The
y
Foreword
Contributions of the Corps of Engineers to victory in war, and to our
country's peacetime history,
  and
  appreciated.
  The
  skill
and versatility of this talented body of soldiers met a  supreme test  in opera-
tions against the Japanese, many of which were conducted in the most primi-
tive and undeveloped regions of the world. Engineers  built  the Alaska
Highway,
  Canol, and the Ledo Road in Burma.  They  cleared the jungles
to build  airfields for heavy bombers and supervised the work of
  Filipinos,
  They
  built
ports, roads, and docks where none had existed.  Indeed,  one of the most
familiar  recollections  of the  U.S. veteran  of the war  against  Japan  is the
ubiquitous engineer operating
 a
 bulldozer.
Dr. Dod's subject is vast and varied, and he has worked hard and capably
to fit it into the  confines  of a single volume. He has made an original
contribution to knowledge in the highly technical areas of Engineer prob-
lems, organization, equipment, supply, administration, and operations.
HAL  C.  PATTISON
Brigadier General, USA
  Ph.D.
  in
  history
and has taught history
  U.S.
and as historian  with the  Historical  Division
  in the  Office  of the  Chief  of
Engineers,  and subsequently served in the  U.S.  Army with  the  Field  Artil-
lery.
 After  the war he  joined  the  Office  of the Chief  Engineer,
 Army
 Forces,
Pacific, as a civilian historian.  In  1950  he rejoined the
 Engineer Historical
  member ever since.  He is coauthor of Volume
I,  Engineers in  Theater  Operations,  and  author  of
  Volume
  of the  Southwest
  U.S. Army
  the  defense  build-up  in
1939  and ends with  the Japanese surrender  aboard  the battleship Missouri
on 2 September
  1945.  Geographically, Engineer operations extended  from
the Panama Canal  to India and  from  Alaska  to Australia, in actual or poten-
tial areas of  conflict.  The  author has
 attempted
  not
  only
  to depict various
types of Engineer operations but  also  to indicate how Engineer work helped
implement  Allied
  of the  Engineer  posi-
tion  in the  command  structure and a general account of  both Engineer
combat and  service  missions within
  a given  theater.
Above all, the author has   to  indicate  the many problems that
had to be resolved—problems stemming
  from  terrain and  climate,  from
  the
organizational  shortcomings,
  Japanese
I  wish  to acknowledge my indebtedness to present and
  former  colleagues
Jesse
 A.
 valuable advice
and  encouragement.  Miss  Lenore Fine  offered  many  helpful  suggestions.
Miss  Louise  Marr  did  research  and  drafted  sections  on the  defense  tri-
angle and on the  1945 Southern Philippines Campaign. Dr. Leslie Anders
prepared  the  initial  drafts  for the  chapters  on the China-Burma-India
theater.  Dr.
  J. Deacon wrote the  first  draft  on the  Alcan  High-
way, and Mr. David
 Latt did the initial research on the engineers in Panama
and Alaska.  I am indebted  to a large
 number of Engineer  officers who were
participants  in the war  against
  Japan
errors of
In  this
C.E.,  Maj.
  H.  Leavey  (Ret.),
 George
  J. Nold  (Ret.), Col. Earl
North  (Ret),  Maj.  Gen. Bernard L. Robinson  (Ret.),  Col.  Harry A.  Skerry
(Ret.), Lt. Gen.  Samuel  D. Sturgis,  Jr.  (Ret.),  Maj.  Gen.  Leif  J.  Sverdrup
ix
 
(AUS,  Ret),  Brig.  Gen.  Benjamin  B.  Talley  (Ret.),  Lt. Gen.  Walter  K.
Wilson, Jr., and Col. Theodore Wyman, Jr.  (Ret.).  For the  facts presented,
I am
 alone responsible.
Mrs. Caroline Moore and Mrs. Lois Aldridge of the World  War II  Ref-
erence
 Branch,
Service,
  were most  helpful  in  locating engineer  files.  Many  typists  in the
Historical  Division  labored  over the manuscript, but special  credit  is due
to Mrs. Margaret Lillian  Tucker,  who typed the  final  version  of the manu-
script.  Mr.  George  H.  Weitzel  of the U.S. Army  Engineer District
  Office
in Baltimore prepared  the  maps.
