▁expedition ▁consisted ▁further ▁of ▁the ▁US C GC ▁Bear , ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁a ▁se ap lane , ▁the ▁trans ports ▁Fair f ax ▁and ▁Ele an or ▁and ▁some ▁smaller ▁vessels . ▁Having ▁off loaded ▁the ▁air port ▁construction ▁cre ws ▁and ▁materials , ▁the ▁expedition ▁left ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁September . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁By ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁air base ▁at ▁K oo j esse ▁In let ▁had ▁" g rown ▁to ▁look ▁like ▁a ▁popul ous ▁village " ▁and ▁was ▁in ▁use ▁by ▁many ▁aircraft . ▁It ▁was ▁designated ▁Cry stal ▁II ▁and ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁Chap let ▁in ▁c oded ▁communic ations . ▁It ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁" C ry stal " ▁weather ▁sites ▁in ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Ar ctic ▁Region , ▁Fort ▁Ch imo ▁( now ▁Ku uj j ua q ), ▁Quebec ▁being ▁" C ry stal ▁I ", ▁and ▁a ▁station ▁on ▁Pad lop ing ▁Island ▁being ▁" C ry stal ▁III ". ▁A ▁det achment ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁We ather ▁Squadron , ▁Air ▁Transport ▁Command ▁( AT C ) ▁took ▁up ▁residence ▁at ▁the ▁station ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁The ▁initial ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁Cry stal ▁sites ▁was ▁to ▁provide ▁long - range ▁weather ▁information ▁to ▁the ▁combat ▁forces ▁then ▁building ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁C rim son ▁East ▁air ▁route ▁network , ▁the ▁air field ▁at ▁Cry stal ▁II ▁was