Elmendorf street names carry a lot of history these days

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Sheila deVera
  • JBER Public Affairs
JONIT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  When driving around Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, do you wonder if there is a story behind each of the street names you pass? When you see names like Anderson Circle, Casey Lane, and Wewak Drive on the Elmendorf side, do you wonder how did they come up with the names?

On April 30, 1999, under the direction of then-3rd Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Jonathan S. Gration, the 3rd Civil Engineer Squadron's workers replaced 500 street signs and 960 building numbers on Elmendorf Air Force Base with ones conforming to a more logical system.

Gration found the street names in the previous system developed during World War II confusing and illogical.

"There was an article in the Air Force Times that the [3rd Wing] commander got lost on his own base going to a location he could not find," said JBER senior historian Joe Orr. "That's when [Gration] returned to his office and said, 'you know, this is not working, let's figure something out.'"

Before Orr became the senior historian, he was then-Air Force Staff Sgt. Joe Orr, who was stationed here from 1993 to 1996.

Orr said he did not think much about the street names then and thought it was 'just what it was.'

"If someone gave you a street name, you had an idea where the street was after being stationed here for a while," Orr said. "When the street names began with fruit - plum, figs, apples - or flowers - pansy, daisy, orchid - you had a general idea where it was located."

"The street names were categorized in one area, but did not necessarily follow a pattern," Orr said. "I think that is what [Gration] had a problem with."

The street names and building numbers also did not allow for expansion, making it difficult to locate new facilities.

"The system was great when they came up with it in the 1940s, but it just doesn't cut it as we move into the 21st century," Gration said during a town hall meeting for base residents Feb. 3, 1999.

"There's very little consistency with the numbering of any of these building or streets. We are going to have our numbered streets start south-to-north in ascending order, while our west-to-east streets will be named after our own Air Force heroes in alphabetical order."

Once the changes were set in motion, it turned out there was one last, small hurdle to take into account - the base could not use a street name that might sound or look the same as a name in the Anchorage area.

"If there is a street downtown [with that name], we could not use it," Orr said. "It's a [United States] Post Office rule - they have some say on what the names are because they did not want to have two avenues or streets with the same name and delivering mail to the wrong location."

With those challenges, the base came up with names that mean something to the Air Force. The 3rd Wing History Office suggested streets be named after deceased Air Force members including Medal of Honor recipients, Air Force leaders, heroes and battle campaigns.

Joanne Frank, who has worked as the 3rd Wing executive secretary since 1980, recalled a street named after an Airman assigned to the 3rd Logistic Readiness Squadron.

"[Airman 1st Class Carl Anderson Jr.] was on a convoy mission and the vehicle struck an improvised explosive device while deployed in Iraq," Frank added. "His family came here during the Anderson Circle street name dedication."

Another unique street name is not named after a person or a battle campaign, but after a military working dog - Casey Lane.

Casey, a dog assigned to the 3rd Security Police Squadron, stood guard over his severely wounded handler, Senior Airman Robert Gray, who was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 6, 1978. Casey was wounded by a single gunshot as he and Gray responded to an intruder sighting and break-in at the jet test cell at Clark Air Base, Philippines.

Davis Highway, connecting Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson, was named after Army Air Corps Maj. Everett S. Davis.

Davis arrived at Merrill Field in a Martin B-10B bomber as the advance party for the 28th Composite Group. According to the historian's office, facilities at Elmendorf Field were not immediately available due to construction. Davis, along with Army Air Corps Staff Sgt. Joseph Grady and Cpl. Edward Smith, established their headquarters in a one-room wanigan, a portable building on skis, at Merrill Field and remained there for more than a month. The temporary building served as a headquarters for the engineer section as well as general storage and sleeping quarters.

Those stationed here before the street name changes may be surprised to find Plum Avenue and Loop Road have merged into Fairchild Avenue.

General Muir Fairchild began his career as an Army Air Corps private during World War II. Although he never completed a college degree himself, his belief in the importance of education or officers was the driving force behind a central institution in the Air Force today - the Air University. He was instrumental in developing the future of the Air University as a place that taught "sound and true doctrine and basic concepts to guide the development of the air forces of the future."

Wewak Drive, formerly known as 36th Street, was named after the 3rd Bombardment Group's participation in the destruction of the Japanese facilities of Wewak and Boram, on the north side of New Guinea. The attacks were in preparation for the Sept. 5, 1943, amphibious and airborne assaults to seize the Japanese airfields at Lae and Salamua. The occupation of the two strategic locations cleared the Japanese from eastern New Guinea.

Fifteen years later, both Orr and Frank agree the street names are easier to follow, more systematic and have historical meaning.

"Naming the streets after people that are important in our nation and history was a great idea. It's more meaningful than Orange, Grape, or Maple Street," Frank said. "I think [Gration] needs to be patted on the back for that."

To learn more about the street names of JBER-Elmendorf, visit www.jber.af.mil/shared/media/document/afd-080425-113.pdf