I am  also  indebted  to  members  of the  Office  of the  Chief  of  Military
History,  especially  to Dr.  Stetson  Conn,  Chief  Historian,
  and to Dr.  John
Miller, jr., who, as Deputy  Chief  Historian,  offered  numerous valuable  sug-
gestions  fo r  improving  the  manuscript.  M r.  David  Jaffé  was  responsible
for
  the  final  editing,  assisted  by  Mrs.  Marion  P.  Grimes.  Miss  Mary Ann
Bacon,  Chief  of the  Editorial  Branch, gave  valuable advice  in the  editing
of  the  manuscript.
  index.
Baltimore,
 Maryland
18
Early  War Plans  and the  Corps  of
 Engineers.  3
  . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supplies  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4 8
War  Appears  Imminent...................................
Preparations
Bataan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8 5
IV.  BUILD-UP  IN THE  SOUTHWEST  PACIFIC  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  107
Australia—The  First  Days.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preparing  for the Offensive................................  153
V .  FIRST OFFENSIVES:
 Guinea........................  173
Engineers  in
  225
 Logistic Support.  . . . . . . .
272
xi
Strengthening  Alaska's  Defenses
The  Engineers  Organize  fo r  War. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   340
Protection Against  Air
Change  in O rgan iza tion ...................................  360
I X .  AFTER  MIDWAY
  1943
  387
Renewed  Priority  on Airfields.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
UARY   1945  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  Directs  a n  All-out  E f f o r t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  4 2 6
.....................................  463
T h e  Marshalls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4 7 6
Logistical  Support  From  Hawaii.
.....................................   506
THE  SOUTHWEST  P A C I F I C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  520
The
  Advance  to Biak.....................................   520
Logistical  S u p p o r t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5 4 2
Western
  and the
 Moluccas.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  561
  P H I L I P P I N E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Leyte  and Mindoro.......................................   570
  of Manila Bay ........
  Philippines
  and
Okinawa  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1942-1 OCTOBER  1 9 4 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6 8 4
B. TYPES  OF  ENGINEER  UNITS  AND THEIR  FUNCTIONS. 685
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTE  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INDEX  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7 0 5
  and Lines of  Engineer  Technical  Super-
vision, Southwest  Pacific  Area,  1 May  1 9 4 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  132
Maps
No.
5 .  Philippine  I s l a n d s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  56
6.  Bataan,  1942  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
8.  Pacific
9 .  Papua  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1 7 3
10.  Milne  Bay,  August  1 9 4 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   176
xiii
13.  Airfields  Constructed or  Improved  by the Commonwealth  of Australia
fo r  th e United States  Army up to 31 December
  1 9 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  240
14 .
 Decem-
  1 9 4 2 - 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  277
16.
  Aleutian
19.  Makin  A t o l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  382
  388
22.  T he  Ledo  Road.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  474
2 3 .
  Kwajalein  Island.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4 7 7
24.  South  Marianas  and  S a i p a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  494
25.  Guam,  1945  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  504
2 7 .  Hollandia  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5 2 8
28.  The Southern
29 .
3 1 .  Okinawa  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6 4 2
32.
  Pipelines
  667
33.  Planned  Attack  on  J a p a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  676
Illustrations
Brig.
  Gen.  Eugene  R e y b o l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   46
Malinta  Tunnel  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6 7
Maj.  Gen.
  Hugh  J.  Casey  and Brig. Gen.  Leif  J. Sverdrup  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  131
An
  142
Nouméa,  N ew  Caledonia  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16 6
T he   Moresby  C a u s e w a y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  184
Buna
  Area
43d   at Dobodura  Strip No.  1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   199
Improvised
 Bridge
  Over
  Entrance
  Creek.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  201
Chow  Time  at a Native Labor  C a m p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  204
Airstrip at Dobodura, Showing
 R e v e t m e n t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  221
xiv
Page
Moving
 Supplies  on the Rebuilt Railroad,  N o u m é a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  224
A Section  of the Oro Bay-Dobodura Road.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  237
A  Corduroy  Road,  N ew Georgia
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  250
Base
Engineer Troops  Making Their
  Own  H a r d w a r e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  262
Construction of the  First Steel Building at  Milne
  B a y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  2 9 4
Constructing  a  Pacific  Hut on  K i s k a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   298
Brig. Gen.
Skagway Harbor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3 0 4
Trucking Supplies Through  M u d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  3 06
Alcan  Highway
Peace River  Suspension Bridge  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  33 6
Refinery  a t  W h i t e h o r s e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  337
A Pipeline Carried  on a  T r e s t l e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  338
King's
 Wharf,
  Butaritari,
  Makin
  Atoll  . . . . . . . . . . .
  395
Native
 Bridge  on the Refugee  T r a i l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  407
A Pipeline Carried  on an  A - F r a m e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  442
Stringing a Ferry Cable Across  the  S a l w e e n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   460
Footbridge
  and  Ferry  on the  S a l w e e n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  461
A
 Japanese Pillbox,  K w a j a l e i n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  481
Guam  Landing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Floating Ponton Pier,  S a i p a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  512
Engineers  of the  1881st  With Full
  Jungle
  5 4 5
  O ro  B a y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  55 2
Section  of the Map  Distribution Area,  F i n s c h h a f e n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  555
Dredging
 Coral
Repairs
  605
Infantry  Support  Rafts on the  Pasig River  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6 1 6
Laying
  622
  6 2 3
Trucks Negotiate  the  Villa Verde  T r a i l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  630
Filipinos Help Construct  a Road,  L u z o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   631
Japanese Truck Supporting a
  637
Airfield  Construction,  Iw o  J i m a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6 5 9
Three Examples  of  Bridging  in the  C B I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  665
All  illustrations  are  from  Department  of Defense  files.
xv
on 7 December  1941  found the  Corps of
Engineers, like  the  rest  of the  Military
Establishment,  in the  midst  of  feverish
defense  preparations.  The  Corps  had
been
defenses  in Panama, Alaska,
units were engaged  in a wide
  variety
 of
urgent
ing
  conditions,
bulwark  on  many  fronts,  the  engineers
were engaged  in the vital
 mission  of
carry out their
fronts  and
much progress had been made in the rel-
atively  short time  since the  defense
build-up began.
of  an  effort  gradually getting under  way
from  small  beginnings  and  destined
eventually to assume  tremendous  pro-
portions.
  Corps
  of
Engineers
The
  United
with  Japan  for  many years  before  Pearl
Harbor.  Soon
broke out.  The  first strategic
 plan, War
  with
  the
  to
  seize
  the
the Philippines, and
growing power  and the low
  state
  of
dependence of the
should  not
"strategic  triangle,"  should
  1)  The  last
1938,
sumed  that  after  a  period  of  strained
relations,  Japan  would  attack without
 
 
MAP 1
lihood  seize  Guam  and the  Philippines.
Enemy
 make
raids
  on
Canal
  might
 be
  wrecked
 by
  sabotage
 or
by
  naval
the
 Pacific
Canal,  while  two  more would  be in re-
serve.  Since  it was assumed the  Philip-
pines would soon be
the  Navy,  with
  Army support, would
  the  time
the Japanese home islands.
was
magnitude. The Army's strategic plan
fo r  a war
neer
 Command:
  The
First
WORLD WAR II (Washington,  1962),  pp.  21-30.
(2) Louis Morton, "American
(December,
Chief  of  Staff:
  Army
Reg Doc
  AND  ALASKA
cavalry.
2
battalions  and 13  light  ponton  compa-
nies would
  sepa-
rate
  com-
ply   battalions, a  topographic
  An   section would  serve
be  formed.
Corps
  of
 meet
Engineer
  officers
183,455.  There  were but ten engineer
units—7 combat  regiments,  2 of  them  at
full  strength,  parts  of 2
  squadrons,
  and
a
  undermanned
units of the  National Guard—18 combat
regiments,  4  squadrons,  and a
  general
ganization  and
eral  service.  There  were besides, 8,057
Engineer  Reserve  officers  available  fo r
duty.
