Its this treeless, windswept landscape of rolling green hills and abrupt cliffs, the Bering Sea to the north and the Pacific to the south, he says. Solar activity blocks communications during equinox seasons for several days of both spring and fall seasons. Even more amazingly, in the dead of winter, the 2.5 mile stretch of water between the two islands could freeze over. As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 316 people, 159 households, and 61 families residing in the city. It still stands, a relic on the tundra. Huff read about Adak shortly after moving to Juneau, Alaska in 2005. But of course, if you're looking to get as close to Russia as possible while still being in the U.S., there's no need to go to tiny islands out in the Pacific Ocean. Adak (/edk/, Aleut: Adaax, Russian: ), formerly Adak Station, is a city located on Adak Island, in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. (Zachariah Hughes/Alaska Public Media) Founders and coders have shipped updates through blackouts and from bomb shelters. Although the 2010 census recorded a population of 326, only about 80 full-time residents remain, living among the ruins of a more prosperous time. This is equivalent to 3 762 kilometers or 2,031 nautical miles. The Aleutian Islands ensures that Alaska has the largest share of the easterly longitude among the US states because the Islands extend to the Eastern Hemisphere. You can also fly by jet to outlying villages and parks or by air taxi to wilderness lodges. How Far Is Russia From Alaska? The remains of a classroom on the decommissioned military base in Adak Island. Adak Airport has a control tower, an Instrument Landing System and two runways; 7,790ft (2,370m) and 7,605ft (2,318m) respectively. Wearing a face mask on public transport in Adak Island is recommended. Hunters must possess an Alaska state hunting license and a harvest ticket for each animal taken; non-residents of Alaska must also possess the appropriate big game tag. The once heavily populated island was eventually abandoned in the early 19th century as the Aleutian Island hunters followed the Russian fur trade eastward, and famine set in on the Andreanof Island group. The mainlands were separated by the Bering Strait. Adak currently provides a fueling port and crew transfer facility for a combination of Seattle and Alaskan based fishing fleet an airport, docks, housing facilities, restaurant, grocery, and ship supply store are available. 2.0 magnitude earthquake . Pick one up for US$30 when you arrive at the airport. Expecting a similar battle for Kiska Island, U.S. and Allied soldiers landing there August 15, 1943, found the occupiers had been stealthily evacuated by Japanese naval forces since the end of May, 1943. A TKA AlaskaThis tiny village in the Aleutian Islands is one of the most satisfactorily remote spots in the whole United States. How Ukraines Trains Kept Running Despite Bombs and Blackouts. Adak is a spectacular weather-beaten island that shelters sea ducks, ptarmigan, and caribou. The Japanese also attacked the American base at Dutch Harbor by air. Home to the native Aleut people, Adak became a US Army airbase during WWII to fend off a feared Japanese invasion of Alaska. Thus Alaska is closer to Russia than the United States. Drive carefully. People in Adak talk about how you could do a zombie movie there and not have to do anything but just show up with cameras and makeup. Domestic travel is not restricted, but some conditions may apply. Recommended Fly from Krasnodar Fly from Krasnodar (KRR) to Adak Island (ADK) 2 days 23h $755 - $2,006 Cheapest Train to Helsinki, fly The cheapest way to get from Russia to Adak Island is to train and fly which costs 600-1900 and takes 2 days 5h. The day before the purchase by the United States took effect, it was Friday, 6 October 1867 , in the Julian calendar (used by Russia at the time), which . At Adak Island in the Aleutian Islands, Chirikov trades with Aleut men. Also located in the Bering Strait are two small islands: Big Diomede and Little Diomede. On May 11th, 1943, American soldiers landed on Attu Island and successfully defeated the Japanese Army garrison. The islands, located in the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia, are just 2.4 miles apart. Big Diomede sits in Russian territory, and Little Diomede is part of the United States. Two restaurants operate in Adak: the Bay 5 (now permanently closed - was housed in the same annex building with the liquor store) and Blue Bird Cafe (now permanently closed). The base was later transferred to the Navy and, due to its. Charter Flight Arranged With Bering Air. Developed trails are limited and most are