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Photo # NH 105452: Boats from USS Buffalo laying a submarine cable at Sitka, Alaska, circa October 1914.

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Buffalo -- 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition (Part 3)

Between 1911 and 1914 the Navy sent a series of three Alaskan Radio Expeditions to build a network of radio stations. The 1911 Alaskan Radio Expedition, in USS Buffalo, and the 1912 Alaskan Radio Expedition, in USS Nero, built stations on Woody Island near Kodiak, on St. Paul and St. George in the Pribilof Islands, on the island of Unalga, and at Dutch Harbor near Unalaska. In 1914 Buffalo returned with the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition which upgraded and repaired all seven stations.

Buffalo departed San Francisco with the 1914 expedition, which included 44 civilians, on 7 May and returned to Mare Island on 27 October 1912. The photographs on this page show the ship using its specially built cargo pontoon and its steam launches to lay a submarine cable at its final Alaskan port of call, Sitka. The cable connected the Navy's radio station with the Army's network of telegraph wires and submarine cables which connected the military posts in Alaska with each other and with Seattle, Washington. The ship's return to Mare Island is also illustrated.

The photographs of the 1914 expedition are from two sources: the official report of the expedition (an oversized looseleaf volume containing copies of documents, blueprints of facilities and equipment, and photographs), and a photograph album made for the Commanding Officer of Buffalo, Commander Montgomery M. Taylor, USN. Both items are now in the collection of the Naval Historical Foundation at the Naval Historical Center.


This page features views of USS Buffalo during the final part of the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.

For other images concerning this ship, see:

  • USS Buffalo (1898-1927, later AD-8)
  • USS Buffalo -- 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition (Part 1)
  • USS Buffalo -- 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition (Part 2)


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 105470

    USS Buffalo
    (1898-1927, later AD-8)

    At the naval coaling station at Sitka, Alaska, in October or late September 1914 during the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.

    Collection of Admiral Montgomery M. Taylor, donated by Louisa R. Alger, 1962.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 565 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105452

    USS Buffalo
    (1898-1927, later AD-8)

    Boats from USS Buffalo laying a communications cable at Sitka, Alaska, in October or late September 1914 during the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.
    The cable connected the Navy-built radio station on Japonski Island (background) with the Alaskan Military Cable office at Sitka on the mainland (foreground). Two steam launches from the ship and an improvised pontoon carrying the cable reel are part way across the channel during the cable laying operation. Buffalo is moored at the pier of the Japonski Island naval coaling station, with the station's two coal sheds visible to the right. The radio station is just to the right of the coaling station.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105453

    USS Buffalo
    (1898-1927, later AD-8)

    Boats from USS Buffalo preparing to lay a communications cable at Sitka, Alaska, in October or late September 1914 during the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.
    The cable connected the Navy-built radio station on Japonski Island (background) with the Alaskan Military Cable office at Sitka on the mainland (foreground). A steam launch from the ship is alongside an improvised pontoon carrying the cable reel. The cable has been connected at the Sitka end and the pontoon will soon be towed across the channel, paying out cable on the way. Buffalo is moored at the pier of the Japonski Island naval coaling station, with the station's two coal sheds visible to the right.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105454

    USS Buffalo
    (1898-1927, later AD-8)

    Boats from USS Buffalo completing the laying of a communications cable at Sitka, Alaska, in October or late September 1914 during the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.
    The cable connected the Navy-built radio station on Japonski Island with the Alaskan Military Cable office at Sitka on the mainland. Two steam launchs from the ship have towed an improvised pontoon carrying the cable reel from the Sitka side of the channel, where one end of the cable was connected, and are now standing back as the other end is delivered to the Japonski Island side. The pontoon consists of two of the ship's boats with a deck constructed over and connecting them.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 520 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105471

    USS Buffalo
    (1898-1927, later AD-8)

    Completing the laying of a communications cable at Sitka, Alaska, in October or late September 1914 during the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.
    The cable connected the Navy-built radio station on Japonski Island (foreground) with the Alaskan Military Cable office at Sitka on the mainland (background). The improvised pontoon carrying the cable reel is beached on the Japonski Island side after delivering the end of the cable to the shore. The pontoon consists of two of the ship's boats covered and connected by a rectangular deck. Note the town of Sitka in the background.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 565 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105472

    USS Buffalo
    (1898-1927, later AD-8)

    Completing the laying of a communications cable at Sitka, Alaska, in October or late September 1914 during the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.
    The cable connected the Navy-built radio station on Japonski Island with the Alaskan Military Cable office at Sitka on the mainland. The cable laying crew is carrying the end of the cable from the beached cable laying pontoon to the radio station. Two of the station's three towers are visible. The third tower, out of the image to the right, was probably built by the 1914 expedition. Most of the other structures are part of the adjacent coaling station.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105473

    USS Buffalo
    (1898-1927, later AD-8)

    At the naval coaling station at Sitka, Alaska, in October or late September 1914 during the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.
    The two coal sheds of the coaling station are on the left, as are the three towers of the co-located radio station. The tower on the right is of a different type and was probably added by the 1914 expedition.

    Collection of Admiral Montgomery M. Taylor, donated by Louisa R. Alger, 1962.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 490 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105446

    USS Buffalo
    (1898-1927, later AD-8)

    Returning to Mare Island, California, on 27 October 1914 at the conclusion of the 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 485 pixels

     

    For other images concerning this ship, see:

  • USS Buffalo (1898-1927, later AD-8)
  • USS Buffalo -- 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition (Part 1)
  • USS Buffalo -- 1914 Alaskan Radio Expedition (Part 2)


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 23 February 2008