4
  inade-
quate
both a combat  arm and a  supply service,
would have  to discharge  in the course of
a bitter and probably prolonged struggle
in the  Pacific.  On  far-flung  battlefronts
of  that enormous  area engineer  units
would  be called upon to  remove  mines,
cut  through  barbed
pair
  roads
  to
  enable
have  to put  troops across
  streams.  D u r -
have to try to
bridges,  blowing up  supplies,  and at
times  fighting  as infantry.
missions—to  build  fortifications,  con-
struct  airfields,  camps,  hospitals,
operate
  railroads;
5
  impor-
Army; and at the  same  time procure  the
necessary
  supplies.
6
2
4
 OCE,
  Covering
 Mil Activities of the
CE for FY Ending 30 Jun 38, pp. 3, 4, 10, 12, 13.
5
  (1) 41 Stat. 759.  (2) Respo nsibility for the  repair
an d
 Chester
ties,  Organization,
  (Washington,
its World War II  mission are  discussed  in Blanche
D. Coll,  Jean  E.  Keith,  and  Herbert  H.  Rosenthal,
The  Corps  of
UNITED  STATES  A R M Y  IN WORLD WAR II
(Washington,  1958), pp.  3ff.
in  time  of  war, their  responsibility  for
military  construction
  in the
  peacetime
was
storage  space  for
early  1930's,
placements  and, by the  late  1930's,  air-
craft
  peacetime  other  than
  force
Maj.  Gen.  Julian  L.  Schley,  the  Chief
of  Engineers,
in
 Washington
 prin-
engineer equipment.
  This mission
 John
  J.
of  the  Office  of the
  Chief
  of
  Engineers.
only  on-the-job
teen miles southwest
 of Washington, was
specialized instruction  to  officers  and  spe-
cially chosen enlisted
developed
construction.  This,  however,  included
  fortifications.
provement
flood  control.
Corps had developed a
  engineer
der the general direction of the
 Chief
  of
Engineers
  and
office.  At  that  time  the  Corps  was at
work  on  about
ects  in the United
districts  afforded
in  good  stead in  time  of war.
  What  is
already at hand  to participate  in any de-
fense  effort  which  might
  Pacific
Outposts
against
  Har-
7
  (1)
 OCE,
  Annual Rpts  Covering
 Mil Activities of
the CE for FY Ending  30 Jun 37, pp. 4, 28-29;  FY
Ending 30 Jun 40, p. 39. (2) OCE,
  Chart  and  Tabs
  Engr Dept  Work,  FY's 1926-41,
p. 24. EHD Files.  (3) Annual Rpt  OCE, 1938,  p. 1.
(4)  Incl,  Appns for Mil and Civil Functions, CE, to
Memo,  C
6 Jun 55.
7
done  and its  location  depended  largely
on the policies  of the  administration  in
Washington,  the  strategic  planning  of
the War Department, and the appropria-
tions voted by Congress. It was to be
assumed  that  by far the  larger  share  of
th e money  for a  defense  build-up
 would
it could
strengthening  of  seacoast  defenses  bor-
dering on the Pacific.
The  mounting  international  tension
Far  East  indicated that  a
  major
  defense
build-up
Late  in  1938, President Roosevelt  advo-
cated  that
territories,
hemisphere. Addressing
strong
million for  armaments,  half  of it to be
spent
million dollars  of the  total would  go for
airplanes  to  bolster  the air  defenses  of
the
  continental
prove  seacoast
United States.
 work
 out
a
  strategy
bilities, the War Department  concen-
trated  almost  entirely on  strengthening
the
  United
attention, and Puerto Rico and the  stra-
tegic  triangle  figured  prominently  in the
early  planning.  In the  words  of  Brig.
Gen. George V. Strong, chief  of the War
Plans Division
chain."
9
  House
during a hearing on a request  for  funds,
Secretary  of War  Harry  H.  Woodring
and  General Malin Craig, Chief  of  Staff,
outlined their  defense  program.  Like
the  President,  they
  the need  for
they  considered  the  Canal  Zone by far
the  most  important. General
there.
