On June 17, 1953 a fire broke out on the military port of Whittier, Alaska. In under four hours the fire destroyed three warehouses, a 1,200 foot wharf, and a large amount of supplies. The cost ended up being $20 million – the costliest fire in Alaska to date.
General Buckner Builds Whittier
Whittier, Alaska was the brainchild of Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., the American general in charge of Alaska’s Defense Command in the 1940’s. Prior to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, General Buckner began searching for a location to use for a secret military installation to transport troops and cargo to the growing towns of Anchorage and Fairbanks.
Whittier Before It Was Whittier
During World War II, Whittier was codenamed H-12. It housed 1,2000 military personnel. At the time, its existence was officially kept secret: no civilians could enter or photograph the installation. Also known as Camp Sullivan, it was only after the war ended that it became known as Whittier – after the 19th century American poet John Greenleaf Whittier.
The Fire
It was during the military’s time at Whittier that the fire occurred on the port. While the fire did cause a massive amount of damage, it may have caused more it weren’t for one Andrew Hedge – the Alaska Railroad Yardmaster. Hedge and his crew managed to pull thirty-five cars that contained valuable military cargo from the dock area. Because of his actions, Hedge received the Interior Distinguished Service Award – the highest honor the Department of the Interior bestows. However, due to the injuries Hedge suffered during the fire, he was unable to attend the special convocation in Washington, D.C. held on December 8, 1953.
The Military Leaves
The military eventually started pulling out of Whittier after 1960. The military accelerated their withdrawal from Whittier after the Alaska earthquake of 1964. The earthquake was the second largest in human history and caused serious damage to both the port and railway.
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Info Source: AlaskaNativeNews; AlaskaRails; and HistoryNet
Photo Source: AdobeStock
