Evening star., 1940-07-02
BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON,
Star Aviation Editor.

JUNEAU, Alaska 10Y AuIudlp.-
Backed by an administration keenly
awake to the peril to national Sc
curity resulting from past failure to
defend the northern flank OF our
national and continental defense
systems, the Army and Navy now
are rushing the construction of four
major air bases in the territory.
The Army has launched con-
struction program which is expected
ultimately to cost about 1000 900
The Navy, which has asked for
total of S61 800 900 in cash toward
a limit of cost Of $112,l00,000 for
DEVELOPMENT of bases recommended
by the Hepburn Board, is concen-
trating on two island bases in the
Aleutians
Chief Army project is $12, ,734, 900
air base, Elmendorf Field, at An
chorage, on the Gulf of Alaska
Elmendorf Field will be the home of
at least one composite group COM
posed of one pursuit squadron, one
medium bombardment squadron,
one heavy bombardment squadron,
and one base squadron.
There also will be strong force
of infantry and artillery to defend
the base against possible ground
attack by parachute troops or naval
expeditionary forces.
Reinforcement Begun.
For many years the total mill
tary garrison of Alaska has been
NS Co fv.v,
troops quartered at Chilkoot Bar
racks on Lynn Canal near the foot
of the famous Chilkoot Pass of
gold rush fame.
During the past week, however,
the reinforcement of this insignlfl-
cant Alaskan garrison has begun
A force of 700 men, composed of the
1st Battalion, 4th Infantry and a
newly organized Field Artillery bat
terry. sailed from Seattle on the
Army transport st. Mihiel June %
under cover of veil of almost war
time secrecy.
These troops, with heavy stores of
supplies and equipment, including
rs and 81 millimeter guns, ammuni-
ton, rifles, automatic weapons, now
are being moved into Anchorage.
Lieut.. Col. Earl Landreth, 4th In
fantry, in command of the 1st Bat
talon, expected his battalion and
the new field artillery battery to
be stationed at Anchorage and in
dicated that other troops may be as
signed later to other strategic points
In Alaska.
The infantry battalion was moved
to Anchorage from Fort Missoula,
Mont. The artillery battery, de-
signated Battery A, 81st Field
Artillery" was organized from artil-
lery troops of the Sd Division.
Engineer Company Being Formed.
A company of engineers and other
small detachments of the other sup
porting arms and services is being
organized and will be moved to
Anchorage this summer from Fort
Lewis, Wash, and other West Coast
stations, to provide completely
rounded defense unit for the An
chorage base.
In addition to the Anchorage base,
the Army Air Corps also is building
q $4,OO0,000 cold weather" expert
mental base, which also may become
q tactical base in case of emergency,
at Fairbanks, across the mighty
Alaskan Coast Range in the interior
of the Territory only 130 miles below
the Arctic Circle. This base will be
described in another article in this
series.
Decision to establish the great
Elmendorf Field plant at Anchor
age is the result of studies made by
q special board of Army officers sent
there during July and August. 1899.
1t was agreed by members of this
board that from base at Anchor
age, which is as nearly central as
any suitable spot in the Territory,
operations might be conducted
throughout Alaska.
Fror, the squadrons composing
the composite group at Anchorage
flights will be detached IN rotation
for cold weather test work and
tactical training at Ladd Field, Fair
banks, 300 miles across the Coast
Range.
Troop Movement Difficult.
The difficulty of moving troops to
Alaska, even in the face of emer-
gency, Is illustrated by the fact
that, although the new service of
Pan American Airways provides
transportation between Seattle and
Juneau, Alaskan capital, in eight
hours, seven days was required for
the St. Mihiel to move troops to
Seward, from where they are going
overland to Anchorage via the
Alaska Railroad, only rail line in
the Territory.
It was determined by the Army
Board that If the operating air
base were established between the
coast and the mountains of the
Coast Range, better defense could
be established, since there would be
more days in which an air force
could operate. The high mountains
inland and low ceilings along the
coast to the mountains, it was re-
ported, frequently would prevent,
or at least delay, the air force from
DlAC IOOSt ollOoAo q tA11CoO
from an enemy develop in that area.
Although it originally had been
planned to combine the expert
mental base at Fairbanks with an
operating base, it was decided as a
result of last years survey to es-
tablish the separate bases and to
concentrate on Elmendorf Field as
the principal Army defense base.
Gen. George G. Marshall. Army
chief of staff, in a report to Con-
gress in connection with the defense
program, said: "Our Air Corps es-
Establishments in Alaska must serve
two essential needS-one, strategic
defense, the other experimentation
and training under frigid weather
conditions. 1t is recognized that for
tho 1atter y,,,rpose namely roId