" ARCTIC MISSION " 1955 WESTERN ELECTRIC ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF DEW LINE COLD WAR GG45475

Visit   / periscopefilm   Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com This 1955 progress report by Western Electric "Arctic Mission" describes the construction of the Distant Early Warning or DEW Line, a radar system for continental defense in the Arctic. This system, built by Western Electric and Bell System units, stretches from Alaska across Canada to Baffin Bay. Establishing bases in the Arctic required aircraft to supply and maintain personnel initially. Early camps were supplied by air until larger equipment and facilities could be established. USAF C-124 Globe Masters delivered heavy equipment for constructing permanent airfields. A sea lift was prepared to transport materials. Landing craft delivered materials to Arctic shores for DEW line construction. The Mackenzie River used to transport materials. Additional transportation routes were established, including a land cargo train called "The Monster." Road construction faced challenges from thawing ground. Building modules were assembled in tents and transported to sites on sleds. Pilings were set in the frozen tundra for building foundations. Bulk fuel storage tanks were built during summer months. Construction camps were well-established, with supplies sorted and stored for winter. Much has been accomplished, but more work remains to complete the radar stations and electronic detection equipment. 0:30 - 0:38: A new system for continental defense is being built in the Arctic, where ice, snow, and isolation are everyday challenges. 0:45 - 1:05: The D line, a radar system for detecting enemy planes, stretches from Alaska across Canada to Baffin Bay, constructed by Western Electric and Bell System units. 1:09 - 1:19: Establishing bases in the Arctic required aircraft to supply and maintain personnel initially. 1:25 - 1:40: Early camps were supplied by air until larger equipment and facilities could be established. 1:43 - 2:08: Larger buildings were brought in to provide basic comforts for personnel. 2:11 - 2:29: Temporary communication was crucial for scheduling supply shipments and maintaining contact with the outside world. 2:50 - 3:06: D4 tractors were air-dropped to isolated camps, proving successful despite occasional losses. 3:14 - 3:48: Tractors were used to clear snow for cargo planes to land. 3:51 - 4:11: US Air Force C124 Globe Masters delivered heavy equipment for constructing permanent airfields. 4:15 - 4:48: Various machinery was needed for building airstrips, which lengthened day by day. 4:50 - 5:23: Completion of airstrips allowed for routine supply missions, solving early food supply problems. 5:26 - 5:55: Essential fuel was delivered by air where no landing strips existed. 5:58 - 6:04: Supplies were stockpiled for future use. 6:08 - 7:01: A sea lift was prepared to transport materials northward, including petroleum products and construction materials. 7:03 - 7:46: Materials were loaded onto ships for transport, with timing being crucial due to short Arctic sea lane availability. 7:51 - 8:13: Icebreakers cleared paths for supply convoys during summer months. 8:21 - 9:09: Frogmen cleared underwater obstructions for landing craft. 9:12 - 10:11: US Army crews unloaded cargo from ships, working around the clock due to limited time. 10:14 - 10:59: Landing craft delivered materials to Arctic shores for DU line construction. 11:01 - 11:39: Careful planning at loading ports facilitated easy separation and storage of cargo on beaches. 11:41 - 12:00: The Mackenzie River system was used to transport materials northward, requiring portage around rapids. 12:03 - 13:11: Materials were transferred from trains to barges, then to trucks, and finally to tugboats for transport to sites. 13:13 - 13:59: Efforts resulted in stockpiles of materials and petroleum products for the coming winter. 14:01 - 14:59: Additional transportation routes were established, including a land cargo train called "The Monster." 15:01 - 15:50: Road construction faced challenges from thawing ground, requiring spare parts and repair facilities. 15:55 - 16:37: Building modules were assembled in tents and transported to sites on sleds. 16:39 - 17:50: Pilings were set in the frozen tundra for building foundations. 17:52 - 18:51: Bulk fuel storage tanks were built during summer months. 18:55 - 19:11: Construction camps were well-established, with supplies sorted and stored for winter. 19:13 - 20:00: Much has been accomplished, but more work remains to complete the radar stations and electronic detection equipment. The project is off to a good start This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com