About this Unit
Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMMSTA) Adak, Alaska, was commissioned in 1943 on Adak Island in the Aleutian chain during World War II. Initially established to support wartime operations against Japanese forces in the North Pacific, the station evolved into a crucial Cold War outpost for monitoring Soviet naval and submarine activity. Throughout its operational years, NAVCOMMSTA Adak provided vital communications, electronic intelligence, and navigation support for the U.S. Navy and its allies. The station was eventually decommissioned in 1997 as the strategic landscape shifted and advances in technology reduced the need for remote communications outposts.
Historical Facts
• Strategic Importance: NAVCOMMSTA Adak (Naval Communication Station Adak, Alaska) was established during World War II on Adak Island in the Aleutians, serving as a critical outpost for monitoring and defending against potential Japanese advances into Alaska and North America.
• World War II Role: The island became a major base for U.S. Navy and Army forces during the Aleutian Islands campaign, supporting the retaking of Attu and Kiska from Japanese forces in 1943.
• Cold War Sentinel: During the Cold War, Adak was a key location for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), tracking Soviet submarine activity in the North Pacific and Bering Sea.
• ELINT and SIGINT Hub: NAVCOMMSTA Adak was an important center for electronic intelligence (ELINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT), intercepting communications from Soviet military and civilian sources.
• Remote and Rugged: Adak was one of the most isolated U.S. military bases, with harsh Aleutian weather conditions, constant wind, and frequent storms making life and operations challenging for personnel stationed there.
• Population Boom: At its peak, NAVCOMMSTA Adak supported over 6,000 military and civilian personnel, complete with schools, churches, a hospital, and recreational facilities, forming a unique, self-contained community.
• Operation Ivy Bells: The Adak base reportedly played a role in supporting Operation Ivy Bells, the secret underwater tapping of Soviet communication cables in the Sea of Okhotsk during the 1970s and 1980s.
• Home of the “Adak National Forest”: In a humorous attempt to “green” the treeless tundra, Seabees planted a small patch of spruce trees in the 1940s, complete with a sign declaring it the “Adak National Forest”—it remains a quirky landmark today.
• Base Closure: With the end of the Cold War and reduced military threat from Russia, NAVCOMMSTA Adak was closed in 1997, and much of the infrastructure was abandoned or repurposed for civilian use.
• Wildlife Refuge: The majority of Adak Island, including former military areas, is now part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, preserving its unique wildlife and stark natural beauty.
