contributed by Michael Horne

The picture above is an aerial shot of the old White Alice building at King Salmon Air Force Station. The picture was taken about 1983 or 1984. (I was stationed here in 84-85). The two `double-H` shaped concrete pads at the bottom were the bases of two `drive-in screen` type antennas. These would have been directional towards the bottom of the picture. I was told by some civilian techs on the main site that the antennas were directed to Port Heiden, which was further out on the Aleutian chain (southwest). Two large swaths as wide as both antennas and nearly a mile long had been bulldozed out of the trees to the banks of the Naknek River to provide a line-of-sight path for the antennas; the area was still denuded almost five years later!

The older White Alice picture already on the web page, also shows a large `dish` antenna on a tower. This would be located at the barely-visible square area just above and left of the top end of the building. From the orientation in this picture, it may have been pointing to Big Mountain (another White Alice about 40 miles NE). Interestingly, when I saw the picture of the dish on the web page, I realized that I had seen two of these in a civilian salvage yard (I think) in `downtown` King Salmon when first there in 84. They apparently were still there on my second tour (87-88). I recognized them as some type of electronic equipment but didn`t know what their history was; I think the older picture clears that up!

At the right side of my picture you can see some red-and-white antenna parts. These may have had something to do with the White Alice operation, but may also have been part of the `old` (AM) AFRTS radio station which was located in the same general location. This was demolished shortly before I arrived; the new (FM) AFRTS radios were located in our GATR site. AFRTS at one time also had an actual (manned?) TV station just off-site. The building was apparently used as a `party barn` for some time after AFRTS left, but was closed off by early 84 (and demolished by 87).

One last note on the White Alice building. I met an ex-Security Service person who was stationed at King Salmon well before the White Alice system was installed. He said they had a small Security Service site located off-base, and from his directional description it sounded suspiciously like the same place where the White Alice building was. It would be interesting if any real old hands (mid-50s) could confirm this.

Michael Horne
GATR Maintenance (84-85 and 87-88)