BUILDING 3722 NEELY ROAD Relocation Assistance Program-ACS #6600 APVR-WCA-CF FORT WAINWRIGHT ALASKA 99703-6600
Location: BLDG 3722 Neely Road Fort Wainwright, AK 99703
Located in Alaska's Interior region adjacent to Fairbanks, AK.
Major Command: Light Infantry Brigade
Mission: "Be prepared to deploy rapidly in the Pacific Theater and worldwide as directed in support of contingency operations, Pacific Command's objectives and the United States National interest."
Population of assigned-served:
Active Duty Officer 537
Active Duty Enlisted 3988
Family Members 5431
Retirees 618
Civilian Employees 1640
Total Reserve Component 108
Telephone Access is thePublic Affairs Office at 353-6701
History. In the years just before World War II, Congress authorized $4 million for a "Cold Weather Test Station". It was named Ladd Field. The cold weather station was to test the effects of cold weather on motorized equipment such as aircraft. General. H. Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Corps asked the question, "What happens when you bring a plane in from a temperature of 40 below and into a warm hanger?" For all we know all the rivets just pop out. So the installation began as a cold weather test station. However, with the outbreak of war with Japan in late 1941, Ladd Field became a link in the Alaska-Siberia Lend Lease route.
The Lend Lease Program enabled the Russians to pick up planes from the United States for their continued flight to the East. The planes were eventually used in the Soviet war effort against Germany. Russian pilots were flown into Ladd Field and United States planes were signed over to them. With the flourish of a pen stroke, great amounts of money (value of goods) were turned over to Russia each day. Some days the dollar amounts exceeded the the seven million we paid the Russians for the state in 1867.
After the Cold War, cold weather testing was resumed. Huge B-29s were used in experiments, as were many other planes. In fact during the war, in 1944, the U.S. first prototype jet was sent to Ladd for testing.
In 1947, with the reorganization of the War Department into the Defense Department, Ladd Field became Ladd Air Force Base. There were still Army troops at the base.
In 1955 the Yukon Command was brought into existence. The command was given responsibility for Army troops at Ladd and at nearby Eielson AFB.
In 1960 it was announced that the installation would fall back to the Army's control.
In 1961 Wilber M. Brucker, then Secretary of the Army, dedicated Fort Jonathan M. Wainwright (in honor of a World War II hero of Bataan).
To this day, you may still hear some sourdoughs (old timers) refer to Ft.Wainwright as Ladd Field.
The capital of Alaska is in Juneau. Juneau became the capital in 1900. Alaska is known as "The Last Frontier" but before that it was known as "The Land of a Thousand Smokes" due to volcanos and earthquake activity.
Fort Wainwright: Installation
Installation Overview
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Name : Army Community Service
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POC : Relocation Manager
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Address : APVR-WCA-CF 1060 Gaffney Road #6600
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City : Fort Wainwright
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State : AK
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Zip : 99703
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Phone : 907-353-7908
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Fax : 907-353-9095
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