Homesteader Charles Parker's handwritten letter to Secretary of War offering his strategic plan for an Air Base, his Gustavus 3000' airstrip & silver mine in Excursion Inlet to the U.S. Government. He describes local area as a protected lifeline in defense of the United States.

Address Mail to:

G.P.O. #727

Marine Repair

c/o Postmaster, Seattle, Washington

Dec. 26, 1943

Secretary of War Stimson

Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

There is some vital set-ups here at the back door of the United States, that I feel you should have

firsthand information on, from one who has followed this through for eighteen years. First I will mention the mineral situation then I will give my viewpoint on the strategic Major Air Base Site. I also will say that I consider myself something of an authority on these situations as I have spent about forty years in Alaska and the Northwest and also served with the first Marine Aviation Force in World War I.

The Mineral Situations:

To start with I will state that I am the discoverer of the Alaska Silver King Mine. What

development work we have done on this mine shows it to be very rich in strategic minerals, the silver assay showed 839 oz. silver per ton besides running heavy in zinc, lead, copper and antimony. To the best of my knowledge and limited development work, it also appears to be a huge deposit. When I learned, in July’42 the nation was in need of these minerals. I had a talk with a Govt. geologist at Valdez, Alaska. He agreed to make an examination of this property, and if there was sufficient strategic minerals, would recommend the Govt. develop this property. I also warmed this geologist about any publicity as I am the only person who has traced out this mineral belt, for a distance of over forty miles. Well, anyway a Base was started about a month later, close by this property. No report was made to me but I was satisfied the boys were getting set, so said nothing. But now after a year and a half and no ore being taken out, it makes me wonder. I am writing this information just in case it was a coincident that this Base was started at that time, about Sept. ’42. If there isn’t sufficient strategic minerals to warrant the Govt. opening up this mine, I would like to know that as I may be able to work this property in the near future myself.

The Air Base Situation

To the west of the Alaska Silver King Mine and not far distant lies approximately 100,000 acres of

dead level land, ideal terrain for a huge Major Air Base Site. This land, (the greatest flat land area in southeastern Alaska suitable for aviation) was laid out by nature as a natural stronghold. To the west lies North and South Passes, easily fortified to guard against attack from the open ocean. To the south lies – Island with a high rocky nob rising on the island like a sentinel, to guard the Base from attach in the inland waters to the southeast. To the north – northeast and northwest of this Air Base is high glacier covered mountains, making this land secure from land attack. To the west and to the east of this area lie two strategic water ways, --Canal and the Gulf --, the control of these waters means the control of Alaska.

The Gulf ----, is the life line to the westward land --------Canal is the entrance to our

highway, the lifeline from the United States. Now, for instance, this position were seized by an enemy, who would establish himself practically overnight with an Air Base. After a short time they could mass enough planes to control practically all shipping to West Alaska. Then they could move tanks and guns down our highway right into the heart of the United States, leading the way with thousands of planes.

Then there is another angle. This position is approximately eight hundred air miles from the United States. Their bombers could raid and destroy our cities, using this as a Base of operations, yet we would be unable to destroy them because there is not another huge flat that we could mass sufficient planes on, (In southeastern Alaska) to destroy them.

In my spare time, for the past fifteen years, I have completed a landing strip, three thousand feet

long. This has been used for an emergency field several times in the past three years. This is part of my homestead here and I went on record at the start of hostilities, that my 160 acres is at the disposal of the Military Forces of the United States. I feel that this is actually the back door of the United States and also a great offensive position. With the greatest Base established here we can hurl our aircraft across those stepping stones right into the enemy country. I also feel the time is short and when we turned back that huge Task Force in June ’42 that were coming here, it was an act of God, to give us one more chance. Lets put our might here at once,

Sincerely,

Charles L. Parker, Sr.

Homesteader Charles Parker's handwritten letter to Secretary of War offering his strategic plan for an Air Base, his Gustavus 3000' airstrip & silver mine in Excursion Inlet to the U.S. Government. He describes local area as a protected lifeline in defense of the United States.

Address Mail to:

G.P.O. #727

Marine Repair

c/o Postmaster, Seattle, Washington

Dec. 26, 1943

Secretary of War Stimson

Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

There is some vital set-ups here at the back door of the United States, that I feel you should have

firsthand information on, from one who has followed this through for eighteen years. First I will mention the mineral situation then I will give my viewpoint on the strategic Major Air Base Site. I also will say that I consider myself something of an authority on these situations as I have spent about forty years in Alaska and the Northwest and also served with the first Marine Aviation Force in World War I.

The Mineral Situations:

To start with I will state that I am the discoverer of the Alaska Silver King Mine. What

development work we have done on this mine shows it to be very rich in strategic minerals, the silver assay showed 839 oz. silver per ton besides running heavy in zinc, lead, copper and antimony. To the best of my knowledge and limited development work, it also appears to be a huge deposit. When I learned, in July’42 the nation was in need of these minerals. I had a talk with a Govt. geologist at Valdez, Alaska. He agreed to make an examination of this property, and if there was sufficient strategic minerals, would recommend the Govt. develop this property. I also warmed this geologist about any publicity as I am the only person who has traced out this mineral belt, for a distance of over forty miles. Well, anyway a Base was started about a month later, close by this property. No report was made to me but I was satisfied the boys were getting set, so said nothing. But now after a year and a half and no ore being taken out, it makes me wonder. I am writing this information just in case it was a coincident that this Base was started at that time, about Sept. ’42. If there isn’t sufficient strategic minerals to warrant the Govt. opening up this mine, I would like to know that as I may be able to work this property in the near future myself.

The Air Base Situation

To the west of the Alaska Silver King Mine and not far distant lies approximately 100,000 acres of

dead level land, ideal terrain for a huge Major Air Base Site. This land, (the greatest flat land area in southeastern Alaska suitable for aviation) was laid out by nature as a natural stronghold. To the west lies North and South Passes, easily fortified to guard against attack from the open ocean. To the south lies – Island with a high rocky nob rising on the island like a sentinel, to guard the Base from attach in the inland waters to the southeast. To the north – northeast and northwest of this Air Base is high glacier covered mountains, making this land secure from land attack. To the west and to the east of this area lie two strategic water ways, --Canal and the Gulf --, the control of these waters means the control of Alaska.

The Gulf ----, is the life line to the westward land --------Canal is the entrance to our

highway, the lifeline from the United States. Now, for instance, this position were seized by an enemy, who would establish himself practically overnight with an Air Base. After a short time they could mass enough planes to control practically all shipping to West Alaska. Then they could move tanks and guns down our highway right into the heart of the United States, leading the way with thousands of planes.

Then there is another angle. This position is approximately eight hundred air miles from the United States. Their bombers could raid and destroy our cities, using this as a Base of operations, yet we would be unable to destroy them because there is not another huge flat that we could mass sufficient planes on, (In southeastern Alaska) to destroy them.

In my spare time, for the past fifteen years, I have completed a landing strip, three thousand feet

long. This has been used for an emergency field several times in the past three years. This is part of my homestead here and I went on record at the start of hostilities, that my 160 acres is at the disposal of the Military Forces of the United States. I feel that this is actually the back door of the United States and also a great offensive position. With the greatest Base established here we can hurl our aircraft across those stepping stones right into the enemy country. I also feel the time is short and when we turned back that huge Task Force in June ’42 that were coming here, it was an act of God, to give us one more chance. Lets put our might here at once,

Sincerely,

Charles L. Parker, Sr.