Secretary of the Interior Rogers C.B. Morton today announced that the Department of the Interior has entered into a use agreement with the Department of the Air Force to preserve Wildwood-Air Force Station near Kenai, Alaska, in good condition until arrangements can be made to transfer title to the base to the Kenai Native Association. Interim uses planned for the 'facility include a program for boarding high school students and Indian Action Team activities.
"Vice President Agnew, who is deeply interested in this program, and I are pleased to be able to make this arrangement which will further the program of the Bureau of Indian Affairs give the Kenai Native Association an opportunity to take step forward in building an economic base in their community, and advance President Nixon’s program of self-determination,” Morton said.
Wildwood Air Force was constructed and activated by the U.S. Army in 1953 as a communications station. It was transferred to the Air Force in 1965 to implement the policy of consolidating all long haul communications in Alaska under the Air Force as Agent for Defense Communications Agency. The base encompasses approximately 4,300 acres, has 65 buildings including 18 family units with a total area of 471,000 sq.ft. The inactivation of the mission and closure of the station by July 1, 1972 was announced by the Air Force on September 29, 1971.
