Cold War Contingency

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2003-10-07 10:19pm

What elements of the United States Armed Forces were deployed to the state of Alaska during the Cold War? How serious was a cross-Beiring threat deemed to be?

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-10-08 09:46am

I don't have this information off hand, but this probably would take a good amount of digging depending on what specific information you want. Your local university library may help.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-10-08 01:11pm

Try doing a google search for Fort Greely and Elmedorf Air Force base. It is a start.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-10-08 03:49pm

The US kept 6th Infantry Division (Light) in Alaska, though one brigade was a reserve unit back in the lower 48. There where also a couple smaller independent units running around the state. The Air force had about a wing with F-15's and A-10's along with some C-130 transports.

The threat was from air attacks and paratroopers and the defenses designed to met such an attack. But really all that was worth defending was the Cobra Dane ballistic missile warning station out on the Aleutians and a few other air defence radar stations to provide warning for NORAD. They needed only to last a short period in action, flying over Alaska is a shitty route for bombers.

The paratrooper threat was minimal, if you could airdrop a significant force then you could also have just bombed anything of value conventionally. The infantry however where of value to keep away Soviet special forces both in war and peace, and the fighters to escort away prying Bear's.