 It was also used by the USAAF as an emergency landing field for aircraft patrolling the west coast of Alaska.On 27 February 1974, a Soviet Union An-24LR carrying a crew of 3 and 10 scientists on an ice-reconnaissance mission landed at Gambell due to fuel exhaustion in bad weather, causing a minor Cold War incident.Villagers, mostly Yupik Native Americans, provided space heaters and food.