The afternoon of   December 27 19xx was clear and cool. The winds were calm. The Thule Air Base   weather group had not issued a Wind Warning and no Phase Alert had been announced. The first indication of anything unusual was a report from J-Site dispatcher (Hilltop) to the System Controller reporting that the winds on Site were 26 mph, and at Shelter 7 they were 23 to 95 mph. At this time, 1850, the shuttle was dispatched to Base and a Phase II was declared at 1855. The winds had risen to 78 to 80 mph at shelter 7.
   An attempt to return the bus to Site was made, however at this time the shuttle bus reported that they were stopped somewhere between the "Y" and Shelter 8 or 9. Visibility was so poor that the exact location was not clear to the personnel in the bus.
   The Base at this time was still clear   and the Road Patrol vehicle departed the Base to lead the bus down the hill. At shelter 1 they had visibility up to 30 or 40 reflectors. At shelter 2 they had no more than 30, and they became stuck between Shelters 2 and 3 at 1930.
   At 1930, J-Site was upgraded to a Phase III with winds of 70 to 80 mph on Site. Shelter 7 had 115 mph winds, while Shelters 4 and 1 were calm. The winds at Thule   Air Base began to pick up. Phase II was declared at 1951 and Phase III at 2000. There were people stuck in the Theatre, Education Center, Base Theatre, Base Exchange, Snack Bar, Gymnasium, NCO Club, Danish Club and Officers Club. Some were not so fortunate. A Taxi was stuck on Base unable to find a building because of zero visibility, a shift-change bus from OL-5 was stuck near Shelter 1, and three pickup trucks were stranded between Shelter 1 and Hangar 10. There was a Trash truck with two DAC (Danish Arctic Contractors, today GC) employees lost somewhere on Base with no radio or Phase Gear. After the Base had been in Phase III for one hour, there still were many people unaccounted for.
   At 1955 the Road Patrol vehicle which was stuck between Shelters 2 and 3 reported that the engine had stopped running. The Base Disaster Control Center was notified and assistance was requested. The BMEWS Phase Control Center was advised that a Track master Rescue Team would be dispatched as soon as qualified drivers could be rounded up. A Track master was dispatched from OL-5 in an attempt to pick up the two men stuck between Shelters 2 and 3 without heat. This rescue vehicle was stopped short of Shelter 1due to zero visibility. During this operation the winds at J-Site were 80 to 108 mph, while at Shelter 7 they were 115 to 140 mph.
   At 2219 the Shuttle bus reported that the windows, which had been cracked earlier, were broken. The wind at this time was a steady 140 mph, with gusts of 160 mph at Shelter 7. At 2220 the System Controller was instructed to dispatch the Track master in an attempt to shuttle personnel from the bus to the nearest shelter. After obtaining clearance from the Base Disaster Control, the Track master departed Bldg. 13 at 2256. Fourteen minutes later it had managed to reach Bldg. 18, but was having clutch troubles. After a short delay (3 minutes) it continued, but at 2332 reported no heat and the visibility prevented further movement. At 234 the Track master advised that it was now at the "Y" but at 2351 it reported its battery dead and its location unknown (this failure was later determined to be in the electrical system, not the battery).
   At 2400 J-Site actions and J-Site situation were discussed with the Base Disaster Control Center. J-Site was advised that a "Vee" plow and three Track masters would be dispatched from Base toward J-Site for assistance. However, problems arose. The Track master could not get past the Base Operations building because of lack of visibility, and their departure was delayed.
   At 0113 the Shuttle bus advised that there were now five windows gone. At 0145 the Base Track master again attempted to depart Base with no success. At 0212 the System Controller was advised to prepare to send the D-9 Cat and drag the bus back to J-Site.
   The winds at J-Site had decreased to the 40 to 70 mph range, and at Shelter 7    to the 86 to 104 mph range. The Heavy equipment is stored in Bldg 18 which is approximately 175 yards from Bldg 13 and across an open area. To cross such an open area in a Phase III is very hazardous.
   At 0230 two Track masters departed Base toward J-Site. At 0242 it was reported that the personnel in the Road Patrol had been picked up from their stranded vehicle after almost seven hours without heat. Both were okay, and the two Track masters proceeded toward J-Site. (The lead Track master had physically run into the Road Patrol vehicle which had been stopped at an angle across the road).
   At 0310 the Base Track masters were reported stopped because of high winds and no visibility. At this time the winds at Shelter 7 were at 69 to 92 mph. At 0314 the Track masters reported zero visibility and icing conditions. They were instructed return to Base. They were unable to tell where they were or even if they were on the road.
   After coordinating with the Base Disaster Control Center the Oshkosh snowplow was dispatched from J-Site in an attempt to reach the stranded bus. At 0352, the snowplow headed down the hill with winds on Site reaching 70 mph and at Shelter 7, 92 to 104 mph. The stranded Track master was located in the middle of the road near the airstrip. The passengers were picked up, and the bus was located at 0425. The original plan was to shuttle people back to J-Site, however, weather conditions were such that the alternate plan of towing the bus to the nearest Phase Shelter was adopted. At 0500 all personnel from the shuttle bus were safely inside Shelter 9. The Track master driver volunteered to stay in the shelter until the passengers could be picked up. This insured an Arctic Survival-Trained person would be available if the storm were to worsen.
   After discussions between BMEWS Phase Control and the Base Disaster Control Center, although still in Phase III on Base and J-Site, a bus and snowplow were dispatched toward Shelter 9 and arrived back on Base at 0845.
   Transportation on Base was a mess. Any vehicle left running overnight was out of gas and the battery down. Those plugged in were lucky if the wind had not disconnected them. Most required a hot shot to start, and all were full of snow. During the cleanup and recovery operations, 92 vehicles were processed through the motor pool for snow removal, drying and servicing.
   There was only one casualty, a broken arm suffered by a DAC employee.

   In the winter of 1958 an Army man at the Nike site located at the foot of Mt. Dundas (A-Launch) was lost. That's all, just lost. It is known that he left one of the buildings, but his body was never found. It is believed that he lost his footing, was blown down, and his body rolled onto the ice.

   In the winter of 1959, again at A-Launch, a soldier was crossing between two buildings approximately 75 feet apart. With two inch "Hawser" as a guideline, he lost his life. In this case he was on the downwind side of the rope, lost his grip and was blown down. He was found in the company street the next morning. The medics determined that he had died of asphyxiation.

   In 1962, at D-Launch (above the dump on South Mtn.) a life was lost. During a Phase III the side panels of one of the buildings became loosened. One of the military became frightened and panic-stricken. Against the advice of others within the building, he tried to cross to what he thought was a safer shelter. He was found the next morning in a ditch, fifteen feet from where he started.

   After reading this letter please spend a few minutes considering your possible actions under similar circumstances. Safety at Thule depends on you and your rational reactions to adverse and often dangerous conditions.