not maintained. Adak Island's coordinates are latitude 5153'0" N, at longitude 176 38'46" W. The Bering Sea surrounds the island to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. For that project he made countless trips up the Dalton Highway, known locally as the Haul Road, the 414-mile, mostly gravel lifeline between Livengood and the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. However, in the body of water between Alaska and Russia, known as the Bering Strait, there lies two small islands known as Big Diomede and Little Diomede. Adak was the logical next step after Huffs last major undertaking, documenting one of the most lonely, exotic, and quirky stretches of road in North America. The island is part of the Aleutian Islands that stretch from the Alaskan mainland to Russia. how far is adak, alaska from russia . Four residents hold a commercial fishing permit, primarily for groundfish. These pots can weigh anywhere from 600-800 pounds each. Adak averages 173 days per year with fog. ', 'Should I book online before I travel? The wastewater treatment system discharges through a marine outfall line to Kuluk Bay. Apart from the trip distance, refer Directions from Midway Island to Adak Island for road driving directions! One of the little known facts about Alaska . Russia, in 1867, sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million. Auxiliary emergency health care is provided by Adak Volunteer Fire Department. naql from Kodiak, AK, US/Wikimedia Commons. A grocery and ship supply store and restaurant opened in February 1999. The total straight line flight distance from Adak, AK to Honolulu, HI is 2,338 miles. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. For example, properties in active use are leased by Adak Commercial Properties, LLC. Fish and Wildlife. Adak Island sits midway between the United States and Russia, where the Bering Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. These facts, along with the desire to keep it away from British hands, led to them selling the territory to the US. What should I do if I have COVID-19 symptoms when I arrive in Adak Island? Those who stayed hoped its deepwater port might attract cruise ships or that its barracks could be turned into a prison. It's also a staggering monument to humanity's impact that will stand for generations to come By Natalie Krebs | Updated Aug 4, 2021 6:57 PM SHARE A SHOTGUN BLAST echoes dully down the mountainside, muffled by the snow-covered slope. This story is adapted from the article Abandoned to the Wind by Debra McKinney that ran in the Fall 2016 issue of Alaska HumanitiesForum Magazine. A row of abandoned buildings, once used as officers quarters. The highest point is Mount Moffett, near the northwest end of the island, at an elevation of 3,924 feet (1,196 m). After the war, Adak was developed as a naval air station, playing an important role during the Cold War as a submarine surveillance center. Turkish Airlines, Condor Flugdienst and two other airlines fly from Krasnodar to Adak Island 3 times a week. The only grocery store is in the old daycare centre, open just a few hours on some evenings though none during our visit. There are multiple different locations to stay in the city; the former naval base housing can be rented by various companies for long and short stays. As our host liked to remind us, On Adak, not all roads are roads.. But I dont know what the futureholds for them.. From 1975 on, the landfill only accepted sanitary trash. South pole: 9,871.12 mi (15,886.04 km) How far is it from Attu to the South Pole? Chronicling America: History American Newspapers. An F-22 intercepts a Russian Tu-95 bomber near Alaska. Popular freshwater streams species are Dolly Varden, Rainbow Trout, Coastrange Sculpin, Sockeye, Pink, Chum, and Coho Salmon. Philippe Croizon, a quadruple amputee and a French athlete, managed to swim from Alaska to Russia in approximately 80 minutes. The best way to get from Russia to Krasnodar Airport is to taxi which takes 16 min and costs 4-6. Who should I contact for more information? [4] [5] Adak Island, with its now large caribou herd of nearly 3,000 animals, has become a popular hunting destination.[6][7]. In town, fewer than 100 full-time residents occupy former military houses sprinkled throughout mostly vacant developments with crumbling walls and boarded-up windows. The Navy inspects institutional controls (ICs) annually. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. This was done with the help of Inuit people and a crew and after years of spending all her savings to receive the permits from both sides. Alaska and Russia are extremely close to one another. Article and pictures of visit to Adak July 2006 by retired Navy veteran, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adak_Island&oldid=1127657611, Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Russian-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 December 2022, at 23:29. Most towns are 2-4 hours apart, but the scenery is part of the journey. Snowfall averages nearly 100 inches (250cm) per winter season, which however tends to melt soon after falling. The station officially closed on March 31, 1997, as a result of 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Bering_Strait_Swim, https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19149829. "It's holding on by such a thread to really small economic resources," he said. Besides being earthquake prone and still recovering from a military hangover of unexploded ordnance, it is home to some of the most raging-maniac weather on the planet. The Eurasian continent extends towards the Pacific Ocean. The distance from Guam to the city of Khasan, a city near the southeastern tip of Russia, is about 2,172 miles, according to MapDevelopers. By air, the distance between the nearest airports of Russia and Alaska is almost 2,949 miles. At its peak, Adak had a college, a McDonald's restaurant, a Baskin-Robbins ice cream stand, movie theater, roller skating rink, swimming pool, ski lodge, bowling alleys, skeet range, auto hobby shop, photo lab, and racquetball & tennis courts. Classic rock plays on the only radio station in this remote destination on the Aleutian chain, about halfway between Seattle and Tokyo. Permits: Youll need a land use permit from the Aleut Corporation to hunt or hike on Adak. ', 'How much should I expect to pay? All the Settings You Should Change on Your New Samsung Phone, Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs, Apple Users Need to Update iOS Now to Patch Serious Flaws, Fat, Sugar, Salt Youve Been Thinking About Food All Wrong, The Floods, the Farms, and the River That Roared Back. The two islands belong to Russia and the USA, respectively. Alaskan-owned Norquest-Adak Seafood Co. processes Pacific cod, pollock, mackerel, halibut, albacore and brown king crab. In 1942, the Adak Army Airfield was established, which gave the United States Army Air Force a . The narrowest distance between Alaska and Russia is only 55 miles, separated only by the Bering Strait. Within the year, Mike had sold his boat, quit fishing, and left the island. It blew him away. Covering almost 6.6 million square miles, Russia extends towards Alaska on the eastern side in the Kamchatka Krai region. Overall Mission: Fort Fairbanks is located just east of Fairbanks Alaska. Sixty percent of the visitors that use this air service are visiting snow-capped mountains, animals, and a truly challenging off-beat destination. It was found on Russia's Bering Island, one of the westernmost islands in the Aleutian Island archipelago. Alaska was only of an estimated value of $10 million according to the team sent by Russia to value the land for the selling. The deal, called the Alaska Purchase, was made between Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl. You sort of do what you gotta do. This means the island nation of Kiribati is a day ahead of American Samoa, despite being hundreds of miles farther east. Freshwater and Saltwater fishing on and around Adak is the best kept secret. Mike, 2015. Getting around: Grab an Adak map at the airport and download offline maps before you go. If youre living in a duplex and your washing machine dies, you walk down the street to a duplex that is uninhabited and you have a washing machine, Huff said. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 127.3 square miles (330km2), of which 122.4 square miles (317km2) is land and 4.9 square miles (13km2) (3.87%) is water. A McDonalds, too. But how much ocean are we willing to sacrifice? It lies 1,200 miles (1,930km) southwest of Anchorage and 450 miles (724km) west of Dutch Harbor at 51.872 North, 176.636 West (Sec. Rome2rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. With 263 rainy days per year, Adak has the second highest number of any inhabited locality in the United States after Hilo, Hawaii. This results in a single bridge of 20 miles from mainland Alaska to the Diomede Islands. Pictures. Adak's average temperatures range from 20 to 60F (7 to 16C), with a record high of 75F (24C) in August 1956 and a record low of 3F (16C) in January 1963 and February 1964. Filling of prescriptions from outside facilities usually cannot be accommodated. But, you could certainly get a lot closer than that, and depending on where you're standing, you can actually see parts of Russia from land in Alaska. Russia and Alaska are separated by the Bering Strait. The answer to how close Alaska is to Russia changes with every other option. The discovery of gold reserves, however, led to a great increase in Alaskas significance. