Tail end of the chain, tip of the sword: Eareckson AS

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Andrew Harris
  • 611th Civil Engineer Squadron
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Closer to Russia than to mainland Alaska, Shemya Island, has been home to U.S. military operations for 66 years despite the remote and harsh subarctic environment.

Located on one of the westernmost islands in the Aleutian chain stretching from southwest Alaska, Shemya is a three and one-half-hour flight from Elmendorf by jet.

When Japanese forces launched an attack on U.S. forces in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and Attu during World War II, America responded by constructing an airfield on Shemya and named it Shemya Air Force Base. 

The infrastructure on the island was built to support bomber and reconnaissance aircraft as well as troops. After World War II, the military's presence diminished until the Cold War brought a renewed interest in the Northern Pacific region.

During the Korean War, Shemya was a key refueling stop for aircraft traveling across the Pacific via the great circle route from the U.S. west coast, and Shemya's proximity to Russia during the Cold War proved an ideal location to host Cobra Ball aircraft for intelligence gathering operations.

In 1993, Shemya was renamed Eareckson Air Station to honor Col. William O. Eareckson, a squadron commander in the Aleutians during World War II. Shemya AFB was a one-year remote tour for Air Force personnel, but in 1995 the base transitioned to caretaker status, thus eliminating the majority of Air Force members on the island.

Once populated by more than 2,000 people, today there are only a few uniformed members around the island. In fact, there are no permanently assigned military forces at Eareckson. The 611th Air Support Group, based at Elmendorf, manages the Base Operating Support contractor, a contingent of about 140 people, who run the day-to-day island operations. Today, Shemya is home to several missions including an early ballistic missile warning and space surveillance system, transpacific communications, and an emergency divert location for fighter aircraft transiting the north Pacific.

Maintaining a place to land in the middle of nowhere is a mission that has gone relatively unchanged at Eareckson. At 10,000 feet in length, the runway is large enough to handle aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster III or C-5 Galaxy. Its location makes it a convenient and potentially life-saving stop in an area of the world where there are no other options for aircraft with in-flight emergencies.

Isolated from any electrical grid, Eareckson must generate its own electricity. Eareckson has an 18 megawatt capable power plant that was installed in the late 1970s to early 1980s. The 611th Civil Engineer Squadron plans to replace the power plant generators with modern, more efficient, and environmentally friendly units.

Not only is the power plant scheduled for replacement, the airfield is sorely in need of repairs. It was constructed in the early 1940s and was resurfaced was 1976. Since then, extensive patching has been required to keep the airfield operational. During the next two years, the runway will be undergoing a major rehabilitation which will decrease the foreign debris problem while significantly reducing the amount of maintenance required to keep the airfield operational.

Due to the change in operations and missions, there are many unoccupied buildings around the island. More than 25 abandoned buildings have been identified for demolition in accordance with the Air Force Civil Engineer's vision to reduce the Air Force footprint.

Concrete removed from these structures will be used to reinforce the seawall that protects the dock and shoreline from storm surges. Some of the structures on the demolition list date back to World War II and were in use up through the early 1980s. With windblown salt water and rocks hurtling up to 120 mph during storms, these facilities have taken a severe beating, making them expensive and time consuming to maintain. By demolishing them, engineers will be able to reduce maintenance costs and eliminate possible safety hazards.

This nondescript island near the end of the Aleutian chain will be a construction zone for at least the next two years. Each of the next two summers will fill the island with construction equipment and workers striving to complete the island overhaul.

Eareckson's remoteness makes it a challenge to maintain and operate, but its mission is essential in supporting our air, space, and information superiority. This tiny island has held an important military position and it appears it will continue to do so for many years to come.