Pictures of Sitka in WWII

[Cap Mandrake]

Cool pictures of Sitka in WWII


http://mchunter1.tripod.com/wwiiphotos.html


6 inch battery being installed

[strawbuk]

Someone name that bulldozer....

[Hartley]

Did the Japanese ever take pictures ?

I never managed to find photos of Rabaul/Truk/Kwajalein in their heyday.

[Brady]

PoP up Centrial, man I realy hope I never meet anyone responsable for that sh!t, I will be going to jail for a long time....


But Nice pictures though on that sight.


It is a Captured Japanese Bulldozer.[:)]


The Japanese did take pictures but they are often extreamly hard to come by, they are more prevelent in Japanese publications for obvious reasions.

[Bradley7735]

Sitka has a lot of fortifications, if you know where to find them.

My dad lives on a one acre island in the middle of Silver Bay (the bay where Sitka is). The Island next to his (about 10 acres) has a man made lake in it. The army dug out the rock on that island and used it to make an airstrip (the current airport at Sitka). They just linked a bunch of rocks (reefs) together to form an airstrip.

One time I was hunting on an island way out in the opening to the bay. I found an old fortification on the top of that island. It was just a concrete bunker that probably housed a lookout station. I doubt there was a gun in that island. You could see a long way out to the ocean from there. From the fortification, you could look down about 300 feet to the ocean below. It was almost a straight drop off. So steep that I couldn't hike down it holding a rifle. The backside was a much better slope. the road the army built to build this particular fortification was just barely noticeable in the trees. A surveyor could probably pick it out pretty fast, but most people would never even know that hundreds of engineers were building stuff on that island 60 years ago.

When the war was over, the army supposedly buried all their heavy equipment. That's the rumor from the FAA guys who work on another island near Sitka.

By the way, an oob issue: The base for Sitka should be called Sitka. Not Sitka Island. There is no Island called "Sitka". The Island that Sitka is on is called Baranof Island. It's about 100 miles long, so calling the base "Baranof Island" isn't too accurate either. But, I'm glad Sitka is included in the game, no matter what it's called.

bc

[tiredoftryingnames]

ORIGINAL: strawbuk

Someone name that bulldozer....

I hereby name it Sir Pushalot

[kew]

Ever see the Fortifications outside of Resurrection Bay? Can't imagine what it was like to climb those ladders with gear and supplies

[Feinder]

Now we know where they got the design for Winnebegos.

Just add four wheels and blind 80-year-old to one of those gun mounts, and you're good to go!

-F-

[Drex]

Bradley, do you have any info on Kodiak Island as far as WWII encampments go? My Dad was stationed in the Alaskan Theater with the Minnesota National Guard. I think I remember him mentioning being at Kodiak. He also said he could see Dutch Harbor being bombed from where he was.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Feinder

Now we know where they got the design for Winnebegos.

Just add four wheels and blind 80-year-old to one of those gun mounts, and you're good to go!

-F-

An early, commercially unsuccessful "sledge" variant

[Bradley7735]

Hi Drex,

Unfortnately, No. [:(] I've seen Kodiak via ship many times, but I've never set foot on that particular Island. I would bet that Kodiak is heavily fortified, since the US thought it could get invaded. (same as Sitka, Dutch Harbor, etc)

Are you sure your dad could see Dutch harbor being bombed from Kodiak? They are probably 500 miles apart. Maybe he was at Cold Bay when the Japanese bombed Dutch? I've been to Cold bay. It's fairly close to Dutch Harbor (probably 200 to 300 miles). Unfortunately, I didn't see any fortifications. I tried to spot them from the boat i was on, but couldn't pick them out from the landscape. From my experience, you almost have to walk up to a fortification to see one. I've never been able to spot one from ship via binoculars. Even the ones in Sitka that I've seen, I saw only when I practically walked into them.

I wish I knew then what I know now. I traveled through AK when I was in High School and College. If I could do it all over again, I'd have charts and books to bring with me. Now I just go to Sitka. [:@]

My brother has been to Dutch Harbor. The ship that the Japanese bombed that was beached is still there. I think I remember reading that the Japanese bombed a beached ship that was being used as a hospital. I think it got pushed higher up the beach when the big tidal wave hit back in the 60's.

bc

[Bradley7735]

Hey Drex,

I see you're from Chico. I spent summers in Sitka, and the rest of the time in Los Molinos, Ca. About 22 miles north of Chico. I turned 21 in Chico. That was the drunkest 24 hours of my life. I sure would like to have a beer at the Bear and chase some cute College girls. [8D]

If I grew up in Chico, I'd probably still be there. But if you've been to Los Molinos, then you'll know why I left. About the only things in that town are white trash and my mom. I only go back to visit my mom.

Seattle is the best of both worlds. No 100 degree summers (LM) and no 10 degree winters (Sitka). (chico is still pretty nice, though)

bc

[Drex]

Los Molinos has not changed any but Chico has gotten bigger. The women are still here but since I'm a married man of 20+ years they become wallpaper for me. Of course The Bear is still going, and Sierra Nevada Brewery is getting as big as Budweiser(The brewery is one mile away!) The heat is still bad and in fact my wife and I are looking to move up north. I have a niece in Bellevue. If you are interested in pbem let me know. Its good to play in the same time zone.

[Bradley7735]

Hi Drex,

Thanks for the invitation, but I'm an AI player. [:(] I must live vicariously through all of you on this forum when it comes to PBEM. In theory, PBEM would be awesome. But, I can only send turns about 3 days a week. And, after 6 months or so, I'd be tempted to stop the game. (Not much fun for the other player who wants to continue). I'm a pessimist for the most part. One bad battle for me and I'd throw a fit and want to quit. (I tend to forget things like set VF to cap [X(]). I can sometimes reload an AI game, but that would be impossible/unsportsman with a PBEM player.

Thanks for the thought, bc