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak, is located on the island. One traveling from Vladivostok to Provideniya can charter a plane to Nome in Alaska. From Eastport, Maine, which is the easternmost U.S. city, to Moscow, Russia, is a distance of about 4,222 miles, according to MapDevelopers. From this teaser you may know that I recently spent time on Adak in the Aleutians, a chain of 69 islands, many of them volcanic, extending 1,200 miles from the mainland of Alaska towards the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Batteries Are Ukraines Secret Weapon Against Russia. WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. And, as the state's former Governor Sarah Palin once told ABC News, "they're our next-door neighbors. A gas station-turned-pricy liquor store will sell you a case of beer for US$50 (NZ$71). At its peak, the station housed over 6,000 naval and Coast Guard personnel and their families. Seasonal flights between Anchorage, Alaska, and Petropavlovsk- Kamchatka Peninsula are arranged every year by Russian carrier Yakutia Airlines. The base . Anglers can access halibut in the Kagalaska Straits. Water is derived from Lake Bonnie Rose, Lake De Marie, and Nurses Creek, stored in seven water tanks throughout the community, and piped to facilities and housing units. Alaska and Russia are divided by the Bering Strait, a narrow passage of water connecting Pacific and Arctic Ocean, which is 55 miles at its narrowest point. The former high school and middle school houses city hall, a health clinic and the post office. Numerous volcanic ranges manifest in the region. Yes. Adak Island is way outthere, so far at the end of the Aleutian archipelago in the Bering Sea that it shares a time zone with Hawaii instead of its own state. Average temperatures range from 20 to 60F (7 to 16C), but wind chill factors can be severe. Near the end of the Aleutian Island chain and not far from Asia and Russia, you'll find remote, wild Adak. By the following March, the cabin had been leveled by the winter winds. The Adak Island military base was abandoned in March of 1997, with the Cold War over. Big Diomede is known as "Tomorrow Island" because the international date line as well as US Russian boundary passes between the two islands. The US government built the Adak Army Base and Naval Operating Base in 1942 to launch aerial attacks against islands held by the Japanese. Mainland Russia is 55 miles away from Alaska. Some are hoping it portends a permanent future in the region. Historically home to the Unangan people, known more commonly as Aleuts, this 270-square-mile volcanic island halfway between Seattle and Tokyo was developed as a strategic Army base during World War II, after the Japanese bombing of Dutch Harbor and the occupation of Attu and Kiska islands to the west. Top travel and planning tips on the best ways to get around Scandinavia. [10] In 2001, it formally incorporated as a city. During the summer, extensive fog forms over the Bering Sea and North Pacific. After the civil war in the US, the country decided to go ahead with the purchase, even though initially the deal was considered a loss for the US government. Why do they stay? Average snowfall is 100 inches (2,500mm), falling primarily on the upper reaches of the volcanoes. It is the westernmost municipality in the United States and the southernmost city in Alaska. Through broken windows, there are glimpses of the blue-black Bering Sea crashing into nearby Horseshoe Bay. Photo expeditions up the Haul Road amounted to loading his truck with provisions, pulling out of his driveway and heading north. People come to Alaska wanting to see it's beauty. The connecting points are Chukotka Island in Russia and Seward Peninsula in Alaska. SUBSCRIBE FOR HUMANITIES MAGAZINE PRINT EDITION Browse all issuesSign up for HUMANITIES Magazine newsletter, Nineteenth-century discovery of gold funerary mask sparked worldwide interest in Mycenaean culture, Western Americanist and native Californian David Igler on sea captains who sought their fortunes. As a historical relic of those times, it remains interesting. Some 6,000 military personnel and their families lived there in colorful, cookie-cutter duplexes lined up neatly as if for inspection, with schools, restaurants, a hospital, a ski lodge, a movie theater, a bowling alley, a swimming pool, a roller rink, basketball, and squash and tennis courts. Kamchatka