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.
Cape Lisburne Air Force Station
The first Airmen to arrive at the station was Detachment F-7, 142d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (AC&W Sq) on 21 June 1951 during the site construction period. The unit consisted to two officers and 29 enlisted men. Their mission was to provide site security and establish a temporarily work camp, consisting of tents. 550 tons of cargo arrived by ship along with the airmen, and high winds, rain, and heavy seas made the operation hazardous to all involved. During the first year, supplies and food were airdropped to the workers and airmen, many times it drifting into the ocean and being lost. During the first winter, the detachment was reduced to one officer and 14 Airmen. The Army Transportation Corps undertook the construction project, code name Mona Lisa, of getting the initial supplies and equipment to the construction site. The only means of getting construction materials and supplies to the site was by barge or Navy LSTs; however, this was restricted to when the sea was not frozen. The ground support station was located on the northern coast of the peninsula, . A 4,800' airstrip was constructed in 1951 adjacent to the ground support station, with a gravel runway capable of medium transport (C-118, C-130) landings and takeoffs.