Shemya: America's Cold War Sentinel

The isolated Aleutian Islands became stepping stones to the United States for the Japanese military during World War II. Their thrust was terminated by bitter battles in 1943, but in the late 1950s, another threat emerged—the Cold War. Once again, the Aleutian islands became a battlefield—an electronic battlefield for the most sophisticated monitoring and highly secretive electronic gathering equipment then in existence.

Because of intense Arctic cold and extreme winds the unique and massive monitoring equipment had to be strong and function during snow, sleet and winds over 120 mph, while personnel who manned and maintained them were also subject to identical conditions. Aircraft for secret reconnaissance missions had to launch and land under inconceivable conditions and on occasion, some did not return or crashed. Additionally, reconnaissance aircraft were subject to hostile fighters and anti-aircraft missiles.

The highly restricted devices, capable of detecting objects in space and apparatus to monitor satellites and missiles have never been photographed or discussed other than by authorized operating personnel prior to the release of this book. Permission for its release has been authorized by the United States National Security Administration.