Alaska Military Bases

Alaska Military Bases consist of Fort Greely, Fort Wainwright, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Clear Air Force Station, Eielson Air Force Base and other Alaska Coast Guard and National Guard stations.  Alaska is the largest state in the unioun with a population of over 700,000 people. The state has a wide variety of sceneic views and popular interest and activities.

Map of Alaska Military Bases

 

Fort Greely

Fort Greely is an Army base that was established in 1942 by First Lieutenant William L. Brame. During World War II, the base was used as a refueling station for planes that were being taken to Fort Wainwright. After the war, the station became inactive and was maintained by a small group of Army troops stationed there. Three years later, in 1948, the base was reactivated and used as a cold-weather training station.

Today, the base is an important part of the United States’ Ballistic Missile Defense System. The base is still used as cold-weather training and is home to two different training centers: the Cold Regions Test Center and the Northern Warfare Training Center.

 

Fort Wainwright

Fort Wainwright is an Army base located in Fairbanks, Alaska. When it was first established in 1940, it was called Ladd Field in remembrance of Major Arthur Ladd who died in a plane crash in 1935. When the base was first opened, soldiers lived in temporary shelters while testing out different clothing and equipment for use in the harsh European winters during World War II. In 1961, Ladd Field was renamed Fort Wainwright after General Jonathan M. Wainwright, who was a key figure in protecting the Philippines from Japanese forces during World War II.

Today, Fort Wainwright covers over one million acres. The base prides itself on its impeccable preparation so that it can deploy quickly in emergencies. Fort Wainwright is one of the premier training bases for the Army and is home to an infantry, medical personnel, engineering and logistical support units, and a field artillery.

 

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is an Army and Air Force base located north of Anchorage, Alaska. The base was established in 2005. In the beginning, the Army was the base’s primary branch, with the Air Force lending support when necessary. That changed in 2010 when both bases took over equal control of the joint base, and together they now organize combat training, air sovereignty, and other operations.

 

Clear Air Force Station

Clear Air Force Station was established in 1949 and was used as a gunnery range for Ladd Field (which soon became Fort Wainwright). Ten years later, in 1959, the base became the site of the Clear Missile Early Warning Station.

Today, the Clear Air Force Station is home to one of the nation’s NORAD Missile Correlation Centers, and it detects Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and submarine ballistic missiles. The original buildings are still in use today, and the base has since built an airfield, technical sites with mission support buildings, and a community site with dormitories, a mess hall, recreational areas, and an administrative building.

 

Eielson Air Force Base

Eielson Air Force Base, located south of Fairbanks, Alaska, was established in 1943. The base was originally called Mile 26 field and was used as an extension of Fort Wainwright, then called Ladd Field. The base was perfect for the airfield built on it because of its expanse of flat land. When the war ended in 1945, the airfield was closed, but it was reopened a short time later in 1946. During the Cold war, it served as a home for numerous planes used by fighter pilots. Today, the base is home to the 354 Fighter Wing, which was established in 1993.

 

Coast Guard Stations in Alaska

Alaska is home to five Coast Guard Stations, with four of the five still active. One of the active Coast Guard Stations is located in Juneau, Alaska, and has been active since the 1950s. When it was first established, the station was located in Auke Bay, which is located about 11 miles north of where the station is today. According to the Coast Guard website, the Juneau station carries out about 50 search-and-rescue missions a year.