A Military History of Adak
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The Navy’s closure of the Adak Naval Air Facility brings to an end the military’s long tenure on the island that began during World War II:
* Aug. 30, 1942: 4,500 Allied troops land on Adak. Within 10 days they built a runway for the fighters and bombers that would drive Japanese troops from Kiska and Attu in the western Aleutians.
* May 1943: Adak has grown to become a major military supply depot and supports 27,000 troops.
* August 1943: Both Kiska and Attu are back under American control, and the Army begins reducing its presence on Adak.
* 1948: The U.S. Army transfers control of Adak to the U.S. Air Force.
* 1950: The U.S. Air Force transfers control of Adak to the U.S. Navy. For the next four decades, Navy pilots would fly patrols from Adak to track Soviet submarines in the Bering Sea. Adak’s population would eventually grow to 6,000.
* 1993: With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Cold War over, the Navy begins reducing its presence on Adak.
* 1994: Military dependents are sent home from Adak.
* June 1995: Adak is targeted for closure by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
* March 31, 1997: The Adak Naval Air Facility closed.
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