NA34/A12 U. S. NAVAL AIR STATION 95:CEF:mwh KODIAK, ALASKA Serial: 971 JUL 15 1947 From: Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska. To: Chief of Naval Operations (Aviation History Unit, OP-519B, Office of Editorial Research). Subj: History of NAS Kodiak, Alaska; submission of 1 April to 30 June 1947, supplement of. Ref: (a) Manual for Historical Occicers, NavAer OO-25"-26. (b) Aviation Circular Letter 22-46, serial 16-P-519, dated 8 February 1946. (c) Aviation Circular Letter 71-46, serial 102-P-519, dated 30 April 1946. Encl: (A) History of NAS Kodiak, Alaska; supplement from 1 April to 30 June 1947 (2 copies). 1. In accordance with reference (a), (b), and (c), enclosure (A) is submitted herewith. cc: Com17 (w/encl) R. C. SUTLIFF HISTORY OF U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION KODIAK, ALASKA IN ONE PART 2. Narrative Four copies submitted 30 June 1947 at U. S. Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska. Copies 1 & 2 to Historical Unit Op-33-J-6 Office of Editorial Research. Copy 3 to Com17, Kodiak, Alaska. Copy 4 to N.A.S., Kodiak, Alaska. U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION KODIAK, ALASKA 2. NARRATIVE FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES _____________________ This period has seen many changes take place in the various departments of this activity, and at the quarter's close it is gratifying to realize that sizable inroads have been made in the tremendous task of making order out of the chaos brought about by the war and the subsequent let-down at hostility's end. Throughout the quarter all departments 'turned to' to help the Supply Department complete the station plant account inventory by 30 June. This task was accomplished by the dead-line, and it was with pride that the Supply Department announced on 30 June that surplus declarations were 90% complete, and the general stores and aviation inventory was 75% complete, and that the plant accoount inventory was 100% complete. Work has been progessing on the first group of twenty-four housing units in the Bell's Flats Area, and it is hoped that they will be ready for occupancy early in the next quarter. Plans have been drawn to start addi- tional units upon the completion of this group. Orders have been received to reduce the complement of the Naval Oper- ating base to 100 men and officers by 1 July, and steps have been taken toward that end. A more detailed account of significant developments during this quarter follows. 2. NARRATIVE _____________ On 3 April, a civil service employee Samuel W. Funk, CAF-4, died of asphyxiation when he fell asleep on a couch in his quarters with a lighted cigarette in his hand. He was alone at the time. On Friday, April 4, an unseasonal and exceptionally heavy snowfall was experienced throughout the area, causing complete structural failure of two SH-18 warehouses in the Bell's Flat Area, and seriously imparing the structural framing of twenty-one other warehouses of similar con- struction. 13 April was the occasion of the arrival of a detachment of Photo- graphic Squadron One with Lt. Ralph W. Spuhler, USN, officer in charge. The detachment arrived with two PB4Y-1's and full mapping equipment for the purpose of making the first accurate aerial survey of Kodiak Island. From the start bad weather has hampered operations, but it is hoped that the project can be completed by the end of July. Several water distribution mains were found to be still frozen on 15 April giving further testimony to the often-made statement that, "it was a long, cold winter." On 16 April, Lt. M. E. Fox flew the PBY V4032 to Lazy Bay on the south end of Kodiak Island, to pick up an injured native child whose hand had been almost severed by an axe. On the return trip a landing was made at the settlement of Old Harbor to investigate reports of a serious epidemic. Lt. (jg) W. L. Chapman, USNR (MC), went ashore ac- companied by Public Health Nurse Curtiss. Dr. Chapman reported that there had been four deaths in the past 24 hours in the native village - 2 - 2. NARRATIVE _____________ of about 100, and that two of three more would probably die. Nurse Curtiss stayed at the village to supervise proper care and isolation of the fifteen or sixteen that were ill while the PBY returned to Kodiak with the injured boy from Lazy Bay. The patients were suffering from a variety of respiratory infections - principally tuberculosis complicated with influenza and pnumonia. One patient died of memigitis. On 17 April, Lt. (jg) Chapman accompanied by Lt. (jg) E. A. Hahn, USNR (MC), returned to Old Harbor with medical supplies in JRF 456/H piloted by Lt. Cdr. R. M. Cork, USN. A third trip to Old Harbor was necessary on 23 April. Lt. M. E. Fox, USN, brought more medical supplies in PBY 4032. Nurse Curtiss returned to Kodiak on the plane. The epidemic claimed a total of six victims. Rear Admiral Noble and a party from the office of the Chief of Naval Operations arrived at Kodiak via NATS on 19 April on a tour of inspection of the Naval facilities in the Aleutian Area. At 1826 on the 7 May Flight N/6907 of the Naval Air Transport Ser- vice