secret military base in alaska
Many of the facilities used today were built at that time, including Amber Hall, the Thunderdome, Base Exchange, Gymnasium, Theater, some of the schools, and many of the dormitories. Within the first year of its arrival the 354 FW hosted an Arctic combat search and rescue exercise between the United States, Canada, and Russia. According to Alex Clark, "D uring WWII the Army Air Force built an airbase at Point Spencer on the Seward Peninsula of Alaska.". [24], In 1984, the 343d Composite Wing was redesignated a Tactical Fighter Wing. Everything inside and out has been broken and vandalized. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Where Is the Military Base in Alaska? Layer by Layer: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Sacred Granaries, Kasbahs and Feasts in Morocco, Monster of the Month: The Hopkinsville Goblins, Writing the Food Memoir: A Workshop With Gina Rae La Cerva, Reading the Urban Landscape With Annie Novak, How to Grow a Dye Garden With Aaron Sanders Head, Making Scents: Experimental Perfumery With Saskia Wilson-Brown, Indigenous Desserts of Turtle Island With Mariah Gladstone, University of Massachusetts Entomology Collection, The Frozen Banana Stands of Balboa Island, The Paratethys Sea Was the Largest Lake in Earths History, How Communities Are Uncovering Untold Black Histories, The Medieval Thieves Who Used Cats, Apes, and Turtles as Accomplices, http://www.adn.com/article/20140514/isolated-whittier-officials-crack-down-buckner-building-trespassers. The wreckage of Captain Thornbrough's aircraft was found 50 miles (80km) from Cold Bay on the north side of the Alaska Peninsula the following month. The program has been blamed for everything from global warming to natural disasters to mysterious humming noises in the sky. The U.S. military is interested in the ionosphere because this portion of the atmosphere plays a role in transmitting radio signals. Solar flares can send solar particles racing toward Earth, occasionally disrupting communications and the electrical grid. [Top 10 Conspiracy Theories]. Today the 1st Brigade 25th Infantry Division[19] and the 4th Brigade 25th Infantry Division can be found training there. On 13 May 2005, The United States Department of Defense proposed a major realignment of the base as part of the Base Realignment and Closure program. The other fort in this union is Fort Richardson. Eielson Air Force Base (IATA: EIL, ICAO: PAEI, FAA LID: EIL) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska.It was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field and redesignated Eielson Air Force Base on 13 January 1948. The British 'science park' is one of the most secretive and sensitive facilities in the U.K. that is currently being used for chemical and nuclear research. The 354th Fighter Wing mission is to "Prepare U.S. and partner forces for 21st century combat and to project and integrate Airpower in support of worldwide operations." But the Air Force is no longer interested in maintaining HAARP, according to David Walker, the Air Force deputy assistant secretary for science, technology and engineering. A list of secret military bases simply wouldnt be complete without the mention of Area 51. The initial operators at Fort Greely were military NCOs, but civilians were later hired. Truth be told, because of inquiries from the United States, the Russian administration has guaranteed the site is nothing more than a military fortification and a sustenance storeroom. The base was perfect for the airfield built on it because of its expanse of flat land. The per capita income for the base was $11,512. Diego Garcia was the solution and as a by-product of renting it to the U.S, the British government won a ton ofbrownie points from them and a noteworthy money related commitment to its Polaris submarine program. Investigate the Portage Ghost Town. 4, Alaskan Wg (AAFTC) (September 1943 August 1944), 1466th Army Air Force Base Unit (August 1944 January 1945), Satellite Fld 1466-1 Army Air Force Base Unit (JanuaryJune 1945), HQ and Base Service Sq, 519th Air Service Group (NovemberDecember 1947), 97th Airdrome Group (December 1947 April 1948), Eielson AFB Wing (Base Complement) (AprilSeptember 1948), Eielson Bomb Wing (September 1948 June 1949), 5010th Composite Wing (June 1949 January 1951), 5010th Air Base Group (January 1951 February 1953), 5010th Composite Wing (February 1953 October 1954), 5010th Combat Support Gp (January 1965 October 1981), 343d Tactical Fighter Wing (October 1981 July 1991), 5010th Air Base Wing (April 1948 October 1981), 71st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Det 1, Air Force Engineering and Technical Services, Detachment 1 Arctic Survival School (GSU). "While the Air Force neither wants nor appreciates the unique value of