KWADACK ISLAND
1944 - 1951
Station Information
| Site Survey: | FEB 1944 |
| Construction Date: | JUL 1944 Construction Detachment A personnel commenced to clear land pending arrival of construction materials and supplies 06 AUG - SEP 1944 Station under construction |
| Constructed by: | Construction Detachment "A" Unit 26 |
| Established: Commissioned: |
AUG 1944 16 DEC 1944 - Operational control turnover to D14 |
| Decommissioned: Disestablished: |
MAR 1951 |
| Operated by: |
USCG |
| Project code name: |
|
| Unit Identifier: |
CG Unit 82/Navy 824 |
| Mail address: | Navy 824, FPO San Francisco, CA |
| AKA: |
KWAJALEIN |
| HAM Call Sign: |
KX6AA |
| Personnel Allowance: | 1948: 1 Officer, 12 Enlisted |
| Station Mascot: | 1945: Augie, Bruno, Tippy 1949: Bill (Monkey) |
| Station events: | AUG - SEP 1944: BMC James M. Santee OinC of Construction Detail 01 JUL 1944: Construction and station personnel arrived at Kwajalein 01 AUG 1944: Construction materials and supplies arrived. Construction materials and supllies were delay because the ships were required to unload at Kwajalein to load supplies for the Saipan invasion. The loran materials were located about a month after unloading. Once located, it was transported by barge and small craft to the loran site. (Bill's Note: This was amajor factor for the USS MENKAR) 06 - 9 AUG 1944: Unloading materials and supplies to the site. Personnel worked 12 to 18 hours a day to establish the loran station. 16 AUG 1945: DC to AC conversion completed. 01 MAR 1951: Operations transferred to EBEYE ISLAND. KWADACK terminated loran service. |
| Commanding Officers: | 1944 - 1945: LTJG Lamont A Freeman (14 AUG - ?) 1945 - 1946: LTJG Francis X. Closter (? - 27 APR) 1946 - 1946: LTJG Charles Henter (27 APR - 06 APR) 1946 - 1947: LTJG Neilus A. Spears (06 APR - 14 APR) 1947 - 1947: LTJG John Yurick (14 APR - 01 OCT) 1947 - 1947: OinC: CETM(Z) Carl S. Pierce (01 OCT - 13 OCT) 1947 - 1947: RE Harold W. Banner (13 OCT - 24 NOV) 1947 - 1948: CRE Valance R. Suttie (24 NOV - ?) 1948 - 1949: LTJG Leslie D. High 1949 - 1950: LTJG Richard M. Underwood (? - 02 SEP) 1950 - 1951: ENS Virgil W. Rhinehart (02 SEP - MAY)* * Promoted to LTJG during tour |
Change of Command:
02 SEP 1950: LTJG Underwood relieved by ENS Rhinehart - pdf
Station Operations
LORAN-A
09 01 16 N 1967 43 45 E (1948 OP DATA Report)
| Chain: | MARSHALL ISLANDS |
| Station Letter designation: | "K" |
| Radio Call Sign: | |
| Declared Operational date: | 01 DEC 1944 |
| Operations terminated: | 282400Z FEB 1951 |
| Station Operation: | Single SLAVE (SS) |
| Station pair: Loran rate: Coding delay: Baseline: |
KWADACK (S) - ROGURON (M)
2L2 1000us Approx. 226 nautical miles |
| On-air testing date: | 28 SEP 1944 |
| On-Air: | 01 DEC 1944 |
| Off-Air: | 282400Z FEB 1951 - operations transferred to EBEYE ISLAND |
| Monitor Rate: | Cross rate |
| Equipment: | 1944: Model "C" Timer sn: 146/176; TDP transmitter sn: 15 |
| Radiator: | 120ft Wincharger |
Fred's place Reunion Hall:
OLD |
NEW |
|---|
1944 - 1945: Osmond R. Cummings - pdf
2002: Eugene Sims narrative - pdf
Documents:
18 OCT 1948: Operational Data Report - pdf
15 NOV 1948: Occupancy Authority of site - pdf
10 DEC 1948: Status of site occupancy - pdf
26 DEC 1949: Naval Activities to be transferred to Military Command - pdf
Pictures:
(Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard/NARA)
This photo was taken prior to the station being commissioned
(Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard/NARA) c./1946
(Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard/NARA) c./FEB 1948
(Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard)