Next, the Japanese captured Attu and Kiska,remote islands on the western end of the Aleutian IslandChain.

The attack on Alaska was part of Admiral IsorokuYamamoto's strategy for the battle of Midway. Yamamotohoped to lure Admiral Chester W Nimitz, U.S. Commanderin Chief, Pacific, into sending the already weakenedAmerican Pacific fleet north into an ambush by Japanesenaval forces. But the Japanese code had been broken andNimitz, who had learned of the Japanese plan to attack theAleutians, sent only a small task force under Rear AdmiralRobert A. Theobald to protect Dutch Harbor. However,Theobald chose instead to deploy his forces south ofKodiak Island, leaving Dutch Harbor vulnerable to theJapanese attack.

Tension increased at Kodiak, with the enemy on itsdoorstep. Feeling the threat of imminent invasion, FortGreely headquarters issued a memorandum on June 3,

1942, stating,"Complete BLACK-OUT throughout theentire garrison will beeffected between thehours of 10:00 pmand 3:00 am each dayuntil further notice."

Tent City atFort GreeCy.(Kodtak H istorica(Society)

. ," ...- ..

1942

PAGE 4

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Battery 1 ofdic 215tli Coast Arti{{cryRC9iment (antiaircrt!t). Bui{dltt9S wercirrc9u{ar{yyaintcd'toyrovid'c camOliffa9c,as scen licrc 6cliind'qrouy. Marcli 1943.(Kodiak Historica{Society, Tlic{ma Jolinson

, Co{{~ction)

AUG:

Construction lifQuonset liut on Buskin Hiff. Marcli 1943.(Kodiak Historica{ Society)

construction battalions ("CBs" or "Seabees") and ArmyCorps of Engineer units under Colonel Benjamin B. Talleytook over the remaining construction. Although not fullycomplete, Fort Greely served as the Alaska DefenseCommand Headquarters from October 1942 to March1943, pending the American counterattack on the

Japanese in the Aleutians. Rear AdmiralTheobald, commander of the U.S. NavyNorth Pacific Force and the Army Air CorpsEleventh Air Force, and Army ground forcescommander Major General Simon B.Buckner jointly coordinated militarymovements in the Aleutians and mainlandAlaska from Fort Greely (although theywere reported not to get along).

At full capacity, Fort Greely housednearly 750 officers and 10,000 soldierswaiting at the ready for an enemy attack.

JAN. MARCH MARCH 23 AP'R. 27 ' MAY 30 JUNE-','

I"pact on the Kodiak Coastal];De ense S steIn

1943

As Kodiak braced for an assault by the Japanese, thefrantic military buildup peaked in 1942, with nearly 3,000civilian and troop laborers on the job. After Pearl Harbor,expectation of direct attack heightened with news ofcontinuing Japanese military successes in Asia and thePacific. Vigilance increased-many soldiers dug morethan one personal foxhole. Troops were expected to workon holidays and Sundays and were allowed only one dayoff a week. Nervous entries were recorded in the HarborEntrance Control Post Journal about possible enemysightings and unidentified vessels and planes. However,tension eased somewhat after the American victory atMidway on June 8, 1942.

The years 1942-1943 proved to be the zenith ofmilitary activity at Kodiak. In spring of 1943, Navy

ivin!1 With the\.-;--...' Threat t!f Invasion

PAGE 5

U.S. Moves A aillst Ja allese ill the A{elltians , :AA'"-........,ighting Back

........:.: .. ' :

The remoteness of the Aleutian Island Chain, stretch-ing over 1,200 miles west from Kodiak, hampered strate-gic U.S. flight missions-pilots were challenged by longover-water flights, extreme weather conditions, and poorvisibility. In preparation for ending Japan's occupation ofAttu and Kiska Islands, many Aleu tian bases were built in1941-1943, including airfields at Adak Island, theAmerican air base farthest west in the Aleutians. Prior tothe re-taking of Attu on May 11, 1943, and Kiska onAugust 15, 1943, Major General Simon B. Buckner andRear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, Admiral Theobald'sreplacement, moved Alaska Defense Command headquar-ters from Kodiak to Adak.

Although the front lines of the war moved westward,Kodiak remained an integral part of North Pacific militaryoperations. Throughout the remainder of World War II,Kodiak continued to serve as the major medical, staging,repair, and refueling base for units on their way to andfrom more westward bases. In a war that spanned thePacific Ocean, Kodiak was of strategic and logisticalimportance, prOViding a vital link to military operations tothe west.

