Southwestern Alaska

Last Update: 22/SEPTEMBER/2006

Compiled by Phil and Pete Payette - й2006 American Forts Network

Fort Kodiak
(1868 - 1870), Kodiak, Kodiak Island
An American post. Located nearby was the Russian stockaded blockhouse Fort Pavlosk (1792 - 1868), the first headquarters for the Russian fur trade until 1808. The first white settlement (Russian) was nearby at Three Saints Bay (Old Harbor) in 1784. See also The Russian Era

дд HARBOR DEFENSES of KODIAK
Kodiak Alaska Military History by Joe Stevens

дд Fort Abercrombie (State Historical Park)
(1941 - 1948), Kodiak, Kodiak Island
Located at Miller Point was Battery 404 (1944 - 1946). Nearby on Spruce Cape was an Anti Motor Torpedo Boat battery. Battery 297 was to be located either on Spruce Cape or Spruce Island (near Ouzinkie), but it was never built. Several structures still remain. A Coast Guard/Navy base is currently located at Spruce Cape. Fire-control stations were located on Mount Herman and Kizhuyak Point.

дд Fort Tidball
(1941 - 1946), Long Island
Battery 296 (1942 - 1945) is located here on Castle Bluffs. The guns are long gone, but the empty shields still remain. Also here was Battery Deer Point (1942 - 1945) (four 155mm guns on Panama mounts), still intact. Several structures still remain.

дд Fort Smith
(1941 - 1945), Cape Chiniak, Kodiak Island
Batteries located here on St. Peter's Head are Battery 403 (1944 - 1945) and Battery Chiniak Point (1942 - 1945) (four 155mm guns on Panama mounts), still intact. Battery 295 was never built. A temporary battery of two 155mm guns on Panama mounts was here in 1942 (still intact). Nearby fire-control stations were located at Narrow Cape, Soquel Point, Cape Greville, and Midway Point. Several structures remain. The Air Force later had a tracking station here at Cape Chiniak.

дд Fort Greely (1)
(1941 - 1944), Kodiak, Kodiak Island
The headquarters post for the harbor defenses and the nearby Navy base. Battery Artillery Hill (1942) (two 6-inch naval guns) and Battery Bushkin Hill (1942 - 1945) (four 155mm guns on Panama mounts), still intact, were located here. An Anti Motor Torpedo Boat battery (1943 - 1945) was located on Puffin Island (restricted access). The HDCP/HECP still remains on Artillery Hill. Bushkin Hill is now a Coast Guard base. Two AA battery sites still remain. Several searchlight shelters also still remain. Fire-control stations were located at Mansfield Ridge and Gibson Cove.

дд ALSO: Located at Lazy Bay was the AAIS station (1942), in ruins and on private property. Located at Entrance Point was a Navy AA training center (1942), some structures remain.

Info courtesy of Colt Denfeld and Al Grobmeier of the Coast Defense Study Group.

Fort Alexander (2)
(1818 - unknown), Nushagak
A Russian trading post located north of Clarks Point. A large stockade and blockhouse was added in 1834. Variously known as Fort Alexandrovsk (2), Fort Alexandrovski, Fort Alexandra, and Fort Nushagak.

Fort Suvarov
(1830's), Naknek
A Russian trading post with a stockaded blockhouse, also called Fort Naknek.

Naknek Post
(1942 - 1945), Naknek
A WWII Army post.

Fort Morrow
(1942 - 1946), Port Heiden
A WWII Army post and Navy base.

Popof Island Post
(1942 - 1946), Sand Point, Popof Island
A two-gun 6-inch naval gun battery still remains at the old Navy base runway. The HECP still exists.
(info courtesy of Colt Denfeld of the Coast Defense Study Group)

Fort Delarof
(1833 - unknown), Unga, Unga Island
A Russian stockaded post near Squaw Harbor. Also called Delarof Redoubt.

Fort Randall
(1942 - 1946), Cold Bay
An Army airfield and Navy base. A two-gun 6-inch naval gun battery was located at Grant Point. One gun is on display near the town dump. A four-gun 155mm gun battery on Panama mounts was located at Mortensen's Lagoon at Thin Point. The HECP still exists at Pride Lake.
(info courtesy of Colt Denfeld of the Coast Defense Study Group)

д HARBOR DEFENSES of DUTCH HARBOR and UNALASKA
WWII History of Dutch Harbor - Unalaska

д Fort Learnard
(1942 - 1946), Eider Point, Unalaska Island
Located on the west bank of the bay. Batteries located here are Battery 298 (1943 - 1946) shields remain, no guns, and an Anti Motor Torpedo Boat battery on Eider Spit (overgrown). Some structures remain intact.