  He
  asked
  for
States,  the Canal  Zone,  and  Hawaii and
$4  million  to  build  the  first  air  base  in
Alaska.
would be needed  to build  technical  facil-
ities and  temporary
requested
Framework  of  Hemisphere
ton,
  1960),
1940  (New
(3)   The  Public Papers  and  Addresses  of  Franklin  D.
Roosevelt,  compiled by Samuel I. Rosenman (New
York:  The  Macmillan  Co., 1938-50),  1939  volume,
pp.
 70-74.
9
GS, 6 May 39, with Incl.  WPD 3807-31.
10
  (1)
 Statement
  of
  Woodring,
  pp.
  1-3;
 (2)
 State-
Affairs,
 
8
CORPS  OF  E N G I N E E R S :  THE WAR AGAINST  JAPAN
Existing  Defenses
the
 Atlantic
posts,
the  Pacific.  Coast artillery  and antiair-
craft  batteries, searchlight positions,  and
supply
on the  Pacific  coast,  50 air
  miles
  south-
Rio  Hato  had  originally  been a private
landing strip,  the property of the owner
of  a nearby resort. The owner
  gradu-
United  States
and, in  1938, for $200 a month.  By 1939
Rio  Hato  had become so important for
defense  that Air Corps commanders in
the  Canal  Zone
  urged  the War
ment  to buy it or  lease  it on a  long-term
basis. In the Hawaiian chain,
 almost
 all
of  Oahu.  Here  were  the two  major
Army  airfields,  Wheeler,  on the  central
plateau, and Hickam, on the southern
shore northwest of  Honolulu.  The
island  was  protected  by  numerous  sea-
coast batteries  near Honolulu  and Pearl
Harbor.  Alaska had no  military  de-
fenses,  the only Army installation in the
Territory being Chilkoot Barracks, some
15  miles  south  of  Skagway.  Army  and
Navy
  planners
 would
ama Canal,  though
signed
  and
  built
 more vul-
  to
view  when he  wrote  on 15
  November
or  carrier based  aviation."
  screen
  of
America.  There was no  such  barrier  in
the  Pacific.  The only islands on  which
defenses  could  be  built  were
  the
  Galá-
pagos,
  Cocos,
National  Defense
 Real
 Estate Activi-
ties  in the  CDC,  1 Jul 46, vol I, p. 1. (2) Preliminary
Study
6 Sep 39-31 Dec 45  (cited  hereafter as Prelim
 Study),
II, 4. EHD Files. (3) Ltr,  Acting SW to the  Presi-
dent, 22 Nov 39. WPD  3512-50.
12
ama) File 3, 1936-41.
  HAWAII,  AND
  1940.  By
  money
War
987  for construction in the  United States
and its outlying  territories. The  Chief
of  Engineers  got  $2,721,960  to  improve
seacoast  defenses, of  which
in Hawaii.
  Dur ing
  the  following
prove
  seacoast
In July the Quartermaster
 and its outlying
first  money to be  allotted  to the War
Department  for
Quartermaster Corps an additional $400,-
000 fo r  the Alaskan
  airfield
from  the Canal  Zone  to Rio  Hato  air-
field.  By 1 September
of
  $132,466,746
had
  received
14
The
  outbreak
fense  appropriations.
  1940, giving
was  earmarked  for  Panama. Nothing
was   given  to the  Engineers.  This  was
the  period  of the  "phony  war." The
conflict
fo r  funds.  On 23  February,  th e  Sub-
committee of the  House  Committee  on
Appropriations began
ment  had  asked  for
stallations  in the  triangle.  Over $12
million was to go for a  second  air base
in  Alaska  at Anchorage  and for the  stor-
age  of gasoline and bombs in the  Ter-
ritory.  In the  report  made  by the Ap-
propriations  Committee to the House
on 3  April,  the War Department's re-
quests for the
to the Senate, the
requested  for Panama were only slightly
curtailed, but those for
 Cong, 1st sess, 26 Apr 39.
