Site: POW-1

 

DEWLINE HISTORICAL DESCRIPTION

Topography

• POW-1 at LONELY Alaska, is situated at an altitude of about 20 feet above sea level on a low lying land mass that extends from the Alaskan mainland between Smith Bay and Harrison Bay. This Auxiliary Radar station is located in an area of low, swampy, poorly drained terrain, the soil of which consists of fine sand and silt. Icebergs have been known to ground along the shore. In 1957, the Department of the Interior granted 2830 acres of public land to the United States Air Force for POW-1. The station structures and its airstrip, located a little more than 700 feet from the module train are the most prominent topographical features in the immediate vicinity.

Climate

• Annual precipitation, including snowfall is approximately 4 inches, being heaviest from July to October. Snowfall averages about 27 inches a year. Mean daily temperatures run between a minimum of plus 4.2 to a maximum of plus 15.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

Water

• To provide a constant supply of potable water during the cold season, a round trip water haul of approximately 2 miles is maintained during the thaw season at the time when the fresh water lake is not frozen solid. Two 65,000 gallon, electrically heated rubber tanks located near the module train are filled during the water haul period. in an emergency, during winter, water may be obtained from another lake about 6 miles distant from the site.

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PHOTOS

 

Sunset. Courtesy Fred Teeter.

 

Moon over the site. Courtesy Fred Teeter.

 

Summer 2000. Courtesy Karlene Leeper.

 

Eskimo Grave. Courtesy Karlene Leeper.

 

Radome construction 1994, courtesy John Conway.

 

SRR Tower. Old Hangar in the background. Was left there when Husky Oil was doing exploration work in the Naval Petroleum Reserve. Made a great storage area for all the building materials to winter over in. Courtesy John Conway.

 

Vehicle Maintenance Bldg. Courtesy Chad Garber.

Construction Era Photos for POW-1.
The pictures below were selected from the extensive collection of Markham Cheever, the DEWLine’s Superintendent of Construction from 1953 to 1957, before the Line went operational. (Click on picture to enlarge.)

The People.
The people in the photos below, also from the Markham Cheever collection, are displayed in the hopes that someone may recognize a father, grandfather, or friend who was involved in the construction of this particular DEWLine site. (Click on picture to enlarge.)