Job We{{Done

Kodiak Coasta{Difense SysteinFIl{U{{S Its Mission .~

After the Japanese were driven from the Aleutians in1943, the immediate threat to Alaska dissipated. U.S.military bases had effectively blocked the once vulnerableNorth Pacific gateway to American territory. Consequently,the sudden and rapid military buildup at Fort Greelyreached an abrupt halt, although many of the plannedfacilities had already been completed. By January 1944,construction costs had exceeded $17 million.

As the U.S. military focus shifted to the war in Europeand the Central and South Pacific, troops began departing

Fort Greely in early 1944. By December ofthe same year, Fort Greely was put intocaretaker status. Fort Greely's sub-postswere deactivated in 1945 and their remain-ing armaments destroyed - the role of theKodiak coastal defense system in WorldWar II was over. But for a brief and frenetictime, Fort Greely had successfully defendedthe North Pacific, without ever firing itsguns on the enemy.

GI.,peering]rom o6servation_ post at BurtPomt, Fort Tidbaff. (KodtaKHistorica{Society)

1945

PAGE 6

I

ew Harbor Difense StrategiesFort Greeli 's Desi n ~~-.

Many of the bunkers built along the Kodiak coast,including those at Buskin Beach, were partially subterra-nean with vertical-faced walls designed to blend into theirsurroundings. The use of camouflage nets also aided inconcealment.

Fort GreeCyyroteetednavafjaciCities,• .'« •• .'" "incfu4tn!J K.odia~ NavafAir.. St~ion.on.,~yman

, , ..-: P~J#,ti~ufa;', slio~¥e" 'Ha~!iar to'!fs ~er~, ca'!io:ifffti!Jt:.J:td:reseJtl~re. '. .:', '. _ ,,., ..';~(iff~i:'~u..'iidt~!Js. :((j:S~' Coasti;Jii£rJFacifiti~s Dest!Jn·:~tld:COJ1stYiu;ti,OJi'C~rl~~(Pacy'kJ) ,".::' :;",~,-.

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Fort Greely's coastal defense system was designed toreflect new military technologies of the time. To defendu.s. seacoasts during the 19th century, shore-based gunswere housed in the faces of vertical-walled masonry forti-fications overlooking harbor entrances. However, theseseacoast defenses proved ineffective against the Civil War-era technology of rifled guns with more penetrating powerand greater projectile reach. Similarly, the sprawlingcoastal batteries and ammunition magazines of the1920s, tied together by access roads, were no match forthe 1930s advent of longer-range guns and overhead airattacks.

Thus, new harbor defense strategies were devel-oped. Long-range gun batteries, pow-erful nighttime har-bor search lights, andsophisticated artillerytargeting and fire con-trol devices werelocated in concealeddefensive units dis-persed in coastal areasto escape detection fromthe air or sea.

The high sea cliffs ofKodiak's northeasternshores were ideal for thenew style of harbordefenses. Prominent bluffsnorth of the Buskin River atBuskin Beach, where FortGreely's central headquarterswere located, offered unob-structed views of Kodiak, St.Paul Harbor, and the navalbase. Rock outcrops and vege-tation provided natural conceal-ment.

PAGE 7

How Was Fort Greeli 01' allized? :'": "

........ Cements of the Kodiak CoastaCDifense System'I

Dispersed around Chiniak Bay and on nearby islandswere the numerous defensive structures that comprisedFort Greely's far-flung coastal defense system, which wasconnected by roads carved through the forests and ruggedterrain, or accessed by boat. In April 1943, the Anny offi-cially organized these outlying defenses into four satelliteposts, designated as forts. Each of the following had twofixed gun batteries (for a total of eight batteries), a com-mand post, and associated defensive functions:

• Fort J.H. Smith, the most distant of the defensivepositions, included Chiniak Point and St. PetersHead

• Fort Tidball, on Long Island, included Castle Bluffand Deer Point

• Fort Abercrombie included Spruce Cape and MillerPoint

• Fort Greely included Puffin Island and Artilleryand Buskin Hills (even though the name FortGreely was also used for the Kodiak coastaldefense system as a whole)

Buskin Beach was the site of Fort Greely's centralheadquarters; Artillery Hill was designated as the HarborDefense Command Post, protected by a gun battery locatedat Buskin Hill.

Radiating out from Buskin Beach was the vital net-work of observation posts, radar stations, and searchlightshelters built to warn of enemy attack. Otherkey defensivefacilities included radio stations, tide stations, meteoro-logical stations, docking facilities, roads, and power plantshelters.

