Lend-Lease in Alaska

Lend-Lease in Alaska centred on Ladd Field near Fairbanks, the northern end of the Alaska-Siberia (ALSIB) air route. Between 1942 and 1945 nearly 8,000 U.S. military aircraft were handed over there to Soviet aircrews, who flew them across the Bering Strait.[1]

Ladd Field

Ladd Field began in 1940 near Fairbanks as a Cold Weather Test Station with 214 enlisted men, and had 520 personnel at the time of Pearl Harbor. Aircraft, equipment and clothing were tested down to −60°F, and the Army’s first helicopter, the YR-4, was tested there in 1943.[1]

The ALSIB route

In 1942 Ladd Field became the northern end of the Alaska-Siberia route, which began in Great Falls, Montana. Nearly 8,000 U.S. military aircraft were transferred to Russian aircrews at Ladd between 1942 and 1945. The Air Transport Command was established at the field in October 1943, and the garrison grew from 23 buildings to more than 700 personnel between 1943 and 1945, peaking at more than 4,500 men.[1]

Landmark status

Ladd Field was designated a National Historic Landmark on 4 February 1985, one of eight landmarks in Alaska that commemorate World War II. It is managed by the U.S. Army at Fort Wainwright and is not open to the public.[1]

FAQs

What was ALSIB? The Alaska-Siberia air route that delivered Lend-Lease aircraft to the Soviet Union.

How many aircraft passed through Ladd Field? Nearly 8,000.

Can the public visit Ladd Field? No, it is on an Army installation.

Sources

1. National Park Service: Ladd Field

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 13, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue