Adak Island
Encyclopedia
Adak Island is an island
near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands
group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska
. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak
, is located on the island. The island has a land area of 711.18 km² (274.6 sq mi), making it the 25th largest island in the United States.
Due to harsh winds, frequent cloud cover, and cold temperatures, vegetation is mostly tundra
(grasses, mosses, berries, low-lying flowering plants) at lower elevations. The highest point is Mt. Moffett
, near the northwest end of the island, at an elevation of 3,924 feet (1,196 m). It is snow covered the greater part of the year.
The word Adak is from the Aleut
word adaq, which means "father".
Adak Island has been the home to Aleut peoples since ancient times. Russia
n explorers in the 18th century also visited the island but made no permanent settlements. During World War II
, the Imperial Japanese Army
took control of two of the westernmost Aleutian Islands - Attu
and Kiska
. The Japanese also attacked the American base at Dutch Harbor by air. The Japanese campaign coincided with the more well-known Battle of Midway
. In response, the United States military
began a campaign to oust the invaders. Since the nearest US military presence was in Cold Bay, Alaska
, the U.S. began to construct bases in the western Aleutian Islands from which to launch operations against the Japanese. Adak Island was chosen as the site of an airfield, and flight operations began in September 1942. On May 11, 1943, four days after the initial invasion date was delayed by bad weather, American soldiers landed on Attu Island and defeated the Japanese garrison there, at the cost of 2,300 Japanese and 550 American lives. Expecting a similar battle for Kiska Island, U.S. soldiers landing there August 15, 1943 found the occupiers had been stealthily evacuated by Japanese naval forces since the end of May, 1943. Even so, over 313 American soldiers died from friendly fire, mines, and other anti-personnel devices during U.S. operations to recover Kiska into U.S. territory. In 1953, remains of 236 Japanese dead who had been buried in Adak Cemetery were reburied in Japan's Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery
.
After the war was over, the approximately 6,000 American military men who served on Adak during World War II recalled Adak's cold, foggy, windy weather; mud; Quonset hut
s; few women and no trees; and a volcano that from time to time would issue puffs of smoke. Fresh food was a rarity.
Adak Naval Air Station continued to be a military base during the Cold War but was designated a Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) site in 1995 and closed in March 1997. Shortly thereafter, the town of Adak, Alaska
, was incorporated at the site of the former base. Down from a peak population of 6,000, the island recorded a 2000 census
population of 316 residents, all in the city of Adak, in the northern part of the island. In 1980, the Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge was created and much of Adak Island lies within its boundaries.
With a population of approximately 200, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
introduced a caribou herd to the island to help prevent emergency famine. The now large caribou herd is a popular hunting destination.
At Adak, overcast conditions average nearly 75% of the time during June and July, dropping back to approximately 50% of the time from October through February. Adak averages 173 days per year with fog. The foggiest months are July and August when an average of 26 of the 31 days have fog. This number drops dramatically toward the winter season where the months of December through March have, on average, fewer than ten days with fog during any one month.
Gales occur in all months of the year at Adak with the greatest chance from December through March. A peak gust of 109 knots occurred at Adak in March 1954.
Adak's average temperatures range from 20 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with a record high of 75°F (August 1956) and a record low of 3°F (January 1963 and February 1964).
Total precipitation is 64 inches annually, with an average accumulated snowfall of 100 inches, falling primarily on the upper reaches of the volcanoes. Adak has an average of 341 days per year with measureable precipitation.
The January 2006 National Geographic
magazine presented pictures of the Sea-based X-band Radar
in tow around Cape Horn
to Adak for the purpose of anti-ballistic missile space surveillance. This operation required about one hundred technicians. Google Earth
pictures the long-time Naval Air Base infrastructure to be located at 51°52′37.07"N 176°38′55.00"W.
is currently operated by the State of Alaska Department of Transportation. Complete with an Instrument Landing System, Adak Airport has a control tower and two 200 feet wide asphalt paved runways at 19 feet elevation. One runway measures 7,790 feet long while the other runway measures 7,605 feet.
Alaska Airlines operates twice weekly 737-400 Combi passenger and cargo jet service from Anchorage. At present, flights operate each Sunday and Thursday (weather permitting). Occasionally, extra seasonal flights are operated to meet the demand of the fishing season.