.,.r,:. #'

BTRY

PUFFIN IS.FT. GREElY4-90MM

BTRY

BTRYCASTLE BLUFF

FT. TIDBALL2-6'

BTRYDEER PT.

FT. TIDBALL4-155MM

HDOP

0)NARROW CAPE

MILLER PT.FT. ABERCROMBIE

2-8'

oHDOP

MT.HERMAN

BTRY

CDBUSKIN H.FT. GREElY4-155MM

BTRYCHINIAKPT.FT.JHSMITH

4-155MM

HDOP

oKIZHUYAKPT.

HDOP

BTRYST. PETERSHD.FT.JHSMITH

2-8'

ARTILLERY HILLFT. GREELY

. :;- .

Ori9ina( KodiakCoasta( Difense

Tactica( P(an.

Gun batteries(BTRY), radarstations (scR) ,

andIiarbor

difenseobervationyosts

(HDOP)rryortedto tlie

Harbor DifenseCommandPost

(HDCP) atArti((ery Hiff,

tlie centra(

Iieadquartersfor

arbor Difense CommandPostNerve Center 0 tlie Kodiak Coasta{De ense S stem ,/"

Built in 1942, the Harbor Defense Command Post wasthe central control point for the widely dispersed outpostsof Fort Greely's coastal defense system. Located high onArtillery Hill and built 120 feet from the edge of the cliff,this fully-concealed structure was buried in the hillsidewith no windows or exposed faces; only the access tunneland vent pipes were visible aboveground. If the Japaneseattacked, top Fort Greely officers would have maintainedcommand from within this bunker.

Telephone switchboards connected all gun batteriesto the Harbor Defense Command Post-orders to fire ontargets were issued here. The extensive buried telephonenetwork also connected all the components of the Kodiakcoastal defense system with each other and the HarborDefense Command Post. Miles oftelephone cables crossingbays connected islands and even the most remote loca-tions, prOViding the communication that made a coordi-nated defense possible.

Assuming an even more important role from October1942 to March 1943, the Harbor Defense Command Postbecame the forward headquarters for the Eleventh AirForce and Alaska Defense Command.

Serving as eyes and ears for the Harbor DefenseCommand Post, the separate harbor defense observationpost, with unobstructed views of the harbor and the navalbase, perched on the sea cliff50 feet away.

Tlie Har60r Difense CommandPost's massive reitiforcedconcrete structure liadwail's 2 feet tliick and!J.asJ'roej

doors, as sliown in tliese ori!Jinat construction ilrawin!Js,Tliejfooryean incCutiedsix 1fices, a switcli60ardroom,

6uiCdin!J suyyort meclianica{rooms, {atrines, anda 6atter!Jroom. 1945. (Nationa{Arcliives)

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PAGE 9

P{oory{ans for tfie versati{e 700Series 6ui(dtnqs were a{teredto

fit 6ui{d[n!Jjunctions. Por6arracks, tlie dest!Jn was simy{y{en!Jtliened6y 10Jeet to increasetlie ctpacity if a 631'erson to a

741'erson 6arracks. 1994.(Wascli et a()

SIPt tLtVATlO~

\I ,

"fAil. f.Lf.VATION

n Suyyort l!f the Kodiak Coasta(Difense SystemAdministration, Maintenance, andLi e-Su ort ~::J,"

..

. ',:;'

ties, dispensaries, infirmaries, a bakery, and laundry facil-ities. Off-duty structures built at Fort Greely included postexchanges, day rooms, theaters, a ski area, libraries, andchapels.

To supply Fort Greely, quartennaster and cold storagebuildings and gasoline and oil storage facilities were built.Fire stations, repair shops, guardhouses, a decontamina-tion building, and cryptographic station also supportedthe military effort. Additional munitions, including

ground troop ammunition,were stored at the canton-ments in ordnance ware-houses and magazines andwere serviced in an ordnanceshop.

Utilities for the baseincluded five water systemswith a total 660,OOO-galloncapacity, two sawmills, sevensewage systems, an exten-

'. siy.e .telep1wne system, on.ePfihcip'al ·electricC\l" systeqt;

.~. arid Jive ·';-Oi.ltpost .electrical.. systems. '. '.~ .

.'B~l'r'acksjd{(o~~itstanjard'SOO series .c~';tQn~ent.Cfesi!1-n .:useddflrmq,WOl{dW/:lY n6ase.constructtoli, 'as sliowl.'l ftef·C .