(2)  Public
(3) Public Law
Public Law 361,
  Cong,
  3d
  sess,
Cong, 3d sess,  Hearings on the Military
  Establish-
ment  Appropriations  Bill  for 1941, p. 375. (3) Wat-
son,  Chief  of  Staff,  p.  165.  (4) S Subcom  of Com on
Appns,  76th Cong, 3d sess,  Hearings on  House
Report  9209, p. 5.
War  Plans
revise
  Plan
  ORANGE
Munich, the
  itself
Navy  Board
  began  a
struggle with several countries. In
 April
mittee  reported  that
pean axis in hostilities, the United  States
could  not go on the  offensive  in the
Pacific,
ate
  task
strengthen  Hawaii,
proving
  the
a  number  of possible war situations.
These  plans were given  the
  code
  name
  committee  completed
  I—in
  outbreak
The  subsequent  RAINBOW  plans  out-
lined,
mitments
going
department engineer,
ers  from  the  Canal  Zone
  and  Panama.
11th Engineer Combat Regiment, headed
by
main job of the  combat engineers  was
to train  with  the  Canal  Zone's  defense
forces,
help  with  construction.  Hawaii  had
two  engineer organizations. At  Fort
Shatter,
th e  office  of the  department
  engineer,
staff  of  Maj. Gen.  Charles
  D.  Herron,
manded  the  Hawaiian  Division's 3d En-
gineer  Combat  Regiment,  stationed at
Schofield  Barracks on the  central  pla-
teau, the only
  Corps
16
sphere  Defense,  pp.  7-10.  (2) Ray S.  Cline,
  Wash-
UNITED STATES  A R M Y  IN  WORLD  WAR II
(Washington,  1951), pp.  55-57.
  HAWAII,  AND
  building
  flood
mel was district  engineer,  serving under
the
There was no
  as
who  was
North  Pacific  Division  Engineer.  The
defense  of the Territory was the respon-
sibility of Lt. Gen. John L. DeWitt, com-
mander  of the  Fourth Army,  with  head-
quarters  in San  Francisco.
th e  outlying  territories would  pose  diffi-
culties.  There  were
  few resources in
The  Hawaiian  chain,
of  some  6,200  square miles,
  had a popu-
centrated  on the  five  major islands.
Oahu, with the capital city
 of Honolulu,
production of pineapples and sugar
 cane.
number  of  workmen  required  for an
extensive  construction  program  would
The  Canal Zone, a strip of land  10 miles
wide  through  which
  ran the  vital
sected, had no industry to speak of,
  no construction
products, principally brick and tile. Of
the  three  outlying  territories,
one-fifth
United  States,  the Territory  had a scant
75,000  inhabitants. The  almost  com-
plete
  absence
tance,
1940,  the  engineers
prove
fo r  by the
  Much
available  for the  fiscal  year 1940  had to
be spent for  equipment.  "Our dry sea-
son,"  Colonel North
 127; app.  A,
pp.  1-2.  (2) Ltr, North  to C EHD, 19 Jul 57. EHD
Files.  (3)  Hist
Files.
18
  314.7, KCRC.
set for a
equipment  is  here  but w e  must
have  a lot more  money which  I under-
stand  ... is in the War  Department
Act
make  all  antiaircraft  batteries
on the  Pacific.  But up to  this time,  the
War Department had authorized no ad-
ditional construction  at the batteries ex-
cept  the building of more  gun blocks at
fifteen  of the  fixed  sites.  Soon  after  his
arrival, Van  Voorhis  and his  staff
  began
Panamanian  Republic.  If the  Canal
were
fenses would have
  Zone.
20
tional  searchlights,  and  build  aircraft
warning stations. In  view  of the  great
amount
  of
more important  installations,  including
was  engaged  in a
Harbor,
had little to do with
 Alaska.  The  Navy
the  first  construction  fo r  defense  in the
Territory.  With
work on its new air  bases at  Kodiak  and
Sitka  in
  in
preparations to enable work to get under
way   by spring on the air base at Fair-
banks, to be called  Ladd Field.  (Map  2)
In August a  board  of  officers  proposed
that  the War Department  build  several
operating  and emergency  airfields  in
Alaska.  The  Civil Aeronautics Author-
ity
gram of building and  improving
 airfields
pecially interested in the one on Annette
Island at the southern tip of the
  Alaska
of  Yakuta t  at the  northern  end.  With
fields
be able to make  the
  1,500-mile  trip from
safety.
