World War Two

April 16, 1943

Airport Is Carved Out of Wilderness

Vineyard Gazette
The airfield on the central plain of Martha’s Vineyard is beginning to shape up as something more than raw earth, mud, and the destination of building materials trucked over the roads from the st
World War Two
Naval Auxiliary Air Facility
Martha's Vineyard Airport
August 31, 1945

Experimental Base a Well-Kept Secret

Vineyard Gazette
The well-kept secret of the Army's experimental base at Katama during the fall and early winter of 1943 is disclosed at last, in this issue of the Gazette. Ten miles of heavy pipe were delivered, with other equipment, beginning in August, and during the following months five one-mile lengths of pipe were laid in the ocean with the aid of tugs, and welded together into an experimental pipeline under conditions similar to those which would be encountered in laying a gasoline supply line under the English Channel.
World War Two
South Beach

1941

April 11, 1941

Defense Plans Pushed Forward Rapidly Here

Vineyard Gazette
World War Two
Plans for the protection of property and persons on Martha’s Vineyard in the event of a war emergency have been pushed forward this week by the special committee appointed for this purpose by Governor Saltonstall. A meeting was held at the town hall in Tisbury on April 3, at which all the town chairmen were present, save one. H. M. Crist presided as coordinator. Others present were Dr. Francis C. Buckley of Oak Bluffs, Raymond V. Chipman of Tisbury, Francis A. Fos­ter of West Tisbury, Leonard C. Van­derhoop of Gay Head, and Richard L. Colter of Edartown. Ernest J.
February 28, 1941

Government to Take Only Part of Hill

Vineyard Gazette
World War Two
Peaked Hill
The section of Peaked Hill which the government proposes to take for the purpose of establishing a signal station represents only a small part of the Peaked Hill property so-called. The entire property comprises 150 acres, and the part chosen by the gov­ernment is a four and a half acre plot, which includes the site of the triangu­lation point monument previously erected there. It is not, as a matter of fact, the highest point of the Vine­yard’s loftiest eminence, 311 feet in height, but it is regarded as line of the most beautiful. It is the peak nearest the Middle Road.
February 21, 1941

Completes Search Aimed at Acquiring Peaked Hill

Vineyard Gazette
World War Two
Peaked Hill
Garrett Hagen, of the United States Department of Justice, has completed a search at the registry of deeds in Edgartown looking toward the acqui­sition of Peaked Hill by the federal government for the purposes of a sig­nal station. The hill at present is owned principally by John Wesley Whiting. Preliminary surveys were made some time ago.
 
Mr. Hagen was assisted by a secre­tary and representatives of the federal engineers, and was accompanied also by a car and a chauffeur.
 
 
 
 
January 10, 1941

Vineyard Observation Posts to Participate

Vineyard Gazette
World War Two
The six Martha’s Vineyard observa­tion posts will participate with the 700 similar posts scattered throughout New England in the communications test of the Air Defense Command which will be held this morning be­tween the hours of 10 a. m. and 12 noon. The test is being given for the purpose of instructing observers of the Aircraft Warning Service and setting up a well-working telephone circuit between each observation post and the army information center at Mitchel Field, New York, headquar­ters of the Air Defense Command.
 

1940

December 6, 1940

Army Engineers Make Survey of Gay Head

Vineyard Gazette
World War Two
Although nothing official has been announced, it is learned on good authority that U.S. Army engineers have been making a survey of certain portions of Gay Head and Cuttyhunk within the past week, with a view to establishing suitable locations for fortifications should they be needed. The location favoried in Gay Head is the land lying between the lighthouse and the Vanderhoop estate, opposite the drive. This land is owned by the county, and is the site visited annually by thousands of people who go to Gay Head to see the cliffs.
 
October 18, 1940

539 Register As Island Man-Power

Vineyard Gazette
World War Two
Draft

The eligible, man-power of Dukes County registered for the selective draft on Wednesday, the total number of registrants reaching 539. The figures for registration in the several towns are as follows: Tisbury, 174 resdents, 21 non-residents; Edgartown, 140 residents, 6 non-residents; Oak Bluffs, 132 residents, 6 non-residents; West Tisbury, 27 residents, 1 non-resident; Chilmark, 19 residents, 2 non-residents; Gay Head, 6 residents; Gosnold, 3 residents, 2 non-residents.

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