Fort Glenn

 (1942-1946) - A World War II Fort and Army Airfield established in 1942 on Umnak Island in the Aleutians Islands, Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska. Named Fort Glenn after Brigadier General Edwin F. Glenn, USA. Abandoned in 1946 and decommissioned in 1950. Also known as Fort Glenn Army Airbase and Cape Field at Fort Glenn.

World War II
Established on 17 Jan 1942 on the northeastern end of Umnak Island in Alaska's Aleutian Island. The original plans provided for a garrison that included an airfield for Air Corps bomber and fighter squadrons, anti aircraft squadrons, Field Artillery, Engineers and a construction camp for civilian employees. A hospital and technical facilities were also provided. The original airfield plan included three runways (a fourth was added later) and storage for fuel, bomb and ammunition storage. Two auxiliary fields were constructed in addition to the three main runways, all were built with perforated steel runway landing mats on prepared surface of volcanic ash and gravel. Base and local defenses included one 6-inch naval gun and up to nine 155mm guns on Panama mounts at Sheep Point. A supporting two-gun 6-inch naval gun battery was located across the pass at Mutton Cove on Unalaska Island.

During the Japanese attack on Dutch Harbor 4-6 June 1942, the fighter and bomber planes from the newly constructed Fort Glenn airfield were instrumental in driving off the enemy. Fort Glenn then conducted almost daily bombing raids on the Japanese garrisons at Kiska and Attu.

Revised plans later provided for a much larger garrison of 10,579 officers and enlisted men, a medical detachment and civilian construction employees. Storage was provided for 2,110,000 gallons of Air Corps gasoline, 1,000,000 gallons of quartermaster gasoline and 1,680,000 gallons of diesel oil.

The construction of the post was scheduled for completion by October 1944 but was complete earlier at an estimated cost of $17,796,943.



Post War
Fort Glenn became a refueling stop for transient aircraft and Military Air Transport Service flights after the war. By 1946, the base was manned only by skeleton staff due to the rapid demobilization of the Army. With the creation of the U.S. Air Force on 18 September 1947 the base was put on inactive status and the last personnel were withdrawn by the end of September 1947. It was formally decommissioned in 1950 and the site was later turned over to the Bureau of Land Management.

Current Status
Today, Quonset huts, buildings, runways, and artillery emplacements remain in various states of deterioration.

See Also:

Sources:
 * , page 22.
 * Bush, James D. Jr., Colonel, Narrative Report of Alaska Construction 1941---1944, U.S. Army Engineer District Alaska, Nov-Dec 1944.

Links:
 * North American Forts - Fort Glenn
 * Wikipedia - Fort Glenn
 * NPS - Cape Field at Fort Glenn
 * Roots Web - Fort Glenn Photos