U. S. NAVAL AIR STATION NA34/A12 KODIAK, ALASKA 10:SWA:ls Ser 2310 DEC 12 1949 From: Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska. To: Chief of Naval Operations (Aviation History Unit) Subj: Historical Report; submission of Ref: (a) Aviation C/L No. 18-49 Encl: (1) Historical Report period ending 30 June 1949 1. In accordance with reference (a), historical report for six months end- ing 30 June 1949, is submitted as enclosure (1). L. J. DOW U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION KODIAK, ALASKA HISTORICAL REPORT Period 1 January - 30 June 1949 GENERAL _______ The Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska, is a command under the cognizance of the Commander, Naval Air Bases, SEVENTEENTH Naval District. R. ? John- son, Captain, USN, is the Commanding Officer. The administrative chain of command is via the Commander, Naval Air Bases, SEVENTEENTH Naval District; via the Commandant, SEVENTEENTH Naval District; to the Chief of Naval Operations. Aircraft of this command are a portion of the Commander, Air Force, Paci- fic Fleet complement of aircraft. Assignment of new aircraft and replacement aircraft for reason of overhaul is received from the Commander, Fleet Air Seattle, as directed by the Commander, Air Force, Pacific Fleet. The Aviation Navy Baker Allotment is issued directly from the Bureau of Aeronautics. Personnel of this command are detailed to duty by the Commandant, SEVEN- TEENTH Naval District, who receives personnel replacements from the Commander, Service Force, Pacific Fleet. 2 CHRONOLOGY __________ 17 Jan Minor Cold Weather Exercise 1949 entered phase one. 21 Jan Severe wind storm encountered inflicting extensive damage to buildings. 27 Jan Roof of Warehouse Building No. 359 collapsed under weight of four- teen inches of snow. 30 Jan Coast Guard PBY dispatched to search for cannery tender Amook, and to pick up a patient at Chignik and one at Mosier Bay, Kodiak, Is- land. Vessel located, status normal. Both patients delivered to station for transfer to Griffin Memorial Hospital. 2 Feb F-80 landed short, crashed and burned. Pilot sustained only monor injuries. 6 Feb Drill - Base under attack by F8F carrier based aircraft. Intercep- ted by F-80 fighters assigned to station by U. S. Air Force. 11 Feb F4U aircraft crash landed on field after mid-air collision with an F8F in which it lost four feet of wing tip. Aircraft ran off run- way and nosed over in deep snow. No injury to pilot. 15 Feb U. S. S. McKinley rammed cargo dock during high winds inflicting heavy damage to pier. 23 Feb Report received that power barge North Cloud, aground on reef along shore of Grass Island. Rescue attempted by surface craft precluded due to high winds, heavy seas, and snow. Air assistance impossible. 27 Feb Coast Guard PBY dispatched to scene of North Cloud and dropped "Wal- kie-Talkie" to survivors on beach. Survivors living well off the well supplied barge which was accessible at low tide. Survivors picked up by fish net tender, Lady Jane, and taken to Cordova. 28 Feb Minor Cold Weather Exercise 1949 completed. 7 Mar PB4Y2 ran off end of runway 36 into the bank of the Buskin River after landing long. No serious personnel injury encountered but aircraft received strike damage. 7 Mar Two PB4Y2 aircraft collided at end of runway 28. An aircraft on landing roll-out collided with an aircraft holding in the warm- up block. No injury to personnel, but aircraft received class "C" damage. 4 May First JRM arrived Kodiak in connection with transfer of VP-61 to Marks Air Force Base, Nome Alaska. 3 CHRONOLOGY __________ 9 May Transfer of VP-61 completed. Last JRM departed for Alameda. 15 May Coast Guard PBY dispatched to remove seaman suffering from appendi- citis from the USS Sussex. After open sea pick-up, the seaman was interned at the Naval Air Station Dispensary. 18 May Report received that woman at Port Moller cannery suffering from acute appendicitis. Weather prevented aerial assistance and no surface craft available to evacuate patient. 18 May Coast Guard Cutter, Northwind, reported seaman aboard believed suf- fering from diptheria. Coast Guard PBY affected rendezvous in Raspberry Strait, transferred patient, and returned to Kodiak where patient delivered to Naval Air Station Dispensary. 27 May At 1000, Rear Admiral F. D. Wagner assumed the duties as Commandant, SEVENTEENTH Naval District, vice Rear Admiral Montgomery. 29 May A patient aboard a Standard Oil Company tanker, moored in Lazy Bay, Kodiak Island, was picked up and delivered to the Naval Air Station Kodiak, for transfer to Griffin Memorial Hospital at the City of Kodiak. Tentative diagnosis at time of pick-up was bleeding peptic ulcer. 9 Jun A Navy enlisted man was seriously wounded by a gun shot from a 30- 06 rifle while bear hunting in the vicinity of the Afognak Lake Lake Recreation Camp. He was transported by JRF to the Naval Air Station for surgery. The patient's leg was saved, and two days later the patient was transported to the U. S. Naval Hospital, Bremerton, Washington, by Fleet Logistics Support Wing Aircraft. 9 Jun While returning to the Recreation Camp from the location of the above incident, a rubber life raft with two men aboard blew out presumably at the seam, thus deflating both main compartments. The two occupants clung to the seat which remained inflated until the cold water overcame one of the men. The other man was picked up by another raft and was taken to shore where he was treated for shock and exposure. 10 Jun A Coast Guard Aircraft was dispatched to Sand Point, Shumagin Is- land Group, and to Port Moller, Alaska Penninsula to evacuate two mental patients to Kodiak. The flight was accompanied by a United States Marshal and a Matron in accordance with teritorial law. 22 Jun A message was received that the fishing vessel, Sunset, has cap- sized near False Pass in heavy seas. A Coast Guard PBY participated in the search for the bodies in conjunction with the Coast Guard Cutter, Bittersweet, but results were negative. 4 NARRATIVE _________ The Minor Cold Weather Exercise 1949 (MICOWEX 49) was held in the Kodiak area between 17 January, when the first ship arrived, and 28 February when the last ship departed. Participation by this command was primarily to lend logistic support to the transient forces. As such, the command prepared additional barracks, mes- sing facilities, officer's quarters, shop spaces, and berthing and mooring facilities. To assist in logistic support and preparation of facilities, the USS Union arrived at Kodiak on 17 January with one hundred thirty-five men from the 104th Construction Battalion, and sufficient equipment to assist in construction and snow removal. This detachment was assigned to the Public Works Department for specific duty assignments. One assigned task for a group of 104th CB was snow removal from the Mil- ler Airstrip and the road connecting that strip to the Naval Air Station. This assignment was completed four days after the Order was received and only maintenance crews were left assigned to that mission. The main force of the snow removal group was assigned to assist the Roads and Runways Crew of the Naval Air Station in keeping runways clear of ice and snow. The Miller Airstrip, which is forty miles from the Naval Air Station by road, was opened to permit use by distressed aircraft, either locally assigned or carrier based. The field was manned by a portable radio equipped truck (MBS Truck) which was used as an emergency tower. On 28 January, twelve (12) F-80 U. S. Air Force fighter aircraft were assigned this station by the Commander-in-Chief, Alaskan Command, to bolster defenses of the station, one additional patrol squadron was dispatched to Kodiak and Yakutat for search missions, and three PBM 5 aircraft operating from a tender to perform search and rescue missions. An air Force Fighter Director facilty was established at Chiniak, with control located at the base Command Post of the Naval Air Station. The radar used at Chiniak was TPS 13 radar, which worked fighter direction at a distance of one hundred five miles. The day prior to the air strike from the carrier force, the one week siege of low ceilings and poor visibility changed to clear warm weather. This permitted the base to launch any type aircraft available. However, the fron- tal condition had not passed the ship where high winds, low ceilings, and heavy seas restricted air operation from the carrier. The carrier launched seven F8F aircraft and one F4U-4P, but the jet carrier based aircraft were re- tained aboard due to ice on the carrier deck. These aircraft simulated an at- tack on the station and were intercepted by the F-80 fighters of the Air Force. Landing forces departed the ships inthe Kalsin Bay area and effected landings on 7 February. Landings were made on icy beaches under cover of a 5 smoke screen laid by the carrier aircraft. No casulties were encountered during the landing. The PBM aircraft were slightly retarded in operations when they encountered the condition of ice collecting on the hull at night when moored in the St. Paul Harbor area. This condition was not encountered during takeoffs and land- ings nor during daylight hours, but had it been a few degees colder, the aircraft would have been rendered useless due to the icing condition. Severe northwest winds with "Willi-was," a condition encountered in this area, struck the station on 21 January inflicting considerable damage to build- ings and installations. During the storm, the most common and costly damage inflicted was from shingles that were torn from roofs and blown through windows and building siding. Immediate steps were taken to board up broken windows, and emergency measures were accomplished within a few hours. On 27 January, the roof of Warehouse No. 359 collapsed under the weight of fourteen inches of snow. Since the warehouse was only partially filled at the time, light damage to stored materials was encountered. During the period from May 4 to 9 May, JRM aircraft utilized this area in conjunction with the transfer of VP-61. The aircraft apparently encountered no great difficulty in operation, although the assignment of small boats, such as plane personnel boats and rearming boats, would have been beneficial to the operations. Rear Admiral F. D. Wagner relieved Rear Admiral A. E. Montgomery as Com- mandant, Seventeenth Naval District at 1000 on 27 May. The change of command ceremony was held on the southeast ramp in front of hangar number one. A summary of major entertainment and athletic events held during the per- iod are as follows: (1) February 10-14 - Armed Forces Basketball Tournament held at Adak. (2) February 20-22 - "Show-boat Review" presented by the "Little Theater Group." (3) February 28 - District Wrestling Tournament (Kodiak won six out of eight matches). (4) February 28 - District Boxing Elimination (Kodiak defeated Adak). (5) June 22-25 - Alaskan Armed forces Rifle and Pistol Tournament. 6