Caribou Air Force Station
Caribou Air Force Station was the first of five, United States Air Force, Air Material Command (AMC) installations that were constructed during the period of 1951 – 1953. Each of the five installations was built specifically to provide operational storage of the nuclear stockpile, and to provide a specified number of weapons to their adjacent Strategic Air Command (SAC) bases. The first four installations were built and occupied by 1953. The fifth installation, although completed in 1953, would not be utilized until 1955. The first installation, code named “Site Easy” was originally known as the “North River Depot”. It was constructed between 1951-1952, and operations began in 1952. Funds were provided in 1951 to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP), for the planning and construction of an ordnance storage site in the vicinity of a new Strategic Air Command Base. The AFSWP was directed to utilize the services of the Corps of Engineers, Department of Army, for planning and construction, and was made responsible for monitoring such work, and for operational security measures during these phases. The original directive to the AFSWP stipulated that upon completion of construction the installation would be turned over to Headquarters, Air Material Command for operational responsibilities.
Caribou Air Force Station
By a contract with the Office of Chief of Engineers, the Black and Veatch firm of Kansas City, Missouri, was commissioned as Architects-Engineers for the planning of the project under the monitorship of the Midwest Engineer and Construction Office. This was a field agency responsible to the AFSWP and to the Chief of Engineers, and located at Kansas City, Missouri. During the planning phase, representatives of Headquarters, Air Material Command, made frequent visits to the Kansas City Office for consultation and familiarization purposes. The New England Engineer Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, solicited bids, awarded construction contracts, and provided supervision of the construction. During construction the Midwest Office maintained a clearance agency at the site for the purpose of screening all workmen and other personnel on the project, and for facilitating various contractual functions. Contracts involving construction of certain (classified) facilities peculiar to the mission of the site were awarded, and work supervised directly by the Midwest Office of Kansas City, Missouri. Prior to the start of construction approximately 80% of the area was covered with forests of softwoods consisting of pine, hemlock, birch, and spruce trees. The exact location of Site Easy was on the east side of the neighboring SAC base and in the northern most section. Contractors started building a self-sufficient area on August 4, 1951. Designed as a maximum security storage area for the most advanced weapons of mankind, construction during 1951 and 1952 included a large living complex of barracks and recreational facilities, warehouse, offices, weapon maintenance areas and twenty-seven storage igloos. The area was a complete mini-base whose mission would be to protect and maintain the nuclear weapons deployed by the United States.