;atFotTTidVa({ on Lon!} Is{and: Tfre 800 Ser~es was., .!eye{medfrom the earrier 700 Serje~1 and.Wqs 6asicaffy .tli~ .

" ." same design, ~uhvitlifC1yer emheffishinents.. Oei-ober 1941..·:,. "{Kotftak.Histol~caCSociety) .. ". .,',;.

Although barracks were located at individual posts, amuch larger infrastructure was required to fully supportFort Greely's big guns. Two cantonments were built inlandof the coastal defenses in an area north of the BuskinRiver. Here, troops were housed in barracks and necessaryservices were provided to support military administration,maintenance, and daily life.

Cantonment barracks design followed mobilizationgeneral plans developed by the Army QuartennasterCorps. The 63-person 700Series barracks were con-structed throughoutCantonment No. 1 usingthe linear constructionlayout of the Naval base.However, in response tomilitary policies regard-ing camouflage and dis-persion, Cantonment No.2 barracks were con-

, . structed .in.a mpte·.irr~,gu.::,.lar layout th!it" wa.S· 'less'·. detecta"ble :.frblu···the. air.

: .,.r Later ·liousi;i:g·c~ris·ist~d;..'of. Q·u·ortset·hu·ts: ~hic;h":were: also .. less , app-arent ..... .. .

, ., '. from aboy,e arid fapier t9 construct. . .,' '". ..' ...... : ,. :'J~ ", Canto·mnerit." b~iidlng's inipo!t~nt:'to,·.fh~· s61dLers':.. ,., :- .. ' .daily life: ii.lduded .mess .halIs,· sh'Ower and lattfm:~ facili-~ . -'. . .. ":- . ", '... . "', .,', . ' ; . .'. .'

PAGE 10

ig GunsHeart 0 the Kodiak Coasta{De ense 5 sten, ,,;'

The sudden and vast militarybuildup at Kodiak centered on the26 big guns brought north to denyhostile sea forces access to ChiniakBay, home of Kodiak's naval base.These guns were installed aroundthe bay in batteries with overlap-ping ranges and were manned bythe Coast Artillery Corps, a special-ized force.

The big guns at Fort Greelyvaried in size and firepower. The 8-inch and 6-inch guns had the lon-gest ranges, 20 miles and 15 miles,respectively. To attain greater fir-ing accuracy, special mounts wereconstructed to fix the guns, yetalso allow them to rotate 360degrees. The 8-inch guns were soheavy that they had to be rotatedevery hour to prevent indentationsin the tracks. The 8-inch batterieswere constructed in a "U"-shapeddesign with a central magazinebetween two open gun platforms.The 6-inch batteries and maga-zines were constructed in a "T"-shaped design.

The I55-mm guns, with a range of 10 miles, were themost widely used seacoast defense artillery pieces. Theseguns also originated as World War I armaments,Americanized versions of the 1917 French tractor-drawn

Sea6eesyr~arin!J to insta{{8-incfi !Jun at FortAbercrom6tc. 1943. (Kodiak HistoYlca{ Society)

field artillery weapon called the 155-mm GrandePuissance Filloux (GPF). However, for greater firing accu-racy and speed, the mobile 155-mm guns were converted

DISPOSITION OF FORT GREELY'S FIREPOWER

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PAGE 13

Sfiie{ded6-incfi. qun simi{ar to tfiose attfie Fort Tidbatr vatteries. Tfiis is one c1

two !Juns on di~{a!) in Batter!) 246, FortCo{umbia State Park, Wasfiin!Jton.

AU!Just 1999. (Fort Cofumbia State Park)

to fixed guns. A 360-degree firing range was achieved bymounting a mobile ISS-mm gun on a concrete platformsurrounded by a concrete ring with an embedded curvedsteel "racer" upon which the gun's twin rail legs rode.Because it was initially developed in the Panama CanalZone, this type of gun emplacement was known as a "Pan-ama mount."

While other gun batteries were placed above lOa-footelevations, gO-mm batteries were installed at lower eleva-tions to be used as anti-motor torpedo boat (AMTB) guns.

Durin!J 37-mmantiaircr'ift !Juntrainin!J sessions,tfie commandin!J~cer sfiouted'Detaifs Post," andcrew members(etped to tfieirpositions workin!Jtfie !Jun, tfiefirecontro{ tpyaratus,and tfieammunitiondetair. Ma!) 1943.(Nationa{Arcfiives)

. ~ ,

. !

I

PAGE 14

...

