Show Alaska a Highway to o Be Ready For Army Use About December 1 i f V Alcan Americas America's New Nev 1 Mile 1600 ile Burma Road Through i Virgin Virgin 1 Wilderness Constitutes Engineering b Feat Teat of First Magnitude Several months ahead of schedule the Canadian-Alaskan Canadian Military highway which has been under construction by the United States army engineers since last March will be ready for army use early this winter it was announced by the war department department department depart depart- ment recently The engineers expect to finish the pioneer road about December 1 1942 1842 Plans are now being made for winter traffic over the complete route of approximately 1600 miles between that date and April 1 1943 the period during which the highway highway highway high- high way and the rivers of the region it traverses will be frozen During the months of April and May it is believed the road will be unsuitable for heavy traffic owing to thaws and excessive moisture following the up break-up of winter Although originally contemplated road to be as a rough pioneer Maj Gen Eugene Reybold chief of engineers The work is being performed by engineer officers and enlisted personnel of the United States army Northwest Service Command On September 10 1942 the war department announced the establishment establishment establishment of the Northwest Service command in charge of army highway highway highway high high- way and railroad building activities and supply maintenance services in western Canada and Alaska with headquarters at Whitehorse Yukon Territory Canada Brig Gen lax k Y x Av p u Q T J in The men behind the wheel at the Whitehorse sector Alcan highway Left to right Major Frank A. A Petit 0 C. C E. E topographic officer Brig Gen W. W H. H Hoge loge C. C E. E commanding officer and Major Eugene J. J C. C E. E executive officer completed in one year the Alcan highway as it is now being constructed constructed constructed con con- by the corps of engineers well-drained well truck is a well-graded well road for practically its entire length and will afford way two-way traffic over many long stretches The highway begins at Dawson LrI Lr- Lr yr I r 1 y yI I y tf t A I IX X i 1 A AZ Z A ur t Manpower gets busy as these U. U S. S army engineers build bridges that connect up with the Alcan highway Creek British Columbia just north of Edmonton pursues a northwesterly northwesterly northwesterly northwest northwest- erly course to Whitehorse in Yukon Yukon Yukon Yu Yu- kon Territory then swings west across the Alaskan boundary and thence to Fairbanks A Military Supply Route The Alcan highway will function as an important military supply route Connecting with the railway and highway systems of the United States and southern Canada at Dawson Dawson Dawson Daw- Daw son Creek its southern terminus the pioneer route provides not only an uninterrupted motor highway to Alaska but serves serves as a feeder road to several important military airfields airfields airfields air air- fields in Canada that have hitherto had to depend upon air transport for all their supplies The latter may now be trucked in in overland The construction of the pioneer road is a militarized project authorized authorized authorized au au- by joint agreement between Canada and the United States and I carried out under the direction of James A. A O OConnor O'Connor formerly in charge of construction on the southern southern southern south south- ern sector of the road has be been n assigned to head the new service command with Col Kenneth B. B Bush adjutant generals general's department department department depart depart- ment as chief of staff Complete arrangements have been made by the army for winter maintenance of the road These plans include the construction of rest camps for the operators of truck convoys barracks for engine engineer engi engi- ne near neer r maintenance troops and adequate adequate adequate ade ade- quate weather observation and telephone telephone telephone tele tele- phone installations to serve the entire entire entire en en- tire length of the highway All necessary necessary necessary essary facilities equipment and supplies to service the road and keep traffic moving are being pro pro- vided Great Engineering Feat The construction of the pioneer route through the virgin wilderness in such a short space of time constitutes constitutes constitutes con con- an engineering feat by the army of first magnitude It was not accomplished without physical hardship and privation on the part of the officers and men but no handicaps of weather or terrain were sufficient to dampen the enthusiasm enthusiasm enthusiasm en en- of the troops or retard progress Aside from the endurance and efficiency of the for force e among whom a large detachment of Negro troops acquitted themselves with special distinction three main factors factors factors fac fac- tors contributed to the speed with which construction has been carried on |