WC-10 on Scenic Stretch of Alcan Highway, 1942

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This magnificent photo of the Alaskan mountains and wilderness was taken in 1942 on a scenic stretch of the then-new Alaska-Canadian Highway ("Alcan") during World War II. Against terrible difficulties of terrain and weather, the 1,522 mile long road from Dawson Creek, British Colombia, to Fairbanks, Alaska was constructed by Army Engineers, about one-third of them African-American troops, in just eight months and twelve days, a huge success in what had been deemed an impossible task. The road opened for traffic 25 October 1942.

The first vehicles to travel the rugged route were all-wheel-drive Army jeeps and trucks, including the WC-10 Truck, 1/2 ton, 4x4 Dodge Carryall seen in the lower left of the photo. The linked WC-10 page has a closer look at the truck, a detail from this large format photo.

Today in WW II: 8 Feb 1940 Germans establish the first large Jewish ghetto in Poland in the city of Lodz. More ↓

8 Feb 1941 US House of Representatives passes the Lend-Lease Act [265 to 165].
8 Feb 1942 Battle of Sarimbun Beach begins, the first stage of the Japanese assault on Singapore.
8 Feb 1942 Japanese Offensive in Burma begins [8 Feb-2 May].
8 Feb 1945 Battle of the Reichswald: British and Canadian forces under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery begin Operation Veritable [8 Feb-11 Mar].
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.