•

READY: The process of firing the big guns began with sighting an enemy targetfrom a harbor defense observation post or base-end station. Once a target was

identified, a minimum of two partner base-end stations located alongthe coast on known base lines would telephone the target position tothe plotting building at the closest gun battery.

AIM: In the plotting building, the distance and speed ofthe target was calculated by engineers using atriangulation system.

FIRE: The projected position coordina tes of the targetwere then telephoned to the gun battery, which wasarmed and ready to fire. With the coordinates in hand,the gunners positioned the gun and, on orders from theHarbor Defense Command Post, commenced firing.

Panama mount with 155-mm !Jun at Fort Rousseau, Maklinati Is{and, Sitka,A{aska. Simi{ar to Kodiak coasta{":fense 155-mm !Juns. 1940s. (Sitka

Historica{ Society)

Insignia of the 250thCoast Artillery Regiment,which was inducted intoservice at San Francisco,

California, and laterarrived in Alaska

September 19,1941,where it remained until

March 16, 1944.

from World War II OrderqfBattle, Shelby Stanton,

1984",

B~ttery: prganiia.~jo*..,::" ~: :';," '.' ..'::".:

PAGE 15

Fintfin tlie Tali et !'

Radar station under construction at Piedmont Point, FortAbercrombie. August 1943. (Kodiak Mi(itary History)

tions were built in a wide variety of building styles. Onhigh cliffs, they were constructed as reinforced concretebunkers; in forested areas, wooden towers were built,typically 50 feet high (the highest at Spruce Cape was 72feet). Some harbor defense observation posts and base-end stations were single level structures and others hadtwo levels, with two differing functions.

Targets could also be located atnight. Searchlight bunkers on the edgeof sea cliffs housed 60-inch carbon arclights that illuminated enemy vesselsin the harbor. The lights were storedinside the bunkers and rolled out ongrooved tracks. Because the search-lights were so bright that nighttimevision could be impaired, operatorsaimed them by remote control fromdistant electric control (DEC) bunkers(also called pillbox bunkers).

Early radar equipment was used atFort Greely to locate targets during bad

. weathet".9r.,pt night; .Sea~oast radar.' st~tis¢ry~t.ioh posts' did· .

.' .... :. not1ia:vep~ttn'ers:, to 'produc~ a ... ·.f .s:econ« 1iii·e~or..:po~irt:~tf:-:·:·.,

'. :H0wever, the. more' nunierous·. ".'. " ,b'as~~~nd ;ta'tiolls.~~r~':lo.caied" .,'

. , wit~rn' unint~~tipted·.sight- oi ~"··partriers and near. 6rwith: gun':' ;... batteries:' . ....' :H~rbor d~f~m,~~ .. Qbs~rya-:,:

. 'tion·. posts and; base-end .~ta- ..'

PAGE 16

I

P{ottin tlie Tall et "

r

Each gun battery had an independ-ent "plotting and spotting" building,referred to as the plotting room. Azimuthreadings were received at the plottingroom from base-end stations-no "spot-ting" or observation of targets took placethere, as the name implies. The plotterdetermined the coordinates of the targetat 20-second intervals on a plottingboard. After at least three points weredetennined, engineers mathematicallytracked the target's speed and directionand computed its predicted course, calledthe "set-forward point." Firing positionswere then telephoned to the gun battery,where they were posted on the rangeboard. Coordinates were also correctedwith new spotting and plotting infomla-tion and sent to the gun squad recordersin proper firing intervals.

Construction of plotting rooms ranged from non-fortified to massively fortified. For example, the plottingroom for the I55-mm gun battery at Buskin Hill was con-structed with 6-inch thick wood laminated walls.However, the plotting room for the 8-inch guns at MillerPoint was a bunker with 4-foot thick reinforced concrete

Azimuth instruments were used'to measure tar!Jet directionin a horizonta{-based'.J1.0sitionjindin!J system. (A{asKa

State Parks, ChucK Underwood' Co«ection)

walls, the standard design for an 8-inch battery. Plottingrooms were located away from gun emplacements to alle-viate firing concussion effects.

WfJJ20w .s

Fil'ilt tlie Guns ~ " :'.' '.. ':..... ',' .' , "':".::'>. :.... ". "::.' ....: ,',' .. .:; , . '.,'.

