Building the Alaska Highway

Construction of the "Alcan" Highway (ALCAN was the military acronym for the Alaska-Canada Highway) officially began on March 9, 1942. Army engineers were ordered to construct a road that would proceed in a northwesterly direction from the railhead at Dawson Creek, BC, and connect with the existing Richardson Highway at Delta Junction, AK. They punched a pioneer road through the wilderness in 8 months and 12 days.

[GoViking]

I was very fortunate to grow up along the Alaska Highway, in my youth we explored abandoned buildings, vehicles, roads and airplane wrecks. This is a great short show..

[strawberryrhubarbpie]

Love to see history like this! I have roots in Delta and Fairbanks :)

[lynnparker]

This video only speaks of one infantry.  There were more, including the 93rd Infantry, which consisted of all African American soldiers, who did not have the tools that the caucasians had.  The tools were supposed to have helped both caucasians and AA, however, the caucasians took all the equipment (at least the larger equipment).  AA had shovels and other small equipment, but still completed the job in lesser time than planned.  I salute you my African American ancestors.  My dad, James Ausby Mitchell, was one.

[rickb]

In the opening credit, the comment about "winding in and out". This was done intentionally out of concern that Japanese aircraft could 'straff' convoys carrying supplies. Curves would make that very difficult. If you travel the highway even today you can see remnants of this. Curves have been 'taken out slowly over the years.

[LMTDDS]

No mention of the hordes of voracious mosquitoes.