Other facilities in Adak include three deep water docks and fueling facilities. The city has requested funds to greatly expand the Sweeper Cove small boat harbor, including new breakwaters, a 315-foot (96 m) dock and new moorage floats
There are approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) of paved and primitive roads on Adak, all privately owned by the Aleut Corporation.
and Mount Moffett
volcano
es are located on Adak. The igneous rock
type adakite
is named after Adak.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands
Andreanof Islands
The Andreanof Islands are a group of islands in the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. They are located between Amchitka Pass and the Rat Islands group to the west, and Amukta Pass and the Islands of Four Mountains group to the east, at about 52° North and 172°57' to 179°09' West. The islands...
group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak
Adak, Alaska
Adak , formerly Adak Station, is a city in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 326. It is the westernmost municipality in the United States and the southernmost city in Alaska. The city is the former location of the Adak Army Base and Adak...
, is located on the island. The island has a land area of 711.18 km² (274.6 sq mi), making it the 25th largest island in the United States.
Due to harsh winds, frequent cloud cover, and cold temperatures, vegetation is mostly tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
(grasses, mosses, berries, low-lying flowering plants) at lower elevations. The highest point is Mt. Moffett
Mount Moffett
Mount Moffett is a mountainous stratovolcano that forms the summit of Adak Island of the Aleutian Islands in the U.S. state of Alaska. Its peak reaches . It is heavily glaciated and is made primarily of high alumina basalt and andesite. It has never had an eruption in recorded history. The southern...
, near the northwest end of the island, at an elevation of 3,924 feet (1,196 m). It is snow covered the greater part of the year.
The word Adak is from the Aleut
Aleut language
Aleut is a language of the Eskimo–Aleut language family. It is the heritage language of the Aleut people living in the Aleutian Islands, Pribilof Islands, and Commander Islands. As of 2007 there were about 150 speakers of Aleut .- Dialects :Aleut is alone with the Eskimo languages in the...
word adaq, which means "father".
History
Adak Island has been the home to Aleut peoples since ancient times. Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n explorers in the 18th century also visited the island but made no permanent settlements. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
took control of two of the westernmost Aleutian Islands - Attu
Attu Island
Attu is the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, making it the westernmost point of land relative to Alaska and the United States. It was the site of the only World War II land battle fought on the incorporated territory of the United States ,...
and Kiska
Kiska
Kiska is an island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska located at . It is about long and varies in width from - Discovery :...
. The Japanese also attacked the American base at Dutch Harbor by air. The Japanese campaign coincided with the more well-known Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
. In response, the United States military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
began a campaign to oust the invaders. Since the nearest US military presence was in Cold Bay, Alaska
Cold Bay, Alaska
Cold Bay is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States.Cold Bay is one of the main commercial centers of the Alaska Peninsula, and is home to Cold Bay Airport.-History:...
, the U.S. began to construct bases in the western Aleutian Islands from which to launch operations against the Japanese. Adak Island was chosen as the site of an airfield, and flight operations began in September 1942. On May 11, 1943, four days after the initial invasion date was delayed by bad weather, American soldiers landed on Attu Island and defeated the Japanese garrison there, at the cost of 2,300 Japanese and 550 American lives. Expecting a similar battle for Kiska Island, U.S. soldiers landing there August 15, 1943 found the occupiers had been stealthily evacuated by Japanese naval forces since the end of May, 1943. Even so, over 313 American soldiers died from friendly fire, mines, and other anti-personnel devices during U.S. operations to recover Kiska into U.S. territory. In 1953, remains of 236 Japanese dead who had been buried in Adak Cemetery were reburied in Japan's Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery
Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery
is the national Japanese cemetery for 352,297 unidentified war dead in the Second World War , near the Imperial Palace and Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan....
.
After the war was over, the approximately 6,000 American military men who served on Adak during World War II recalled Adak's cold, foggy, windy weather; mud; Quonset hut
Quonset hut
A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I...
s; few women and no trees; and a volcano that from time to time would issue puffs of smoke. Fresh food was a rarity.
Adak Naval Air Station continued to be a military base during the Cold War but was designated a Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) site in 1995 and closed in March 1997. Shortly thereafter, the town of Adak, Alaska
Adak, Alaska
Adak , formerly Adak Station, is a city in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 326. It is the westernmost municipality in the United States and the southernmost city in Alaska. The city is the former location of the Adak Army Base and Adak...
, was incorporated at the site of the former base. Down from a peak population of 6,000, the island recorded a 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
population of 316 residents, all in the city of Adak, in the northern part of the island. In 1980, the Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge was created and much of Adak Island lies within its boundaries.
With a population of approximately 200, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of Alaska. The Department of Fish and Game manages Alaska's fish, game, and aquatic plant resources.-History:...
introduced a caribou herd to the island to help prevent emergency famine. The now large caribou herd is a popular hunting destination.