Ig\o:O-rype m.agaz.i,nes, The defiladintw~V (a wall protect~ '.:'., .'Pilule a1Iowail'ce,. ready, andailt,Qmati~ amm411i.tion, anding from Sw~e:p,iiiggunf~·te). fa\ingthe.e·~~I:cjL.i-i

Shown are mem6ers cif the 250th Coast Artiffery 6andandservicemen stationedat Fort Gree{y; aCso shown are

womenJrom tJie Kodiak u.s.a. Grouy. 1943. (KodiakHistorica{ Society, Anna Be{{e Metrokin Coffection)

new theaters had opened by spring of 1942, although asoldier might have to stand in the rain for an hour to get aticket. Other entertainment was provided by famous visi-tors to Fort Greely, including Errol Flynn, Bob Hope, Joe E.Brown and Olivia de Havilland. Visitors from Washingtonalso arrived-four U.S. Senators, Alaska's TerritorialDelegate, and even President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whovisited in 1944 to review the Army troops and fish inBuskin Lake.

Prior to the establishment of Fort Greely's first chapelon May 15, 1942, services were held in the small woodentheater and sometimes in tents. A second chapel was

Co in With Hardshi andIso{ation ~ ,,10 '

ife at Fort GreelYI

Although the town of Kodiak (population 2,094 in1940) was nearby, few social amenities were to be had atFort Greely itself during the first months of its existence.However, the need to alleviate feelings of isolation,fatigue, and tension (after the Pearl Harbor attack) soonresulted in entertainment options for the troops.

Those interested in the news could buy the mimeo-graphed post newspaper, the Fort Greely Weekly Sun,whose slogan was "Remember, no matter what theweather, The Sun will come out every Thursday or so inFort Greely." To pfc Colin L. Clemens went the credit (andtwo silver dollars) for renaming thisearly post publication~ It sold for 10cents a month and later gave way to thetypeset Kodiak Bear. Because all mili-tary information was censored in bothpublications, and reporters wrote theirstories in a lighthearted style,life at thepost almost seemed carefree whenreading about who had just gottenmarried, become the father of twins,gone on a vacation, or won a footraceup Barometer Mountain.

Other sources of informationincluded magazines and a good selec-tion of fiction and non-fiction availableat two libraries that opened in Tent Cityin early October 1941. Creation of radiostation KODK (later called WVCQ) fol-lowed in January 1942, the first stationof the modern-day Armed Forces RadioNetwork. Fort Greely soldiers rehearsed their band music,singing, and skits in front of mess hall audiences beforeperforming on the air.

would-be gardeners made plans in February 1942 fora post garden. The "Fort Farm" was planted in the spring opened on June 2, 1942, and both acquired Hammondand each year thereafter, and the Kodiak Agricultural Club electric organs in December 1942.was formed. Also in February, soldiers welcomed the Sports enthusiasts played volleyball, badminton,arrival .qf the Red Cross canteen: Soldiers .continued·. to horseshoes, .and· f

Armaments were destro!Jed"wlien su6-yosts wered"eactivated" f!fter tlie war's end. Remains 16-incli !Jun at Cast(e B{t1fs, Fort Tit$a{{, incTude

tlie !Jun sliiertf, mount, and"Jra!Jments cif tlie !Junitse!f. AU!Just 1985. (State ijA{aslCa Office t1

H istor!J and"Arcliaeo(o!Jij)

--odiak CoastaCDifense System Becomes HistoryDecoml1tissionedandRec cfed . ,:

1970s1960s1950s

The State of Alaska acquired Fort Abercrombie inLife at Fort Greely during World War II is now only a 1969, creating a State Historical Park of this Fort Greely

distant memory. Many of Fort Greely's buildings, much of sub-post. In 1972, the Navy transferred ownership of theits land, and even its name, were passed on to new owners. remainder of Fort Greely and the Naval Operating Base toThe Kodiak coastal defense system embarked on its jour- the U.S. Coast Guard. The Navy airfield was eventuallyney into history on July 1, 1952, when the Army formally expanded into the Kodiak Airport. Little is left of the Fortdecommissioned Fort Greely's World War II facilities. Just 7 Greely cantonment area; older naval base buildings wereyears after the end of the war and the departure of troops replaced with modem housing for the Kodiak U.S. Coastfrom Fort Greely, a new chapter in its story had begun, one Guard base, the largest Coast Guard operation and supportof dissolu tion. base in the world today.

