sentences:  Navy personnel from the United States constructed the main part of Wilkes in a period of 16 days in January and February 1957, unloading 11,000 tons of material and supplies.It took a crew of over 100 to erect the station which housed 24 naval personnel and scientists for the next 18 months.As this was the time of the Cold War, there was considerable concern by the United States and Australia about Russian activity in Antarctica.