Evening star., 1940-07-01
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,
Star Aviation Editor,

Star Aviation Editor.
. FAIRBANKS, Alaska (by airmaiD .
There seems to be no question that
Soviet Russia has undertaken extern
sive construction activities on Big
Diomede Island. in the narrowest
part of Bering Strait, only miles
from the United States boundary and
4 miles from Little Diomede Island,
which is United States territory.
Just how extensive this work is or
What its exact purpose may be is still
uncertain. There is every reason to
assume, however, that the work has
military Importance and probably
vital military importance, in the
opinion of Army authorities in
Alaska.
y. Reports from Nome, attributed to
reliable sources, are that a crew of
about 25 Russians and several
Russian-Eskimo families have been
at work on Big Diomede Island since
the winter breakup and that it is
probable this construction force has
been materially increased. Quanti-
ties of construction materials have
been shipped to the island. 1t is
generally agreed that a wireless sta
tlon is being constructed and that
Il is to be manned permanently and
used to handle weather reports and
Tor other purposes which may or
may not be of military character.
Large Force on Island.
Military information in Alaska is
That as many as several hundred"
workers are on Diomede Island.
Such force is excessively large for
even hurried construction of a radio
station and weather base or for
quarters for even a large scientific
expedition, it was pointed out. It is
assumed that more extensive con-
structlon program is planned and
the persistent reports that an air
base is a part of the project are
taken seriously in Alaska.
The Soviet government has pro-
hiblted travel near Big Diomede
ana American pilots have not flown
beyond the international boundary
IN many weeks, it was reported here.
Naturally we have got to attach
Importance to the reports of activ-
lties on Big Diomede," the writer was
told by an Army officer who lust
returned from Nome. when ma
tlonal security is at stake, nothing
which may have a possible militarv
bearing can be ignored or its poten-
tlal Importance under-e estimated.
1t is a basic military princinle
that you must assume that the
enemy is going to do the thing that
Will hurt you most. There is no
doubt that in case of an attack
against Alaska or on the United
States through Alaska. the use of
Big Diomede Island as hostile
air base would be the thing that
would hurt us most. From the
standpoint of adequate preparation
for defense we cannot blind our
selves to fact as obvious as this"
Nome Is Undefended.
Nome is the only Alaskan COM
mun1ty of any size in the immedi-
ate vicinity of Diomede. There is
an Army communications station
there, but no defense setup of anv
kind. The Army sergeant in charge
OF the station does not even have
sidearms.
Fairbanks is $50 miles from DID,
mede and Fairbanks would be of
great value to an enemy as a base
OF operations against the Alaskan
coastal cities, particularly Anchor
age, which is only $50 miles south,
1T was pointed out. An enemy air
force could reach Fairbanks in five
hours from Big Diomede and, once
established, would be very difficult
to uproot.
Even should the activity of Big
Diomede be nothing more than a
radio and weather station, we are
not justified in ignoring it from
military standpoint" the Army
spokesman said. "Such a station in
the hands of an aggressive enemy
would have very great military i'm
portance as an aid to air operations
Or naval operations"
The new Russian station is al
most exactly in the middle of Bering
Strait, 54 miles wide at this point.
Big and Little Diomede are the
peaks of mountains on the land
bridge which is believed to have
connected Alaska and Asia at one