First to benefit from the hard work of Fort Greely's Later, it was recognized that Fort Greely's coastaloriginal occupants was the Navy, to which the property defenses had been built on land with exceptional recre-was transferred for use and maintenance on April 13, ational and developmental value and the Buskin Beach1953. Two years later, Fort Greely's name was given to a area was transferred to the Bureau of Land Managementpost in Alaska's interior. The Army installation Big Delta, in 1975. Buskin River State Recreation Site was created onnear Fairbanks, was re-named Fort Greely on August 6, the southern portion of Buskin Hill near the location of the1955. earliest World War II mobile armaments. This property is

During the Cold War, an Aircraft Control and Warning owned by the Coast Guard and is currently on long-ternlStation was constructed at Cape Chiniak (on acreage for- lease to the State ofAlaska.merly part of Fort J.H. Smith) by the Army Corps of In 1989,688 acres of the Buskin Beach area, incorpo-Engineers as part of the Kodiak naval base. Due to rating aU of Artillery Hill and the northern portion ofadvances in satellite technology, the station quickly Buskin Hill, were conveyed under the Alaska Nativebecame obsolete and was converted to a U.S. Air Force Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) to Natives of Kodiak, Inc.,Satellite Tracking Station. The Cape Chiniak Tracking which now owns the surface estate; Koniag, Inc. owns theStation was active from the "Sputnik" days of late 1958 subsurface estate. Many other Fort Greely sites are cur-tJuougb May 1975~ .'",rentlyunqer Ala.sk?,Natiye.,ownersqip:, '

:,,:.'.:.,. : ~:....;.. .,....... ,:,". .. ~'.. : .... "'. - :.. ',.-, .- :".;,"~ . :.: 4,:"."

. . .'. - . ':.~ '.:' =:.

"""'--"istorica{Resources Fast DiminishingCan The Be P,'eserved? _~ - "'

1999' •19919

Base-endstation (B-22), Point Head, Lon!J Is{and, Kotfiak.

October 1999. (Wa!:Jne Cra!:Jton, U.S. Arm!:J Corys cjEn!Jineers)

losses at Fort Greely are natural environmental degrada-tion, vandalism, physical and chemical hazard removalsby the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (under its DefenseEnvironmental Restoration Program for Formerly UsedDefense Sites), and removals by current property owners.Fortunately, Fort Greely's more remote defense sites haveremained relatively intact.

To help mitigate continuing historical losses, thisbrochure provides a written monument to the role playedby Fort Greely's coastal defense system in the history ofWorld War II, and in protecting the freedom enjoyed byAmericans today

Once a carifu{{!:J concea{edandhi!Jh{!:J securebunker, the Harbor Dtjense CommandPost(entrance shown here) lias been vandaCized, ashave man!:J otherformer coasta{difense sites.Ma!:J 1998. (US; Arm!:J ~qrys oj.E11!Jint;ers)

191191986' " ,> ,.' • ;........~~-''. 1985

, ,~: ',.\ ....

,'".. ,.

...,.. .

After 1949, strategic use oflong-rangeartillery harbor defenses was abandoneddue to technological advances such asamphibious assaults and air war tactics.Seacoast fortifications like those found atKodiak are now historical monuments.Coastal defense enthusiasts tour historicalmilitary fortifications all over the world,including the remains of Fort Greely

Efforts have been made to preserve thehistory, structures, and artifacts of FortGreely and the Kodiak coastal defense sys-tem. A portion of Fort Greely's unique WorldWar II history has been preserved at FortAbercrombie State Historical Park. The readyammunition bunker at Miller Point withinthe park has recently been partially restoredand was opened to the public in summer of1999. In 1985, the Kodiak Naval Operating Base and FortsGreely and Abercrombie National Historic Landmark wascreated. In addition, the Baranov Museum in Kodiakincludes World War II-era items in its collection.

However, much of Fort Greely's world War II past israpidly disappearing. Among the causes of historical

., .

I ••••

1980s 1990s

PAGE 21

Berhow, Mark A. 1996. "United States Seacoast Defense Construction1781-1948: A Brief History." 24 May 1996< http://www.cdsg.orglcdghiSl.html> .

Berhow, Mark A. 1997. "American Harbor Defenses in the PacificTerritories." San Pedro, CA: Fort MacArthur Press.

Berhow, Mark A. 1999. Editor. American Seacoast Difenses, aRf!ference Guide. Bel Air, MD: CDSG Press.

Bush, James D. 1944. "Narrative Report of Alaska Construction, 1941-1944." U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska. Anchorage, AK.

Cohen, Stan. 1981. The Forgotten War. Vol. [V Missoula, MT:Pictorial Histories publishing Company, Inc.

Cohen, Stan. 1992. The Forgotten War. Vol. III. Missoula, MT:Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Inc.

