The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1936-07-21
ARMY AIR BASE
BOARD INSPECTS
JUNEAU AIRPORT
Officers on Way to Fair
banks to Gather Data for
Projected Military Base
SITE MAJOR MATTER
TO BE CONSIDERED
Facilities for 1000 Planes
Planned in Program
for Territory

The Board of Army officers re-
Gently appointed by the War De-
partment to make a survey for a
possible site for a permanent air
base in Alaska, which in case of
need could handle 1000 planes, Wis
tied briefly in Juneau this MORN
ing while the Alaska was in port,
enroute to the Westward and
Fairbanks.
Lieut.. Col. Wilmot A. Danielson,
Quartermaster Corps, heads the
board and accompanying him are
Major Otto G. Trunk, Air Corps,
and Major Albro L. Parsons, Med
ical Corps, other members of the
Board. Master Sergeant Walter j.
Stewart is accompanying the party.
While here the party was taken
to the Pacific Alaska Anyways air
port by Robert Bender, and also
shown the landing field used by
the Army bombers on their trip
here two years ago. Other posi-
BILE sites we're also pointed out to
the Board during their brief stay
Longer Stay on Return
Lieut.. Col. Danielson said today
the Board planned to stop in Jul
neau several days on the return
trip.
The trip of the Board is entire
ly in the nature of survey To
gather data from which it will
make recommendation to the War
Department for the location of the
proposed base.
The following story relative to
the Boards tour was published in
the New York Times at the time
orders were issued for the inspec-
ton:
official Release
The War Department made a
start today toward the solution of
one of the most serious problems
of national defense now confront
ing 1.-THE establishment of per-
manent air bases at strategic points
capable of handling the concen-
tration, within twenty four hours,
of the General Headquarters Air
force of 1000 airplanes.
Routine army orders for the day
contained the following item, in
conspicuously tucked away near
the end of the list:
Purpose of the Board
"A board Of officers to consist of
the following named is appointed
for the purpose of selecting suit
able site in the vicinity Of Fair
banks, Alaska, for use as an avia-
ton base; that in the examina-
ton of such site such data be Sc
cured as required to determine
foundation and other requirements
of such site:
Lieut. Col Wilmot A. Danielson
Quartermaster Corps;
Major Otto G.. Trunk, Air Corps
Major Albro L. Parsons, Medi-
cal Corps.
The Chief of the Air Corps will
furnish the board with a copy OF
the layout plans of the installa
tions desired and such detailed in
structions as may be required"
Ever since its PASSAGE, more thar
a year ago, of the bill fostered by
Representative j. Mark Wilcox OF
Florida to authorize the construc-
ton of such air bases at an I'M
specified number of points about
the country. the Air Corps has had
under way a study of the prob
lens involved.
Select Fairbanks 49,,
The decision to select Fairbanks
is the first definite indication OF
any conclusions reached, although
it is understood that at least two
sites in the United States proper
have been fixed.
Officers of the General Staff
were disinclined to talk much OF
the air base plans since the pro-
jects cannot be considered very
far advanced at this time. II was
learned, however, that it is intend
ed to build seven besides the one
in Alaska.
The Fairbanks installation will
be in the nature of an extension
of the principal base for the North
west, the exact site for which has
not been selected. 1t will probably
lie somewhere within triangle
drawn from Spokane to Portland
to Salt Lake City. The Fairbanks
Continued on Page Eight