is located 2,411.17 mi (3,880.41 km) south of the North Pole. Recommended option Fly to Juneau 28h 14m Fly from Petropavlovsk (PKC) to Juneau (JNU) PKC - JNU $492 - $1,147 Cheapest option (Adak, Alaska) 1955-1976 Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1777-1963 or use the U.S. This location means you really can see Russia from Alaska! Also Read: 15 Extraordinary Facts About Russia, 20 Interesting Facts About Redheads You Never Knew Before, 12 Eye-Opening Facts About the Beauty Industry, Thousands Of Exotic Fish Have Turned This Abandoned Shopping Mall Into An Aquarium, 10 Most Mind-Boggling Missing Person Cases that Were Later Solved, 7 Laboratories Located In Some Of The Worlds Most Extreme Environments, Shocking Before And After Photos Of A Man Who Walked For Nearly 3000 Miles Through China, 15 Powerful Photographs That Will Restore Your Faith In Humanity. Behavioral Health is also provided via tele-video and quarterly site visits. Today Alaska is one of the richest U.S. states thanks to its abundance of natural resources, such as petroleum, gold and fish, as well as its vast expanse of pristine wilderness and strategic. Due to harsh winds, frequent cloud cover, and cold temperatures, vegetation is mostly tundra (grasses, mosses, berries, low-lying flowering plants) at lower elevations. Average use is extremely expensive, and a monopoly exists because personal satellite internet is not available due to the satellite locations. The social distance requirement in Adak Island is 2 metres. Exceptions may apply, for full details: Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC). One runway measures 7,790ft (2,370m) long while the other runway measures 7,605ft (2,318m). - September 17, 2015. The Mining Industry's Next Frontier Is Deep, Deep Under the Sea. Like time zones, it zig-zags to follow political boundaries. When fishing for the Alaska king crab, most fishermen/women use what is called a pot, a steel, square-framed trap made covered with a wire mesh. The Kamchatka Peninsula borders the Ocean and is the nearest point to Alaska. Eagle and Fishing Cabin, Finger Bay, July 2015. The distance between Russia and Adak Island is 4921 km. Mt. The Commander Islands and Karaginsky are found on this edge of Russia. (See Extreme points of the United States.) The islands are 2.5 miles (4 Km) apart, making this the shortest distance between Russia and Alaska. USGS page: M 2.0 - 94 km W of Adak, Alaska. No ATVs are permitted within the wildlife refuge and the Aleut Corporation only allows ATVs on the roads and trails, not on the tundra. The Aleut Corporation purchased Adak's facilities under a land transfer agreement with the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Navy/Department of Defense. 2022 Nov 29 at 12 (12 Noon) 00 Convert Time From Adak, Alaska (Aleutian Islands), United States to any time zone Need to compare more than just two places at once? Flight permits are processed through Moscow and it takes 14 days to process. The first documented specimen in Alaska was a single piece of . David Igler Explains How. One of those islands is controlled by Russia, and the other is controlled by the United States. There is no bag limit for cows, but in 2007, the Board of Game passed new regulations for bulls. The Islands shorten the distance between Russia and Alaska. . In 2013, an act of speedo diplomacy, which is an act of doing swims or actions that are politically sensitive to make unprecedented changes between the governments, was held on the Bering Strait. But the real reason to visit Adak lies outside of its semi-ghost town. Limited lab, pharmacy, and public health services are also available. [10], In 2022 Netflix aired a docuseries about explorers seeking pirate gold on the island[11]. The American reaction was to construct a new military base on Adak island - a Naval and air facility that could take full control of all the Aleutian Islands and oust the invaders. Here's a map to give you a better idea: I love numbers, so let me throw some . But the plan may threaten the fragile landscapeand a tenacious billionaires ambitions. Two eagles perched atop a wildlife viewing platform with the Great Sitkin Volcano in the distance. What are the travel restrictions in Adak Island? At the narrowest point, the Bering Strait measures approximately 55 miles. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. The former Adak Navy Air Facility (NAF) is located near the center of the Aleutian chain, approximately 1,200 miles west-southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. Land on the south side of Adak is administered as part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. It is a 5.27 hours journey between Moscow and Alaska or around 3,000 miles. Adak was a very unique place; lots of history and great hiking,. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. The Adak sun. 11 2 Sean Enright Aleutian Islands Map - Southwestern Alaska, Alaska, United States - Mapcarta North America USA Alaska SW Alaska Aleutian Islands Other facilities in Adak include three deep water docks and fueling facilities. Find all the transport options for your trip from Russia to Adak Island right here. A land exchange between Alaska Native Regional Corporations, the U.S. Navy, and the Department of the Interior has transferred most of the naval facilities to the Aleut Corp. A portion of the Island will remain within the National Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, managed by U.S. ', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United States (Alaska), Canada, Denmark (Greenland), and Iceland are the 8 countries containing land in the Arctic Circle. The base was later transferred to the Navy and, due to its proximity to Russia, remained a strategic base and submarine surveillance centre throughout the Cold War. The Navy conducts groundwater monitoring at four wells and surface water monitoring at five locations annually.[14]. November is the average wettest month, while July is the average driest month. The Pacific Ocean spreads in the south and southwest side. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our livesfrom culture to business, science to design. Adak Island sits midway between the United States and Russia, where the Bering Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. But, you could certainly get a lot closer than that, and depending on where you're standing, you can actually see parts of Russia from land in Alaska. Territorial waters of Alaska touch those of Russia in the Bering Strait. Adak Naval Air Station was closed in March, 1997, and the city of Adak was incorporated there. In the other direction, the distance from Cape Alva in Washington state the city farthest west in the U.S. to Anadyr, Russia, which according to RussiaTrek, is the easternmost city in Russia, is about2,515 miles away. Hope McKenney, KUCB - Unalaska - September 15, 2021. . The Japanese campaign coincided with the more well-known Battle of Midway. Perhaps one of the more well-known territories out there is Guam. Sea Captains Changed the Pacific World. Adak is located on Kuluk Bay, on Adak Island, in the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands Recording District, and in the 3rd Judicial District. For fishing and hunting regulations, purchasing hunting licenses and big game tags, contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game at (800) 478-2376. A new $18-million hospital was built in 1990, just seven years prior to the closure of the station. 2.4 Miles Between Russia & AK The wilderness and wildlife attract visitors from all over the world, every year. The distance between Midway Island to Adak Island is 0 Mi by road. Adaks resilient locals work with what theyve got. Aleut Corporation maintains the facilities. A photographer documents the nearly abandoned island of Adak, Alaska. A naval facility on the northern side of the island. Adak, Aleutian Islands Now, intrepid visitors fly about four hours from Anchorage on an Alaska Airlines 737 to hunt, birdwatch, hike, or play archaeologist at the dozens of defunct military. Most homes have fallen into disrepair since the US Navy left the remote island in 1997. Clam Lagoon, located on the northeast side of Adak Island, Alaska, and the Great Sitkin Volcano in the distance. It is one of eight National Historic Landmarks in Alaska that was designated to commemorate the World War II in Alaska. [15] In 2014 the Adak School had 25 students. There are approximately 16 miles (26km) of paved and primitive roads on Adak, all privately owned by the Aleut Corporation. The Marines arrived in Adak in September 2019 as part of a joint exercise with the Navy and Coast Guard to show how troops respond to emergencies in the Arctic. There are no radio stations within 200 miles (320km) of Adak; radio can be received in Adak only through satellite or shortwave receivers. USGS status: Reviewed by a seismologist Reports from the public: 0 people 2023-02-25 17:44:12 UTC 2.0 magnitude, 5 km depth Andreanof Islands, Aleutian Island. As of the 2010 census, Adak was the only city in Alaska to have a majority Asian population (171 of 326 residents). Mike was a halibut fisherman who owned one of three local fishing boats. Home to the native Aleut people, Adak became a U.S. Army airbase during WWII to fend off a feared Japanese invasion of Alaska.