Kodiak
                                    28 November l945


lay was reached it was found that the brakes were inade-

quate for smooth payout. Approximately 400 fathoms of 

excess cable were laid in the deep portion of the run, 

which resulted in running out of cable before Queer Island 

was reached. It was necessary to hold the end on a small 

fishing boat all night and splice on more cable the fol-

lowing day to complete the lay. The cable was landed at 

Queer Island by pulling the bight ashore, but no entrance 

into the cable was ever made at that point.

     The 100-pair submarine cable for the lay between 

Buskin Beach and Puffin Island was shipped to Ft. Greely 

on five reels of 2000 feet each. The cable was spliced 

on the beach at Shannon Point and laid without incident 

from an Army B.S.P. in February 1943. The laying of this 

cable completed the submarine portion of the lines between 

Ft. Greely proper and Cape Chiniak, which was the location 

of a satellite airfield as well as harbor defense installa-

tions. The commanding general was very anxious to have 

telephone communication between these two points. There-

fore, the land sections of this route were given first 

priority and the connection completed in the spring of 1943.

     During early 1943 it was found that the harborcraft 

section of the Army Transport Service was unable to fur-

nish small boats required for reconnaissance work and 

hauling of crews to isolated locations. A native Indian 

was hired with his 32-foot fishing boat to assist with




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