While we do not advocate any position regarding legal proceedings in this case, there is quite a bit of Woody Island history contained in this document.

In 1894 the US Post Office officially designated it Wood Island.

Selected History

From 1852 to 1872 the American Russian Commercial Company operated an ice industry here. The first iron rails and horses in Alaska were brought to Woody Island to help haul ice and run the horse-powered saw which cut the ice into blocks. The first road in Alaska was built around the island to exercise the horses.

The mission was established on Wood Island in 1893. Within the next twenty years the mission built and expanded their facilities to include the main building with girls quarters and dining room, a boys dormitory, office building, barn, carpenter shop, cannery, and silo. In 1925, the main building was burned by fire, immediately rebuilt, and burned again in 1937. The mission then relocated to its present site on Mission Rd. in Kodiak.

In 1911, the navy built a wireless station on Woody Island consisting of two masts 225 feet high and 400 feet apart. The wireless building was struck by lightning during the volcanic eruption of 1912 and burned down. It was rebuilt and modernized in 1914. The new masts were anchored in large cement blocks under the ground this time. It is interesting to note that after the earthquake and subsequent tidal activity in 1964, all of the earth had been completely washed away from one of these huge blocks which is now visible. On February 28, 1931, the wireless station was decommissioned and shortly thereafter the Territory of Alaska was given permission to use the associated buildings for the Longwood School.* The photo above is a post card dated 1915 owned by Trish Hampton.

Bart and Betty Phelps arrived on Woody Island in July, 1924. Bart spent a year as a Radioman on the Station. Their son was born there just before they left.

Earlier in it's history, Woody Is. had a sawmill to make insulating sawdust for the ice that was produced here. Later and for a short time Army personnel set up and ran a sawmill to produce lumber for the building needs of the armed forces. Lumber was rare in Alaska and it was thought that several of the surrounding islands could provide some. After cutting 4.5 million feet of lumber on Woody from March to November 1942, the Army lumber crew moved its operations to Afognak Island.

The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) greatly added to Woody history for nearly thirty years beginning in 1941. The FAA station was first manned by a meager staff of technicians who all stayed in very close dormitory quarters. During the war the number of FAA personnel on Woody Island grew to forty. To make living arrangements more livable a number of couples solved the privacy problem by moving across the island into old Navy buildings. As many as seven to nine aircraft communicators were needed at a time to furnish the weather and other aeronautical data to pilots twenty-four hours a day. The war demanded that everyone work seven days a week to make repairs to the teletypes, transmitters, radio receivers, boats, and trucks that brought the supplies and equipment to the island. More quarters were greatly needed and, in 1948, a large Navy building on west Woody was converted into seven apartment units. By 1949, two more apartment buildings with five units each were built and once again Woody was home to a small community. The badly needed school was finally built on east Woody in 1951. An enrollment of 27 and a second teacher was enough reason for an addition to the school house in 1957.

The FAA operated a ferry boat, the Fedair IV. Darrell F. Chaffin was the manager of FAA operations on the island and later the entire area. In 1979 most of the FAA complex burned to the ground

In 1979 the FAA TRAPLINE newsletter published an article titled FAA COMMUNITY ON WOODY ISLAND 1941-1973. Page 1, Page 2.

Some people who worked for the CAA/FAA on Woody Island are: Don Thomas station manager 1954, Howard Slonager, Zip Zaber, Jim Cusack, Stan Ericson, Darrell F. Chaffin station manager, Yule Chaffin, Dick Inman, Moon Mullins, Norman E. Harrington 1949-50 (who wrote a FINE article about Woody Is), Chuck Irwin, Mel Holroyd, John Bassler, Anthony T. Giambruno, Morris (Pappy) Lee, Robert E. Thomas.

For a perspective from the summer camp operated on Woody Island, see this.

During World War II there was a "Magnetic Loop Station" on Woody. This is a big loop of wire placed on the bottom of the harbor entrances to act as a metal detector whenever an enemy submarine might pass over the loop. The Japanese had many midget submarines capable of entering the harbor. The largest loop ran between the tip of Cliff Point and the south tip of Woody Is. The other loop ran between Woody Is. and Kodiak Is. about midway along the channel between the two islands. (Data from the Harbor Defenses of Kodiak, 1 November 1944.) For further reading about magnetic loops, see this web page about Ft. Tilden at New York Harbor or this one.

For details of the USN Net Depot on Woody Island, see this photo album.

Quoting from the official Navy base history: "On Woody Island, Northeast of St. Paul's Harbor, are located Magnetic Loop and Harbor detection equipment, net depot, and nets for anti-submarine detection and the C.A.A. (Civil Aeronautic Authority) Range Station for air traffic.

In October, 1942, a heavy indicator net for surface and under surface vessels consisting of 200' panels, was stretched from Woody Island to Shahafka Cove. If a 200' section of this net was carried away, the net vessel, equipped with depth charges, went into action. This net was approximately 1500 yards long with a 600' gate in the ship channel. It was opened and shut by two YP boats, one of which was on duty at all times. Equipped with anti-aircraft guns and radio these YP boats signaled the approach of all aircraft to Woody Island signalman, who relayed this information to the aircraft clearance tower on the base.

In November, 1943, anti-torpedo nets, 30' deep, for protection against the torpedo rather than the submarine, were substituted for the heavier nets installed in October, 1942.

In December, 1942, magnetic loop stations were installed at the entrance of the channel leading to Kodiak and at St. Paul's harbor. (see photograph of Woody Island, showing Loop Station and Net Depot, appendices #30).

A navy Communications Radio Compass Station was set up on Woody Island during the first World War and is still in operation. The CAA was commissioned 22 June 1941 as a Radio range. "

Maps

These maps are in the collection of the Kodiak Military History Museum. They are much too big to scan and present on this web site. You can make an appointment to inspect them by sending e-mail to the address below. Where interest has been demonstrated, portions have been scanned.

