Kodiak
                                   28 November 1945


     Late in 1942 it was estimated by the Corps of En-

gineers that the three main harbor defense batteries 

would be comp1eted in the spring of 1943.  It was there-

fore necessary to rush signal construction in spite of 

unfavorable working conditions and lack of equipment. 

Double-bitted axes were used to cut through the frozen 

ground where it was not possible to use the ripper plow 

and not practical to use dynamite.

     Late in November 1942 the Cableship Restorer arrived 

to lay the highest priority portions of the submarine 

cable system for the harbor defenses. The waters in which 

the cables were to be laid were too restricted for the 

operation of the Restorer, and it was therefore decided 

to use the cannery tender Viecoda, a twin-screw power 

barge of 70 tons capacity. A brake for paying out cable 

from the stern was installed, and cable was laid at the 

following locations during the first week in December:

     Isthmus Cove to Svitlak Island
     Svitlak Island to Queer Island to Broad Point
     Broad Point to Cliff Point
     Cliff Point to Puffin Island

     The cables were laid generally without incident ex-

cept for one instance on the run between Svitlak and Queer 

Island which is worthy of mention.  The chart covering

the route selected for this cable showed a maximum depth 

of 57 fathoms, and no trouble was anticipated in holding 

the cable with the friction brake and two stoppers being 

used for payout. however, when the deepest part of the


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