д Fort Schwatka
(Aleutian WWII National Historic Area)
(1943 - 1945), Ulakta Head, Amaknak Island
Batteries located here are Battery 402 (1943 - 1946) (aka Battery Mt. Ballyhoo) (proposed name Battery Bunker), a two-gun 155mm gun battery on Panama mounts (1942) still intact, and an Anti Motor Torpedo Boat battery located on Ballyhoo/Amaknak Spit (1943 - 1946) no remains. Battery Hill 400 (1942 - 1943) (four 155mm guns on Panama mounts, still intact) was under the command of Fort Mears. A 3-inch AA gun was also here in 1942. Battery 299 was never built.

д Fort Brumback
(1942 - 1944), Constantine Point, Unalaska Island
Battery Constantine Point (aka Battery Summer Bay) (four 155mm guns on Panama mounts, still intact) was located here. Some structures still remain.

д Fort Mears
(1941 - 1945), Dutch Harbor, Unalaska Island
The headquarters post of the Harbor Defenses of Dutch Harbor and the nearby Navy base. It was attacked by Japan in 1942. This town was originally founded by Russians. Several machine-gun pillboxes still exist along many of the nearby beaches. Of interest here is the Museum of the Aleutians, built on the foundation of a military wharehouse.

д ALSO: Additional fire-control stations were located at Cape Winslow, Constantine Head, Hog Island, Erskine Point, Ugadaga Bay, and Coxcomb (Second Priest Rock). Structures remain at all locations.

Info courtesy of Colt Denfeld and Al Grobmeier of the Coast Defense Study Group.

Fort Glenn
(1942 - 1946), Umnak Island
An Army airbase near Tulik Volcano. Now the site of Bering Pacific Ranch. One 6-inch naval gun was located at Sheep Point (still intact). Also located here were up to nine 155mm guns on Panama mounts. A two-gun 6-inch naval gun battery was located across the pass near Chernofski, at Mutton Cove on Unalaska Island (destroyed). There were no protected port facilities on Umnak Island.
(some info courtesy of Colt Denfeld of the Coast Defense Study Group)

St. Paul Island Post
(1869 - 1870, 1942 - 1945), St. Paul Island
An Army post on a remote island in the Bering Sea. The island was again in use by the military in WWII. Also called St. Paul Post.

Aleutian Islands Defenses
(1942 - 1946), various islands Aleutian Islands WWII History

Atka Island: The U.S. Army established Atka Post in 1942.

Adak Island: An Army airfield (Adak Post) and Navy base (Adak Naval Station) protected by two 6-inch naval guns. Several 155mm guns on Panama mounts were located at Zeto Point (still intact). An AMTB battery was located at Kruluk Bay. Sixty AA guns were emplaced around the island. Restricted public access.

Amchitka Island: The U.S. Army established Amchitka Post in 1943. The Army airfield was protected by eight 155mm guns on Panama mounts located at Constantine Harbor (still intact). Several machine-gun pillboxes are along the airfield. Restricted public access.

Kiska Island: Captured and fortified by Japan 1942 - 1943. Japanese guns still remaining on the island (at North Head) include one 4.7-inch quick-firing M1905 British gun, one 6-inch M1900 British gun, four 150mm naval guns, one 140mm coast defense gun, four 120mm dual-purpose guns, and several 3-inch M1900 British guns. One 6-inch M1894 British gun is still located on Little Kiska Island. The Japanese evacuated after losing Attu Island. The U.S. Army then established Kiska Post in 1943.
(Special thanks to Dirk Spennemann, Colt Denfeld, and Glen Williford of the Coast Defense Study Group for providing Japanese gun data and current status)

Shemya Island: The U.S. Army established Shemya Post in 1943. An AMTB battery still exists, and possibly one or two other batteries. Restricted public access. Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Force Station in 1993.

Agattu Island: Captured by Japan and briefly held in 1942. Not fortified by the U.S. Army.

Attu Island: Captured and fortified by Japan 1942 - 1943. One 75mm AA Japanese gun still remains. Recaptured by the U.S. Army in 1943 who then established Camp Earle (aka Attu Post). Several 155mm guns on Panama mounts were located at Chichagof Point. Also emplaced were 21 AA guns. Restricted public access.

(info courtesy of Colt Denfeld of the Coast Defense Study Group)

NEED MORE INFO: Big Fort Island next to Shuyak Island near Kodiak; Battery Point on Akutan Island near Dutch Harbor; Turret Point on Adak Island.
Towns:

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