crashed when it ran off the end of runway 18 while attempting a landing. The aircraft, an R5D, dropped off a 45 ft. embankment and came to rest at the water's edge. There were no serious injuries to crew or passengers although it was necessary to survey the aircraft. Lt. Hutsall, pilot of the plane attributed failure of the braking sy- stem as the cause of the crash. This was substantially proven the cause at the investigation. - 3 - 2. NARRATIVE _____________ On 20 May a call was received from the CAA office on Woody Island that a fishing boat with two men aboard had been sighted drifting out to sea. The PCS-1400 was sent to the rescue and stood out under a 45 mile local wind warning. The fishing boat was close to the rocks on Long Island when a line was put aboard and the small craft towed back to St. Paul Harbor, where the two men were able to start their engine and return to Kodiak Harbor. On 22 May an urgent dispatch was received from Dutch Harbor stating that Peter Blewitt, nine year old son of a civilian worker suffered a broken leg and had a piece of shrapnal lodged in an eye-ball as the re- sult of the explosion of an anti-tank grenade with which he had been playing. To save the eye it would be necessary to immediately evacuate the boy to the care of specialists at a Bremerton, Washington hospital. R4D V/0743 piloted by Lt. F. S. Card, USN departed Kodiak in very ad- verse weather to affect the evacuation. On the return trip a landing was made at Fort Randall to check the weather at Kodiak which was still bad due to low clouds and heavy fog. A dispatch was sent to the NATS flight in Anchorage requesting that the flight delay its return to Seattle if possible in order that the patient might be transferred to that aircraft upon arrival. NATS had been unable to land at Kodiak because of the adverse weather. The patient was transferred to the NATS plane at 2:00 AM, and arrived in Seattle the same morning, 14 hours and 2300 miles from Dutch Harbor. This mission received very favorable publicity for the navy and this activity on page one of the Seattle "Post-Intelligence" and later in the home town papers of the crew. - 4 - 2. NARRATIVE _____________ A submarine 2400V power cable was installed from the degaussing station, NOB, to Puffin Island, a distance ot 8500 feet for operation of the Puffin Island fan markers. It was put in service on 27 May. Up to that time the power for the fan markers had been supplied by an auxiliary power unit on the island. It was extremely unreliable and there was no way of checking its operations from the control tower. In the early morning hours of 29 May there was a fire in a private home in the town of Kodiak in which William L. Wilson, CPHM, USn lost his life due to asphyxiation from smoke. Subsequent investigation by the Navy brought out the point that apparently his death was caused by a carelessly handled cigarette. On 4 June Robert L. Staulcup, PFC, USMC was fatally injured when he fell and rolled 1200 feet down the steep side of Barometer Mountain which he had been climbing. He was rushed to the dispensary where he died during the night primarily from internal injuries. On 7 June VP(HL)-7, commanded by Commander H. T. Hasselton, USN, relieved VP(HL)-10, commanded by LCDR W. A. Swenson, USN, for a three month tour of duty at NAS Kodiak. VP(HL)-10 returned to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. On 8 June Commander W. H. Dawson, Executive Officer for NAS-NOB Kodiak was ordered to duty at the Naval Line Officers' School, Newport, R.I. The Army Transport Command Depot adjacent to runway 7-25 was turned over to Pacific Northern Airlines June 16 on a leased basis. The building - 5 - 2. NARRATIVE _____________ was transferred to the navy on 17 April, 1947 and was remodeled into a commercial air depot. PNA will operate the depot for all commercial aircraft that arrive at Kodiak and it is expected that they are to make gas and oil sales to other commercial airlines. The Inspector General of the Marine Corps, Brigadier General Robert Blake arrived at Kodiak via NATS on 16 June for a tour of inspection on Marine Facilities on the various naval bases in the 17th Naval District. During his stay at Kodiak he took a trip to NAF Dutch harbor in the sta- tion R4D to inspect installations there. By 19 June the supply department had completed its reorganization in accordance with the new Bureau of Supplies and Accounts Manual. On 19 June Commander D. C. Goodman, USN, arrived at NAS Kodiak and immediately took over the duties of executive officer of the station. On 21 June LCDR J. B. Jolly, USN, commanding officer of FASRON 114, was relieved by LCDR E. W. Bergstrom. The week of 24 June was the occasion of an official tour of inspec- tion of NAS Kodiak and the other 17th Naval District bases by a party of high-ranking officers of the navy department. Included in the group were Vice Admiral J. D. Price, Commander Air Forces, Pacific Fleet; Vice Admiral A. E. Montgomery, Commander First Task Fleet; Rear Admiral W.K. Harrill, Commander Fleet Air West Coast; Captain H. E. Regan, Commander Fleet Air Seattle and their staffs. - 6 -