NA34/A12 U. S. NAVAL OPERATING BASE 95:CEF:mwh KODIAK, ALASKA Serial: 048 CONFIDENTIAL ____________ 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 July to 30 September 1947, supplement of. Ref: (a) Manual for Historical Occicers, NavAer OO-25Q-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 July to 30 September 1947 (2 copies). 1. In accordance with reference (a), (b), and (c), enclosure (A) is submitted herewith. R. L. JOHNSON cc: Com17 (w/encl) DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS: DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS DOD DIR 5200.10 U.S. NAVAL OPERATING BASE KODIAK, ALASKA IN ONE PART 2. Narrative Four copies submitted 30 September 1947 at U. S. Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska. Copies 1 & 2 to Historical Unit Op-33-J-6 Office of Editorial Re- search. Copy 3 to Com17, Kodiak, Alaska. Copy 4 to N.A.S., Kodiak, Alaska. U.S. NAVAL OPERATING BASE KODIAK, ALASKA 2. NARRATIVE _____________ FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES _____________________ Taking advantage of the short summer season at Kodiak the Public Works Department went "all-out" during this quarter to catch up on station maint- enance and repair. A large program of exterior painting resulted in a much improved ap- pearance to the buildings in the Defense Housing Area and Aviation Hill. With the change from drab camouflage paint to peacetime white a marked increase in civic pride of the occupants was noted. Many carried out ex- tensive land-scaping ideas with prizes awarded to the owners of the best flower gardens and lawns. During this period the Public Works Department was been operating with a personnel shortage necesitating working parties from the other departments to aid in the completion of projects. On several occasions the entire station "turned-to" for a general base clean-up pjoject. The roads on the station have all been repaired and improved. Interested hunters and fishermen devoted their week-ends to repairing the roads to the outlying areas that were washed out during the spring floods. By 12 August 1947 the Interim Housing program for officers and enlisted men was completed providing a total of 35 housing units for officers, and 64 units for enlisted men. Work has been continuing of a similar program on a group of 52 units for civilian personnel in the Bell's Flats area. Following is a chronological summary of events and changes that have - 1 - taken place at the Naval Air Station, Kodiak during the quarter. On 4 July the annual Fourth of July marathon (base to town) and as- sociated events took place. The Air Station band took part in the celebra- tion and parade that the local Chamber of Commerce sponsored. On 4 July LCDR. C. E. Fisher flew to Shearwater Bay with Doctors Chapman and Cooperman in the JRF 456H. While there the doctors treated a sick child and brought back Marjorie Inga, seven years old, who was ser- iously ill. On 7 July Lt. M. E. Fox with Lt. (jg) N. A. Fuliehan as co-pilot, flew the PBY V34032 to Unga Island in the Shumagin group to pick up a man suf- fering from acute hernia. The patient, Henry Christenson, was transferred from the fishing vessel "Ketovia" and returned to the Kodiak Hospital. On 12 July two Russian tugs, "Moussan" and "Passat" arrived in Kodiak Harbor and requested fuel and supplies. They gave their last port of call as Seattle, and departed 15 July giving Vladivostok as their destination. Upon receiving word that the fishing boat "Rainbow III" was grounded near the village of Afognak on 15 July and requesting naval aid, the USS Potawatomi (ATD 109) was dispatched to the scene and returned with the crew of eleven men. On 18 July Lt. M. E. Fox flew to Port Bailey and returned with a fish- erman, Richard Balani. Patient had been injured by a blow across the face loss of blood made rescue urgent. - 2 - During the last week in July, Kodiak was host for an Alaskan Armed Forces Softball Championship tournament. Play lasted five days with Adak emerging as the winner. Teams from Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, Nome, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Amchitka, and Umnak participated. On 1 August LCDR. C. E. Fisher flew to Ugak bay in the JRF 456H to pick up K. Stokke of Seattle suffering from acute appendicitis. Patient was brought to the Kodiak Hospital. On 6 August Lt. (jg) William H. Zeigler with Lt. (jg) Nave "A" Fuliehan departed Kodiak for Dutch Harbor in a PBY-5A V34032 transporting the Dutch Harbor Softball Team from the recent tournament at Kodiak. The aircraft last reported 170 miles east of its destination. To date there has been no trace of the aircraft or its twenty occupants. A thorough search of the area by all ships and planes in the Aleutian sector for a period of weeks failed to unveil the mystery of the lost aircraft. Although five previously unreported crashes were located no sign of this plane has been found. On the eighth of August the Commandant of the Marine Corps approved a reduced complement for Marines at Kodiak from 149 men to 111. Excess personnel have been transferred. On 13 August CAP W. E. Miller flew to Port Williams in JRF 456H and returned with E. D. Hervin who had severed a finger. The week of 13 August was the occasion of an official tour of inspec- tion by Vice Admiral J. B. Oldendorf, Commander Western Sea Frontier and Rear Admiral A. D. Struble, Commander of the Amphibious Forces of the Pacific. - 3 - During their stay they toured the naval bases in the Aleutians and witnessed the last day of the amphibious landings of supplies at Point Barrow. On 15 August CAP W. E. Miller flew to Lazy Bay in the JRF 456H and picked up John M. Louderbach who had been injured. On 15 August 1947 eight P-51 fighter aircraft stationed at Elmendorf Field, Anchorage visited Kodiak on an operational cross-country flight. The aircraft flew around the Kodiak Island area for an hour before landing with their escorts - B-17 and an A-26. They departed the same day for Anchorage. Peter E. Eide, crew member of the USC&C "Surveyer" lost his life by drowning when he fell overboard on 17 August while the ship was docked at NOB Kodiak. The U. S. Naval Station, Kodiak was established on 23 September 1947. The U. S. Naval Operating Base, Kodiak, Alaska is the overall administrative command, comprising the U. S. Naval Air Station, the U. S. Naval Station and the Marine Barracks. During the week of 24 August Rear Admiral J. J. Manning, Chief of the Bureau of Yards aand Docks, visited Kodiak and the other naval facilities in the area. Bad weather prevented his landing at Point Barrow; however, he inspected the facilities at Umiat. During the month of August, GCA Unit #3 changed over from Equipment #5 to Equipment #4, which had been in storage at Attu since December 1945. Although this equipment has had previous use, it is in much better condition and is functioning better than #5. - 4 - On 8 September VP(HL)-7 commanded by Commander H. T. Haselton, USN, was relieved by VP(HL)-12 commanded by LCDR. T. W. Marshall, USN. VP(HL)- 7 returned to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, while VP(HL)-12 will be based at Kodiak for the next three months On 16 September Captain R. L. Johnson, USN, relieved Captain R. C. Sutliff, USN as Commander, NOB Kodiak, Commanding Officer, NAS Kodiak. - 5 -