Climate
Adak lies in the maritime climate zone, characterized by persistently overcast skies, moderated temperatures, high winds, and frequent cyclonic storms.At Adak, overcast conditions average nearly 75% of the time during June and July, dropping back to approximately 50% of the time from October through February. Adak averages 173 days per year with fog. The foggiest months are July and August when an average of 26 of the 31 days have fog. This number drops dramatically toward the winter season where the months of December through March have, on average, fewer than ten days with fog during any one month.
Gales occur in all months of the year at Adak with the greatest chance from December through March. A peak gust of 109 knots occurred at Adak in March 1954.
Adak's average temperatures range from 20 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with a record high of 75°F (August 1956) and a record low of 3°F (January 1963 and February 1964).
Total precipitation is 64 inches annually, with an average accumulated snowfall of 100 inches, falling primarily on the upper reaches of the volcanoes. Adak has an average of 341 days per year with measureable precipitation.
Education
Adak is served by the Aleutian Region Schools. The Adak School serves grades K-12 and has around 20 students.Economy
A land exchange between Aleut Corp., the U.S. Navy, and the Department of the Interior has transferred most of the naval facilities to the Aleut Corp. A portion of the Island will remain within the National Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, managed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife. Adak currently provides a fueling port and crew transfer facility for foreign fishing fleets—an airport, docks, housing facilities and food services are available. A grocery and ship supply store and restaurant opened in February 1999. Aleut Corporation maintains the facilities. Contractors are performing an environmental clean-up. Alaskan-owned Norquest-Adak Seafood Co. processes Pacific cod, pollock, mackerel, halibut, albacore and brown king crab. Four residents hold a commercial fishing permit, primarily for groundfish.The January 2006 National Geographic
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
magazine presented pictures of the Sea-based X-band Radar
Sea-based X-band Radar
Sea-Based X-Band Radar is a floating, self-propelled, mobile radar station designed to operate in high winds and heavy seas. It is part of the U.S. Defense Department Ballistic Missile Defense System....
in tow around Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
to Adak for the purpose of anti-ballistic missile space surveillance. This operation required about one hundred technicians. Google Earth
Google Earth
Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a Central Intelligence Agency funded company acquired by Google in 2004 . It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite...
pictures the long-time Naval Air Base infrastructure to be located at 51°52′37.07"N 176°38′55.00"W.
Transportation
Because of its naval aviation past, Adak has an unusually large and sophisticated airport for the Aleutian Islands. The Adak AirportAdak Airport
-Top Destinations:-See also:* Alaska World War II Army AirfieldsAmerican airlines Boeing 777-200 From Dallas Fort Worth Airport enroute to Tokyo Narita diverted to Adak Airport Due to A fire Warning in the cargo hold.-References:...
is currently operated by the State of Alaska Department of Transportation. Complete with an Instrument Landing System, Adak Airport has a control tower and two 200 feet wide asphalt paved runways at 19 feet elevation. One runway measures 7,790 feet long while the other runway measures 7,605 feet.
Alaska Airlines operates twice weekly 737-400 Combi passenger and cargo jet service from Anchorage. At present, flights operate each Sunday and Thursday (weather permitting). Occasionally, extra seasonal flights are operated to meet the demand of the fishing season.
Other facilities in Adak include three deep water docks and fueling facilities. The city has requested funds to greatly expand the Sweeper Cove small boat harbor, including new breakwaters, a 315-foot (96 m) dock and new moorage floats
There are approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) of paved and primitive roads on Adak, all privately owned by the Aleut Corporation.
Geology
AdagdakMount Adagdak
Mount Adagdak is a Pleistocene age stratovolcano on the northernmost extremity of Adak Island in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Located about from Anchorage, the mountain is located about south of Cape Adagdak, for which it was named in 1948 by the United States Geological Survey.John Hunter of...
and Mount Moffett
Mount Moffett
Mount Moffett is a mountainous stratovolcano that forms the summit of Adak Island of the Aleutian Islands in the U.S. state of Alaska. Its peak reaches . It is heavily glaciated and is made primarily of high alumina basalt and andesite. It has never had an eruption in recorded history. The southern...
volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es are located on Adak. The igneous rock
Igneous rock
Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
type adakite
Adakite
Adakite is a petrologic term for volcanic or intrusive igneous rocks that are interpreted to form in subduction zones from the mixing of mantle material with felsic partial melts of descending slabs of oceanic crust basalt...
is named after Adak.
External links
- Adak Island in Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
- Photographs of Adak 1944 onward, mostly by U.S. servicemen.
- Adak Photos Photographs from Adak Island, May 2006
- Article and pictures of visit to Adak July 2006 by retired Navy veteran
- Adak Memoirs Memoirs and photos of Adak wanted to preserve history, Nov 2011]