HAARP, users from several federal agencies, laboratories and universities, and friendly nations such as Canada, Britain, Taiwan, South Korea, Sweden and Norway, are eager to use its unique resources, which would further spread American influence and leadership," Dennis Papadopoulos, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Maryland, wrote in an opinion piece in the Alaska Dispatch. A year ago it was discovered that more than a 100 pigs were blown up and killed at the site as part of some secret research experiment, an act that got animal rights activists very, very angry. Apparently, it is said to be the hub of extra-terrestrial genetic engineering. Turn right onto Whittier St One of these structures would be located under . From 1955, Fort Greely and a huge tract of land around it (withdrawn from the Department of the Interior) were used for training soldiers for cold-weather combat during the Cold War with the former Soviet Union. Maurer, Maurer (1983). Port Heiden, Alaska Territory, 1941-1945, Closed 1945, now Port Heiden Airport. HAARP cost more than $290 million to build, much of it earmarked by late Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, who had great influence over the U.S. defense budget during his time in Congress. The obscure handwritten document, sub-classified "Sun Streak" under purview of the DoD's Defense Intelligence Agency, describes secret, underground facilities. Speculations range from testing electromagnetic mind control equipment to geoengineering and weather modifying technology. Eventually, the Germans discovered. A four-gun 155mm gun battery on Panama mounts was located at Mortensen's Lagoon at Thin Point. It is located in the central side of the state, in a plain field close to the Richardson Highway. The Adults-Only Island In Alaska Where You Can Enjoy Some Much-Needed Peace And Quiet, This Enchanting And Historic Town In Alaska Is The Perfect Trip Destination, Denali Park Road To Mountain Vista Is Now Open Heres What You Need To Know, 4 Must-Visit Flea Markets In Alaska Where Youll Find Awesome Stuff, Most People Dont Know About These Strange Ruins Hiding In Alaska, Few People Realize Theres An Active Volcano Right Here In Alaska, This Windswept Island Town In Alaska Is Hauntingly Beautiful, One of The Biggest Tsunamis Ever Recorded Was Right Here In Alaska, HAARP - High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program Official Facebook, HAARP - High-frequency Active Research Program Official Facebook, 7 Conspiracy Theories In Alaska That Will Make You Question The Truth, Idaho Has An Underwater Area 51 And Its Fascinating. Soviet MiG interceptors were sent to intercept the plane before he was escorted back to U.S. territory by nuclear-armed F-102 interceptors. World War II in Alaska Introduction American and Canadian soldiers made an amphibious landing on the island of Kiska, August 16, 1943. It was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field and redesignated Eielson Air Force Base on 13 January 1948. By the late 1980s, the Stargate Project was in full swing. Overall Mission: Fort Greely is a small but essential base over 100 miles south of Fairbanks. Scroll to continue reading. The 18 FS, whose history also dated back to World War II, remained active, but the 355 FS replaced the 11th TASS.[26]. The wing has six priorities, which are: "Strong Airmen and Families, Resilient Airfield and Infrastructure, Preparation for 2 x F-35 Combat Squadrons, Premier Joint/Air Exercises and Adversary Support, Synchronized Airpower into Army I Corps Ops, and OPLAN-Focused Readiness. The Coast Guard assumed control of the base in 1972. It is the size of Rhode Island so everything you think that takes place in Area 51 can take place here too. Overall Mission: Clear Air Force Station Base is primarily a radar monitoring station, designed to track ICBMs and other threats along the west coast. Actual construction began on 25 August 1943. During World War II, the Alaska Highway was built to connect a road in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada with the Richardson Highway in Alaska, a distance of 1,423 miles (2290km). So what exactly did the United States government find out? OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. It is speculated that Black AIDS was spreadwith the help of USAMRIID. See Tune-In Times Upcoming Airings See Full Schedule Sunday Mar 19 11am | 10c Previous Episode Next Episode Still, not much about the place is actually known. [38] As of May 2016[update], between 145 and 150 homes had well water with PFOS above the EPA health advisory concentrations. The highest reading in Moose Creek was 2.09 micrograms per liter, and the highest level on Eielson reached 2,000 micrograms per liter at the site of a KC-135 aircraft fire in 1989. Overall Mission: Located on Kodiak Island, Coast Guard Base Kodiak began as a Naval Air Station. [41], The median income for a household in the base was $35,938, and the median income for a family was $35,688. The control tower at Cold Bay airport in August 1972. The Buckner Building once housed the entire city of Whittier, Alaska. Umnak Island, Aleutian Islands, 1942-1947, Closed 1947, now abandoned. Copyright 2023 www.OperationMilitaryKids.org. The concept of secret spies and secret military bases has always been an intriguing one for people. [4], Its host unit is the 354th Fighter Wing (354 FW) assigned to the Eleventh Air Force of the Pacific Air Forces. Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, AK, Clear Air Force Station Base in Denali Borough, AK, Fort Richardson Army Base in Anchorage, AK, Fort Wainwright Army Base in Fairbanks, AK, ISC Kodiak Coast Guard Base in Kodiak Island, AK, Marine Safety Unit Valdez Coast Guard Base in Valdez, AK, USCG Juneau Coast Guard Base in Juneau, AK. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (IATA: EDF, ICAO: PAED, FAA LID: EDF) is a United States military facility in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska.It is an amalgamation of the United States Air Force's Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army's Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.. Shortly thereafter, the organization name was changed to the Arctic Training Center. Offer subject to change without notice. One gun is on display near the town dump. The place was built to test and [], Located in the city with the same name in Alaska, Integrated Support Command Kodiak is currently the largest operating installation run by the United States Coast Guard. ThePremium offers ad free access to all TheClever content and so much more. If youve had a run in with any conspiracy theory pages or websites on the Internet then were pretty sure that youve heard about HAARP. It spreads over 23,000 acres and holds another record for the one and only base in the US Coast Guard that can support and host both aircrafts and [], For a lot of people, Valdez is nothing but a touristic place in Alaska. The projects include renovating airmen's dormitories and building a new child care center. While we may never actually get to know the truth about these bases, we still have plenty of accounts to make educated guesses that these are some of the most top-secret military basesthat officially arent or werent supposed to exist. The Navy and Marine Corps do not have any bases here. Please whitelist TheClever or disable your ad blocker to continue. Thornbrough Air Force Base is a former facility of the United States Air Force in Cold Bay, Alaska. It is one of the few strategical camps located in the far western state of the United States. These incorporate passage in an exceptionally constructed underground system, parachuting, jumping and even a model town to give urban fighting experience. Fort Jefferson, Florida. Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base were the westernmost bases in the nation for a short while. The Northern Warfare Training Center also continued operations at Black Rapids Training Facility. [3], The information and data collected by task force personnel was a beginning, but it took time for men to be transported, to set up quarters for a short period of actual testing, and then pack up and leave until the next year. In 2010, Venezuelan leader Huge Chavez claimed that HAARP or a program like it triggered the Haiti earthquake. While the objective of this place is specifically listed to be an experiment facility to shoot some high-frequency radio waves through the ionosphere for research purposes, countless conspiracy theorists refuse to believe this. This military facility covers over 7000 acres of land. The Alaska Highway met the Richardson Highway at Delta Junction, five miles (8km) north on the Richardson Highway from what is now Fort Greely. Nowadays, almost every room has inch-deep water flooding the floors and is laced with asbestos, mold, and mildew. These exercises are conducted on the Joint Pacific Alaskan Range Complex (JPARC) with air operations flown out of Eielson and its sister installation, Elmendorf Air Force Base. Alaskas own Area 51 has been the source of much speculation and conversation over the years. Weird Science Conspiracy Theories Abound as U.S. Military Closes HAARP The U.S. Air Force has told Congress it intends to shut down HAARP, a controversial Alaska-based research facility that. [], Clear Air Force Station is one of the most strategically important installations in the United States. Located about 1,400 air miles southwest of Anchorage, Adak Naval Base remained active until the late 1990s. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. The 3d Fighter Training Squadron had its origins with the 3d Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, being formed in March 1973. It is the largest US base in Alaska and the hub of a network of bases in the area that includes Fort Greeley and Fort Wainwright. Ever since then, they function as a whole. Possibly one of the oldest abandoned military bases is located in the middle of the ocean, just west of Key West. It is to be equipped with the F-35A Lightning II. Thank you! Over the years, this institute has made significant contribution in making vaccines, disease diagnosis and management with its application on both the military and civilians. As of the census of 2000, there were 5,400 people, 1,448 households, and 1,414 families residing on the base. Gen. Simon Buckner, commander of the Alaska Defense Command. The site houses supplies and equipment that can last 30 days after a nuclear attack. This squadron trains in the same manner as the aggressors at, This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 12:16. Fort Richardson Location: Anchorage, Alaska Constructed In: 1940 This is the largest military base in Alaska, spanning over 25,000 acres and marked by rugged terrain. Love Alaska? For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Online, conspiracy theorists suggest that HAARP was to blame for the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan; the Moore, Oklahoma, tornado of 2013; a landslide in 2006 in the Philippines; and many more natural disasters. Advertisement. The base reopened in September 1946, once again as a satellite of Ladd Field. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said "contamination stretches 6.5 miles from the south of Eielson's runway to the north of Moose Creek and is found up to 100 feet deep". When questions arose concerning the reports, there was no one available to answer them, for the task forces had been disbanded, and the personnel returned to their home units. Ladd Field served as the debarkation point for the Alaska-Siberia Ferry Route of the Lend-Lease program and was the hub of activity. It is also the home of the Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC), as Fort Greely is one of the coldest areas in Alaska, and can accommodate cold, extreme-cold, and temperate-weather tests depending on the season. The 308th flew WB-29 Superfortresses. The location of the base places it in an invaluable position for defensive monitoring of the west coast and Untied States as a whole. This notorious site is built under Mount Raven Rock near Pennsylvania and Maryland. The U.S. Air Force has notified Congress that it intends to shut down HAARP, a controversial Alaska-based research facility that studies an energetic and active region of the upper atmosphere. The wing vision is "An elite team of pioneering Airmen forging Airpower's frontier through world-class training, engagement, and readiness for 21st century combat." Pilotless planes frequently take off from the base, situated in the Yucca Flat, while radiation-identifying apparatuses are also tested here. Declassified. 14. In 1980, it was made a census-designated place (CDP). In 2005, the CRTC headquarters was moved from Fort Wainwright back to Fort Greely. Several special forces units are stationed and trained there, including the "Arctic Wolves." Units Stationed: USARAK 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Operational uses of Mile 26 were few. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. You may also enjoy Idaho Has An Underwater Area 51 And Its Fascinating. Concurrently, the Missile Defense Command took command of Fort Greely, relinquishing direct Army control, while the Army retained control of the nearby Donnelly Training Area. The field became known as "Mile 26" because of its proximity to a United States Army Signal Corps telegraph station and a Richardson Highway milepost marker using the same designation. And could an underground facility have anything to do with strange relationships in the area dating back decades? The average household size was 3.52 and the average family size was 3.55. In 1949, the Department of the Army ordered the organization of the Arctic Test Branch at Big Delta Air Force Base, Alaska (now known as Fort Greely). IE 11 is not supported. A highly mysterious U.S. military task from the Cold War and the lethal waste it covers, thought to have been covered perpetually underneath the Greenland icecap, are probably going to be revealed by rising temperatures within a few decades, researchers have said. Air Force Bases Eielson Air Force Base in North Pole, AK While browsing the CIA archives, we found something that made us double-interpret: the apparent discovery of three extraterrestrial bases by an intelligence analyst. However, despite the controversial nature of the story, in some recently publicized FBI files, we read about