Eareckson Air Station

Eareckson Air Station, formerly Shemya Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force military airport located on Shemya Island in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands. Constructed in 1943, it served as a forward base during World War II, primarily for offensive operations against Japanese forces in the Kurile Islands. Units such as the 28th Bombardment Group and 344th Fighter Squadron were stationed there, flying B-24 Liberators, B-25 Mitchells, and P-38 Lightnings. The base was designed for B-29 Superfortress operations, though only one B-29 landed during the war.

Following World War II, the base was largely abandoned but reactivated in 1958, supporting the Great Circle Route for military air transport and serving as a Strategic Air Command refueling site for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 tankers. It also hosted reconnaissance aircraft like the Boeing RC-135. In 1967, the 16th Surveillance Squadron was organized with AN/FPS-17 and AN/FPS-80 radars to monitor Soviet missile tests. These were replaced by the AN/FPS-108 COBRA DANE phased-array radar, declared operational in 1977, with a primary mission of intelligence gathering for arms limitation treaty verification.

While closed as an active Air Force Station on July 1, 1994, the base remains operational, owned by the USAF and operated by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center for refueling. It also functions as a diversion airport for civilian aircraft experiencing emergencies over the Pacific Ocean. The main unit currently assigned is the 611th Air Support Squadron. The station features one active asphalt runway, 10/28, measuring 3,049.5 meters (10,005 feet). The island has experienced major earthquakes, including the 1975 Near Islands earthquake which caused damage to runways and hangars.