Fort Wainwright: Difference between revisions
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== [[World War II]] (1941-1945) == | == [[World War II]] (1941-1945) == | ||
A U.S. Army post established as [[Ladd Army Air Field]] in 1940 just before the start of [[World War II]]. Ladd AAF served as a troop disbursal point and as a delivery point for Lend Lease aircraft being picked up by Russian pilots. Over 8,000 aircraft were delivered to the Russians. | A U.S. Army post established as [[Ladd Army Air Field]] in 1940 just before the start of [[World War II]]. Ladd AAF served as a troop disbursal point and as a delivery point for Lend Lease aircraft being picked up by Russian pilots. Over 8,000 aircraft were delivered to the Russians. | ||
[[File:Ladd Air Base Loc 00001v.jpg|795px|thumb|left|Ladd Field Plan 1945]] | |||
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== [[Cold War]] (1947-1996) == | == [[Cold War]] (1947-1996) == | ||
Revision as of 13:27, 16 December 2013
Fort Wainwright (1940-Present) - A U.S. Army post established as Ladd Army Air Field in 1940 just before the start of World War II near present day Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. The post was named for Major Arthur Ladd who was killed in a crash in 1935. Transferred to the Air Force in 1947 and renamed Ladd Air Force Base. In 1961 it was transferred back to the U.S. Army and named Fort Wainwright for general Jonathan M. Wainwright (Cullum 4477), survivor of the Japanese POW camps in the Philippines and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. Active military installation.
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World War II (1941-1945)
A U.S. Army post established as Ladd Army Air Field in 1940 just before the start of World War II. Ladd AAF served as a troop disbursal point and as a delivery point for Lend Lease aircraft being picked up by Russian pilots. Over 8,000 aircraft were delivered to the Russians.
Cold War (1947-1996)
After the end of the war the U.S. Air Force became a separate service and the post was transferred to the Air Force in 1947 and renamed Ladd Air Force Base. Ladd Air Force Base was used as cold weather aircraft test field and to support the early warning radar sites for the Alaska Air Defense sites and the Distant Early Warning (DEW) radar sites.
In 1961 Ladd Air Force Base was transferred back to the U.S. Army and named Fort Wainwright. The post hosted an number of U.S. Army units over the years and conducted several large scale cold weather exercises. It also hosts the Bureau of Land Management's Alaska Fire Service and is home to Bassett Army Community Hospital.
Fort Wainwright has been registered on the national Superfund list since August 1990. A number of known contaminants on the site have hindered construction efforts and injured several workers.
Current Status
Active military installation near Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska.
USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 2512475
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Location: Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. Maps & Images Lat: 64.827787 Long: -147.642915 |
Sources:
- Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 29
Links:
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