  Early
  Ltr,  North to C Constr Sec Mil Div  OCE, 27
Dec 39.  451.2 pt. 4.
20
  13 Feb 40, on  Ltr,
C  Constr  Sec Mil Div OCE to  Engr  PCD, 1 Feb 40.
660.283 (Panama) File 3, 1936-41.
21
26 Apr 39.  House Subcom of the Com on Appropri-
ations,  76th  Cong.,  1st
Department  Civil  Functions Appns  Bill  for  1940,  p.
61 .  (2) Ltr,  Maj Gen  William  H. Wilson, CG HD,
to
  TAG,
Hawaii  1939-41.
13
directed  to  make  surveys  for the staging
fields  to be  built  by CAA or the  Quar-
termaster  Corps in the
began
  to
  survey
final
  with
"phony
 war."
States, and
(Washington,
  1947)
Navy's  Bases)  I,
  163, 169, 174.
600.1
  (Ladd
Rpt of Bd of
  (Alaska)  1939.
  (4) Ltr,
SW   to Chmn  CAA, 4 Jan 40. WPD   (5) Ltr,
Kingman  to CofAC,  6 Mar 40. 686 (Annette Island,
Alaska) vol. I,
  JAPAN
Congress,
  items
fo r  the  triangle that  it had cut out a few
months
 Corozal
  base,
  El-
for
sum was to be  spent  for  installations  in
Panama  and  $599,686  for  those  in Ha-
waii. Of the sum for  Panama,  $212,193
was  to be used to  improve  fortifications,
$328,100  to  complete  work
batteries,  $236,520  to  build  storage  for
ammunition,  $1,120,000  to buy and in-
stall  searchlights,  and  $1,000,000  to put
in  access  roads.
fenses.  On 19 July  it  passed  the  "Two
Ocean
  Navy
August  it authorized the President to
call
  passed
  the
it enacted
  legislation  authorizing
to be increased  to 1400,000 men.
The  Joint  Board accelerated  work  on
the  RAINBOW plans.  The  fall  of  France
had
  caused
  Atlantic.  D u r -
which  presupposed
  possible operations
in  the
dent Roosevelt
concentrated  on
United
  States
fensive  in the Pacific.
  two-ocean
garded  the  strengthening  of the  Canal
Zone  as more urgent
  antiaircraft
  bat-
the  joint command post
hired  labor  force  trained  in  fortifications
work.  Construction was speeded  up at
Rio  Hato.  During  the summer  part  of
the
the Air Corps, and  some  men  loaned
by  the
heavy  equipment,  which  had to be
shipped  by  sea, since the  road  from  the
Canal
  Zone,
Pan American Highway, would not hold
23
  Public
24
sphere  Defense,  pp.  34-36, 92-93.  (2)  Public  Law
781,
  76th
 
prevailed  from  May  till
  was
 . . .  con-
struction
slow."
 26
the Canal Zone,
 made back  in
map  certain
sible a
of
  Panama.
  Some
would have to be  located  there.  New
defense
  installations
tional  roads.  A big  stumbling  block
was  securing  land
States  authorities wanted in the Repub-
lic  were  to be  secured  by  negotiations
with  the
worked out.  The War Department and
the State Department were making little
progress  in persuading the Panamanian
Government  to  lease  land  for 999 years,
as  American commanders
  in the  Canal
Zone wished.  How
land
  answer
27
April  1939  and  July  1940 Congress  had
appropriated  $1,197,332  for  improving
peacetime
  defense
funds  for  fortifications,  and in  this  he
was  wholeheartedly  supported  by  Col.
