Life on the Rock

Discover how the territory of Alaska fit into the scheme of defense of the United States during the Cold War. The Northeast Cape Air Force Station was constructed from the ground up in the frozen tundra. It was manned by Air Force personnel who withstood physical hardship and mental stress while defending our country. Social life for the occupants on the station was nonexistent. Imagine the young airmen surviving and working in austere conditions on St. Lawrence Island; temperatures dropping to near 60 degrees below zero at times and conducive to frostbite. You will have a better appreciation for the technological advancements from 1956 on. As it is said in an old proverb, "necessity is the mother of invention." Some of our forerunner electronics and telecommunications systems were authenticated in places like N. E. Cape. "Life on the Rock" is a story of perseverance, survival, security and service.