REMEMBERING BLUIE WEST ONE
BW-1 was a U.S. Army airfield from 1941 to 1947, and as
Narsarsuaq Airbase a U.S. Air Force installation from 1947 to 1958,
when it was turned over to the Danish government of Greenland.
I was enchanted by the name (why One? why West? and above all,
why Bluie?) from the day I first heard it. So in August 2005
I flew to Reykjavik in Iceland, thence to Narsarsuaq in
Greenland, to investigate the place for myself. This is
what I found out.
Ken Mckellar emails: "
I was one of the last nine
Air Force members stationed [at BW1 before the Danes took over]. I remember
the Base Hospital and walking through it even if it was a spooky
situation. We also would bowl at the old bowling
alley; half of us would set the pins and the other half would bowl. We
drove all the [left-behind] military vehicles around the base, and many
other things to pass time while there. I was always a little confused on
why I went to BW1. I was a Disk Jockey with Armed Forces Radio. Yes it
had a full broadcast facility and for a couple days [I] spun records for
the other eight guys, but they got tired of it so I stopped being a DJ
and just hung out for a year."
Bruce Casper emails: "My uncle Ralph Casper was onboard the USS Dorchester enroute to BW-1 when it
was sunk 70 miles off Greenland on Feb. 3, 1943. We are unsure as to whether
his body was recovered and buried at BW-1 or he was lost at sea. I have been
advised that the graves were moved from there in 1958 but no one can tell me
there final resting place or which service moved them. Any help in the quest
would be appreciated." If you can help, please
send email. Blue skies! -- Dan Ford
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