Plat of US Survey 603 of the Russian Greek Church Mission Reserve
Tract A 0.12 acres, Tract B 1.46 acres
scale 1 chain to the inch
Frank H. Lascy US Deputy Surveyor August 6-8, 1905
registered in Juneau April 7, 1908
Shows no features except bounds.

Plat of US Survey 626 of the Baptist Mission Reserve, 962.77 acres
scale 8 chains to the inch
Frank H. Lascy US Deputy surveyor August 8-14, 1905
registered in Juneau April 7, 1908
Shows 2 RGM tracts, lakes a b c and Una Lake.
Near lake a (Icehouse Lake) shows over 20 structures.
Main survey start labeled "USLMRGMWITA"


August 27-29, 1913, J. Frank Warner, Surveyor.  Filed in Juneau Apr 13, 1914.
Plat of U.S. Survey No. 484 U.S. Naval Reserve, 8.39 acres, scale 2 chains = 1 inch.
Shows radio antenna, dock, ship slip, carpenter shop, barn, house, native house, 
and a fenced garden within the Navy Reserve.  Outside is shown a school, playground, 
house, barn, log building.  All this generally in the area between the lake and 
the pier.
Map portion showing US Naval Reserve, Wireless Apparatus, Dock:
  Note: The map is negative, white lines on black.  These images are reversed.  
  1700x2200
  371x480

January 8, 1942, drawn by GRA.  DR. D8-61-6
General Plan Radio Facilities. Civil Aeronautics Administration, 8th region, Anchorage.
Scale 1 inch = 500 feet.
Shows quarters and control site on the east side.  Just north of that is shown 
a range site with antennas on the northeast side of Elephant Lake.
Further north-northwest of that site is shown a communication site with three 
300 foot towers and other masts and a generator building.
Roads and a right-of-way are shown.  USGLO Surveys No. 626, 1674, 1675.

September 19, 1942, Kodiak field drawing K-4-10334, NAS No. 10334
GENERAL LAYOUT NET DEPOT ICEHOUSE POINT WOODY ISLAND
Contract NOy-3570 Alaskan Air Base Construction, Siems Drake Puget Sound
With red markings update June 1, 1948
Large map with many details. 1 inch = 100 ft.

May 13, 1943, drawn by EAC, DR. 8D-61-4
PROPERTY TIES WOODY ISLAND -(KODIAK)
Civil Aeronautics Admin.
scale 1 inch = 8 chains
Lakes a b c penciled-in as Ice House Lake, Long Lake, Lake Tanignak.
Shows corners only.  No structures.

April 4, 1944, revised 2 Dec 52
WOODY ISLAND NET DEPOT & MAGNETIC LOOP STATION
Scale 1 inch = 100 feet, NAS Drawing No. K-3-14,120
Shows very detail of area around Ice House Lake.
Excellent map.  Have 3 copies.
Portion of map showing Magnetic Loop Station, Pier, Shop area.
  1700x2200
  480x342
Portion of map showing Barracks, Mess, BOQ, Pump House.
  1700x2200
  480x371
Map from ANNEX showing magnetic loops.

November 4, 1949, drawn by BBC, 8D-61-4A, J.C. Hooper, G.O. Kempton
Real Estate Data, CAA
scale 1 inch = 500 feet
USGLO Survey No. 626, Women's American Baptist Home Mission Society
Detail of Navy Res. & 13.82 acre tract.
US Navy res. US survey No. 484, 8.39 ac. (by Ice House Lake)
 shows 11 numbered structures on Navy land 

  Chart of land acquisition:
  Tract A - contract ANSW No. 179 - from BLM 728 ac less prior rights USS 626, 227 ac.
            date 7/21/42
  Tract B - contract C8CA-1037 - from Women amer bap mis soc, ct cable r/w
            date 6/30/42 - 6/30/63
  Tract C - contract C8CA-3097 - from women amer bap mis soc, RD. R/W
            date 7/1/55
  Tract E - rev permit - from US Navy, fuel storage incl pipe line R/W
            date 10/17/45
  Tract F - permit - US Navy, bldg use
            date 12/3/52

  Chart of Land Occupation
  Tract A - permit, terr dept of ed etc, school, 0.568 acres
            date 9/1/52 - 6/30/72

Thirteen pages traverse data, loose with paper clip, yellow ledger pages.
WOODY ISLAND NET DEPOT & MAGNETIC LOOP STATION - undated
STRUCTURE LIST
1 - machine shop
2 - garage
3 - carpenter shop
4 - school teachers residence
5 - school
6 - net depot office
7 - paint shop
8 - blacksmith shop & power plant
9 - shed
10- electric shop
11- fire house
12- barrack - loop personnel
13- bosn's locker
14- loop station generator
15- loop station
16- loop station officers quarters
17- storehouse (sh-8)
18- storehouse - nets
19- barracks - net depot (B-63)
20- mess hall (nets & loop personell)(M-33m)
21- officer quarters (OQ-7)
22- power plant
23- pump station - water
24- water tank - wood stave

Letter: 25 May 1964
from C.O. Navy Station Kodiak
disposal of Woody Is. property:
3.51 ac, 4.88 ac, 1.35 ac.
This is a sample of a very large file of property disposal letters 
between the Navy and the FAA.

Radio Range Station

Contact us.

Main index

Other web sites:

Building the Navy's Bases in World War II: History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corps, 1940-1946

Salvage of Chirikof range in 1949.

Radio Station Operations in Kodiak, Alaska in 1924-1925 Personal Recollections of Harold B. Phelps, Lt. USN (ret)