surprising encounters with UFOs in the period between 1947 and 1950 in Alaska. A suburban street in Anchorage doubles as a runway, and each home has its own airplane hangar. ", Airmen who are stationed on Eielson commonly refer to themselves as "Icemen" due to the frigid Alaskan weather. It has been a Superfund site since 1989. It hosts almost 8,000 soldiers and is one of the largest training camps in the United States. Copyright 2010 - 2023 Soul:Ask | Unlock your Mind and Soul. The wing reported to Fifteenth Air Force, Strategic Air Command (SAC), although the Yukon Sector of the Alaskan Air Command controlled its operations. On 7 June 1943, the Western Defense Command ordered construction of a new airfield near present-day Fort Wainwright, then a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) airfield named after Major Arthur K. [8] The F-35 program increases the number of military personnel at Eielson by approximately 50%, which is a significant change for a base once on the brink of closure.[9]. Fort Greely is a United States Army launch site for anti-ballistic missiles located about 100 miles (160km) southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. As it slowly crumbles and molds back into the mountain upon which it was set, the Buckner Building is a cracked and faded monument to an era of government (and military) ambition that may never return. The city included: A small hospital, a 320-seat theater, a 4-lane bowling alley, a 6-cell jail, a church, bakery, barbershop, library, radio station, rifle range, photo lab, commissary, a huge cafeteria and kitchen, an officers lounge, and more than enough rooms for the military and their families to stay in at the time. While most of these exist in the realm of fiction, the fact remains that a good number of these very secretive military bases do exist in real life and speculations of what they might be hiding come forth every once in a while, courtesy of conspiracy theorists. It is a support and training base and is a key player in the Red Flag training exercises. 1. In August 1962, as a result of the reorganization of the Army, the Arctic Test Board was established as a Class II activity and placed under the command of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (TECOM). After World War II, the War Department decided that an American soldier must be able to live and operate in any degree of cold. [25], On 20 August 1993, the 354 FW replaced the 343d Wing. One is reported in Alaska, beneath Mount Hayes. Fort Greely is currently one of the two U.S. sites housing anti-ballistic missile interceptor missiles, and it is near the Great circle line from North Korea to the contiguous United States. Somewhat surprisingly, there are no Navy Bases in Alaska. In 1976, the U.S. Army Arctic Test Center was renamed the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center. This small city where almost everyone lives in the same building can only be reached via North America's longest tunnel. Forces, joint offensive counter-air, interdiction, close-air support, and large force employment training in a simulated combat environment. It is located within Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Fort Jefferson was built back in 1825 to protect the coastline and neighboring Caribbean islands from pirates. How might you feel in the event that you left home for the holidays and were then told that you could never return? In July 1960, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) stationed the 4157th Combat Support Group (later Strategic Wing) at Eielson. In the early 1960s, the Army built a nuclear electrical power plant, SM-1A, at Fort Greely as part of the Army Nuclear Power Program, which built similar operational plants in Antarctica, Greenland, the Panama Canal Zone, Virginia, and Wyoming. Cold Bay, Alaska Territory, Opened March 1942. Since the base is located in the North Pole, it can get a bit tricky keeping everything up and running because of the extreme temperatures. Originally, the equipment was supposed to construct McGrath Army Airbase, but the ground had frozen by the time that the equipment arrived. Throughout the 570,380 square miles of Alaska, there are many military bases, abandoned projects, and remnants of the past sinking into the tundra. In the section dedicated to Pat Price, we learn that the extraordinary psychic spy, in one of his visions, would have said that in Alaska, the interior of Mount Hayes, the jewel of the northeast of Anchorage, hosted ( and still houses) one of the largest secret bases of aliens. Several areas of underground petroleum-contaminated soil and floating petroleum product are the sources of continuing groundwater contamination. And could an underground facility have anything to do with strange relationships in the area dating back decades?