Downtown Juneau in Juneau Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)
U.S. Military Presence
Sea & Sky: Juneau's Links to the World
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 3, 2021
1. U.S. Military Presence Marker
The U.S. Navy's arrival in Juneau quickly followed the discovery of gold. Upon receiving word of the 1880 strike, the navy dispatched a steam launch, which anchored in the harbor. Disembarking here was a naval detachment under the command of Lt. Cmdr. Charles Rockwell. His orders were to maintain order in this newest gold-rush town.
During the early years of the 20th Century, Revenue Service (later Coast Guard) cutters were stationed here. Their role was to assure safe transit of the Inside Passage and support lighthouse operations.
Alaska's strategic location gave it military significance during World War II. On Juneau's waterfront, the U.S. Army established a subport of embarkation for the Pacific front.
The Coast Guard maintains a significant presence on the waterfront today. Coast Guard Station Juneau handles local search and rescue, and buoy tenders place navigational aids in the ever-shifting Gastineau Channel.
Captions
(Left) A Navy cruiser USS Astoria arriving at the Subport, July 1949. Photo taken prior to the construction of Egan Drive. The Foodland Center can be seen in the foreground. (Norman & Betty Miller Collection)
(Left, clockwise from top)
• The officers of the 1929 U.S. Navy Aerial Survey Detachment seated on the dock in
this page online
• Re-creation of graphic from 1929 Navy Aerial Survey plane.
• The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Storis fights the Alaska Cold Storage Company fire in 1956. (Norman & Betty Miller Collection)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military • War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.
Location. 58° 17.949′ N, 134° 24.398′ W. Marker is in Juneau, Alaska, in Juneau Borough. It is in Downtown Juneau. Marker can be reached from Marine Way. Marker is on the Juneau Harbor Boardwalk in Marine Park, north of the cruise ship berths. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 144 Marine Way, Juneau AK 99801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Marine Highway (here, next to this marker); Floating Hangars (here, next to this marker); Passenger Traffic (here, next to this marker); Local Airlines (here, next to this marker); Alaska Airlines (here, next to this marker); Waterfront Commerce (here, next to this marker); Juneau Remembers: (here, next to this marker); Gold Mining (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Juneau.
George A. Parks (via Alaska State Library, George A. Parks Collection), August 10, 1929
2. U.S. Military Presence Marker detail (original)
The U.S. Navy Aerial Survey Expedition officers L. P. Pawlikowski, R. F. Whitehead, Chas. F. Greher, A.C. Smith, A. W. Radford, R. H. Sargent, and E. F. Carr.
Also see . . . United States Coast Guard - Pacific Area: District 17. U.S. Department of Homeland Security website entry (Submitted on January 7, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 3, 2021
3. U.S. Military Presence Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 7, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 13, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 176 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 13, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on September 14, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on September 13, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
