| Show alaska highway to be ready for army use about december I 1 alean alcan americas new 1600 mile alile burma road through 11 virgin wilderness constitutes engineering V feat of first magnitude Alami tude several months ahead of schedule the canadian alaskan military highway which has been under construction by the united states army engineers since last march will be ready for for army use early this winter it was announced by the war department recently the engineers expect to finish the pioneer road about december 1 1942 plans are now being made for winter traffic over the complete route of approximately 1600 miles between that date a and nd april 1 1943 the period during which the highway and the rivers of the region it traverses will be frozen during the months of 0 april and may it is believed the road will be unsuitable for heavy traffic owing to thaws and excessive moisture following the breakup break up of winter although originally contemplated as a rough pioneer road to be completed in one year the alcan highway as it is now being constructed ted by the corps of engineers is a well graded well drained truck road for practically its entire length and will afford two way traffic over many long stretches the be highway begins at dawson E ark a d manpower gets busy as these U S army engineers build bridges that connect up with the alcan highway creek british columbia just north of edmonton pursues a northwesterly course to whitehorse in yukon 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 creek its southern terminus the pioneer route provides not only an uninterrupted motor highway to alaska but serves as a feeder road to several important military air nelds in canada that have hitherto had to depend upon air transport for all their supplies the latter may now be trucked in overland the construction of the pioneer road is a militarized zed project authorized zed by joint agreement between canada and the united states and carried out under the direction of 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 lish ment of the northwest service command in charge of army highway and railroad building act activities and supply maintenance services in we western steril canada and alaska with headquarters at whitehorse yukon territory canada brig gen p 4 mx x 4 the men behind the wheel at the whitehorse sector alean alcan highway left to right major frank A petit C E topographic officer brig gen W H hoge C E commanding officer and major eugene 3 C E executive officer james A oconnor formerly in charge of construction on the southern sector of the road has been assigned to head the new service service command with col kenneth B bush adjutant generals department 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 engineer maintenance troops and adequate weather observation and telephone installations to serve the entire length of the highway all necessary facilities equipment and supplies to service the road and keep traffic moving are being provided great engineering feat the construction of the pioneer route through the virgin wilderness in such a short space of tim constitutes utes 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 thusia sm of the troops or retard progress aside from the endurance and efficiency of the force among whom a large detachment of negro troops acquitted themselves with special distinction three main factors ors cont contributed to the speed with which construction has been carried on V 55 1 i 0 el heavy construction equipment proves its weight in gold when called upon to break through virgin territory |