Corlett, Charles H. 1941. "General corlett Is Confident of GreelyStrength." Kodiak Bear. December 15: 4.

Fort MacArthur Museum Association. 1998. Base-end station page. 5May 1999 < http://www.webcomjfortmacjnewfiles/baseend.html> .

Griffin, Gus. 1998. "WWII Timeline." 8 Aug 1999< http://www.qt.orglworldwar/timeline/index.html> .

Higgs, Andrew S. 1998. "Documentation of world War II HarborDefense Sites at Buskin Beach, Kodiak, Alaska." Prepared for U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District. Fairbanks, AK: NOtthernLand Use Research, Inc.

Jones, Dorothy M. 1980. A Centwy qfServitude: PribilqfAleuts UnderU.S. Rule. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.

Lewis, \N.G. 1944. "Kodiak Alaska Militaty History, Fort Greely,Alaska." Declassified 1982.

Lier, charles. 1941. "Artillerymen Pursue Pool Hall Sports." Fort GreelyWeekly Sun. October 23: 7.

Mighetto, Lisa, and carla Homstad. 1997. Engineering in the FarNorth. Prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District.Missoula, MT: Historical Research Associates, Inc.

Montgomery Watson. 1997. "phase I Remed ial Investigation, BuskinBeach, Kodiak Island, Alaska." Prepared for U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, Alaska District. Anchorage, AK.

Stevens, joe. "Kodiak Alaska Military HistOlY." 6 june 1999 .

Stoltenberg, Lorella. 1997. "Road System Guide to Kodiak Island World WarII Sires." Kodiak, AK: Alaska State Parks.

Stultz, Prank L. 1941. "Libraries Open Doors in Tent City Area." Fort CreelvWeeklY. October 16: 3.

"The Sun Is Out." 1941. Fort CreelY Weekly SUII. October 23: 2.

Thompson, E. N. 1984. National Register of HistOlic Places InventOlY-Nomination Ponn: Kodiak NOB and Forts Greely and Abercrombie, KodiakIsland, Alaska. Washingt.on, D.C.: U.S. Department. of the Int.erior.

Wright, Marsham E. 1941. "The Road to Kodiak." Kodiak Bear. December 15:1.

Photograph and Graphic Sources

Fort MacArt.hur Museum Association. 1998. Azimut.h Inst.rument. M1910A1.17 August. 1999 .

Higgs, Andrew S. 1998. "photodocumentation of World War II HarborDefense Sites at. Buskin Beach, Kodiak, Alaska." Prepared for U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers, Alaska Dist.rict. Fairbanks, AK: Notthern Land UseResearch, Inc.

Kodiak Historical Society. 1941-1943. Kodiak, AK.

National Archives Still Pict.ure Reference. 1941-1943. Fort Greely WW IIphot.os. Group 80 and 111. College Park, MD.

Sit.ka Historical Society. 1940s. Isabel Miller Museum Collection. Sitka, AK.

Stant.on, Shelby L. 1984. Wotld War/l Order IffBatt/e. New York: GalahadBooks.

State of Alaska, Division of Parks and Recreation. 1940s. Chuck UnderwoodCollectjon. Kodiak, AK: Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park.

Stat.e of Alaska, Office of Hist.ory and Archaeology. 1976. Kodiak DERPPhotos. Photographer: Dave Albert. Anchorage, AK.

State of Alaska, Oftlce of History and Archaeology. 1985. Kodiak DERPPhotos. Anchorage, AK.

State of Alaska, Office of History and Archaeology. 1998. Kodiak DERPPhotos. Photographer: Russell H. Sackett. Anchorage, AK. May.

Stevens, joe. "Kodiak Alaska Militaty HistOlY." 6 june 1999 .

Unit.ed St.ates Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District. 1999. KodiakPhotos. Photographer: Wayne Crayton. Anchorage, AK. Oct.ober.

United States Coast. Guard. Facility Design and Construction Center (PacifiC).Seattle, WA.

N.atiomi"l,!\t:ch'ives·?rid ··Rec.ords :Admin:istration '(NARA): .t94{.' ",Fort >Was,ch, Diane ~ha)¥ and Rerry Bus!}.. 1,99~: "HistOlica! Context. of WoIld. wat:':!J'reely, Alaska, ,Histqrical R~·poti.I' ,Kodi?k,.AK,: A~a~ka state.P?rKs. : .. :1) MobtltzattOn Construction." [n woild'ffai (I a~ld tlif a.s. AJlJiY '. .

". • '.' .... .• '. ~ •.• ". ••.• '. • ':.