Operation Blue-Jay Thule Air Base Greenland 1950s Negative Photo #3

img Operation Blue-Jay Thule Air Base Greenland 1950s Negative - Col. Renshaw Description Vintage Black & White Negative Only. No Photo. Original 5 x 4 Kodak Safety Film Negative in Original Protective Sleeve. (Our second photo is a modest attempt to invert the image using our scanner.) Pertaining to the formerly Secret Operation Blue-Jay (aka Project Blue-Jay) at Thule Air Base in Greenland in the early 1950s. The man on the right is Colonel Clarence Renshaw (Northeast District Army Corps of Engineers). In 1951 he organized and commanded the Northeast District of the Corps which built Thule Air Force Base. I am uncertain of the identities of the other two men. (A 1953 documentary film titled “Operation Blue Jay” about the previously highly classified military project was nominated for an Academy Award.) Renshaw was stationed at Thule Air Base for a period of time and appears in other photos in our inventory, often greeting visiting dignitaries and officers. Officially, he was an engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers Condition: This is an original photographic negative, not a copy or reproduction. It is in very good condition. Comments: Operation Blue-Jay was the code name for the construction of the Thule Air Base in Greenland. Although it started as a secret project, it was made public in September 1952. Thule was renamed Pituffik Space Base in 2023. The base was constructed during the Cold War as part of the U.S. defense strategy against potential threats from the Soviet Union, serving as a key node in the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. Construction for Thule Air Base began in 1951 and was completed in 1953. The construction of Thule is said to have been comparable in scale to the enormous effort required to build the Panama Canal. The United States Navy transported the bulk of men, supplies, and equipment from the naval shipyards in Norfolk, Virginia. On 6 June 1951, an armada of 120 ships sailed from Naval Station Norfolk. On board were 12,000 men and 300,000 tons of cargo. They arrived at Thule on 9 July 1951. Construction, aided by continuous daylight in summer, took place around the clock. The workers lived on board the ships until quarters were built. Once they moved into the quarters, the ships returned home. Originally established as a Strategic Air Command installation, Thule periodically served as a dispersal base for B-36 Peacemaker and B-47 Stratojet aircraft during the 1950s. It also provided an ideal site to test the operability and maintainability of these weapon systems in extreme cold weather. Today, Pituffik has 150 United States service members stationed there, after the United States significantly reduced its presence from 6000 personnel during the Cold War. See our ebay store for more historic photos from Operation Blue-Jay. We also have related images taken at Fort Norfolk, Virginia which was actively engaged in assisting the project by shipping equipment, supplies and men to the Thule Air Base in Greenland. Shipping SHIPPING INFORMATION: Most orders are shipped within two business days by USPS Mail. We also offer combined shipping discounts and expedited delivery options to locations worldwide. Please refer to the eBay shipping link on this page for specific shipping options to your location. International Buyers – Please Note: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying. Payment PAYMENT INFORMATION: We accept ebay Managed Payments, and all the payment methods allowed under ebay's payment system. ADDITIONAL TAXES & FEES: State taxes will be collected where mandated, as well as custom fees imposed by countries outside the U.S. About Us BillStuff has been selling antiques, records, books, postcards and other collectibles for many years. We began our eBay business in 1998. Check our eBay Store for a large variety of selections. Grading Terms We are experienced in the art of strictly grading all merchandise we sell. Whether you're buying an antique postcard, rare book, or collectible record, you can be certain your order from us will always arrive in the condition stated within the listing description. Guarantee All our products are fully guaranteed. We are determined to maintain the highest level of customer satisfaction. Whether your order is large or small, we are committed to providing all our customers with friendly, professional service. If you are not completely satisfied, please return the item within 30 days of delivery for a full refund of the purchase price. Powered by SixBit's eCommerce Solution