Albert K. B. Lyman, who became depart-
ment engineer in  July  1940. Herron
wanted  more  airfields  and  seacoast  bat-
teries, more antiaircraft guns and search-
lights.  He was particularly anxious to
bombproof vital
  planned
against  bombing  and to  relieve  conges-
tion  at Aliamanu  Crater,  the  main  stor-
age  area,  about  one  mile  east  of  Pearl
Harbor.  On 5  July  he appointed a
board  of  officers  to  consider  all  aspects
of  defense  against
military installations about  to begin,  the
need  for more
ing.  They  would  have  to be put in to
25
  Cong,
40. (2) Hist Rcd of the 11th Engrs, 1943.  314.7.
26
  Ltr,  North  to C EHD,  19 Jul 57. EHD Files.
27
CofEngrs,  29 Apr 40. 660.283  (Panama)
 File 3, 1936-
Sec AGO HQ
16
CORPS  OF  E N G I N E E R S :  THE WAR AGAINST  JAPAN
provide  access  to the new observation
posts,  ant ia i rcraf t
  batteries,  seacoast
operations.  The
type of warfare,  troops,  in order  to move
forward
  or
could
  be
  built
eral
Herron  "strongly  recommended" to the
War  Department that a regiment of avia-
tion engineers,  less
Washington  was  that
28
Especially
  critical
had
  made
stations.  The members spent  ten  weeks
surveying
the air and on the  ground.  It was ap-
parent that the configuration of the archi-
pelago  limited construction to a  line
extending generally northwest and  south-
east  from  Oahu.  It  would  be  difficult
to  detect
  The members
would
est  islands  and an information  center  at
Fort  Shafter.  The
  fixed  stations  were
on Kauai.  (Map  3)  On  Oahu,  the  sta-
tion  would  be put on
  steep
Schofield  Barracks,  while
Haleakala .
partment authorized construction, and in
July  Lyman
him  with  the  project. Building  these
stations  would not be  easy,  for the  sites
were  remote  and inaccessible. The  sta-
tion  on Mount  Kaala  would  require  a
cableway  to the summit to bring up  sup-
plies.
the  summer, Lyman
cess  road  to the lower  terminal  of the
cableway to be built  to the top of
 Mount
Kaala.
29
Alaska.  On 10 May the War  Plans  Di-
vision
  had
8
  (1) Rad, Herron  to TAG, 8 Oct 40. WPD 1928-
27 .
Jan 41. WPD
TAG,  15 Nov 40,  basic  unknown.  600-B  Hawaii,
1940-42,  AAF,  Central Files.  (4)  Interstaff
Slip,  Dept  Engr to  CofS  HD, 4 Oct 40.  Engr  AGF
PAC.  (5)
(Hawaii)  106.
PAC,  Sig 676.3. (2) 4th  Ind, TAG to  Herron,  27
Jun 40, on
  to
 CofEngrs,
13
  bases
was  imperative.
  battery
  of
field
  artillery
  be
  sent
the
 Simon
sible to  DeWitt.  The  first  echelon  of
the  garrison, numbering  751, reached
Anchorage on 27 June and  included  the
32d  Engineer Combat  Company  (Sep-
arate)  of 91
Field,  where  they  began
bat
 training.
study of  Alaska's
  strategic  position,  ad-
so  that
without
  rein-
Conn, Rose
 Engelman, and
STATES  A R M Y  IN WORLD WAR II  (Washing-
ton,  1964),
  ch. IX.
  THE WAR  AGAINST  JAPAN
contractors  being employed to build the
naval  bases  be  used  to  build  posts
  for
and  Navy policies with   to Alaskan
defenses.
31
Since
 Alaska
thought
  was
 given
DeWitt was directed  to make a  study of
the
  network
Plans  Division  proposed  for the  Terri-
tory.  Included was an
tions,  three of them to be near  the naval
bases
sible, the
  stations were
  decide
 located.  Colonel
would be responsible for making surveys,
preparing estimates, and constructing the
buildings  for  housing  the  equipment.
After  studies
of  officers,
one
tector stations  should eventually be in-
creased  to 13. In August  General
  Mar-
He was in
and  Anchorage,  but  wanted  the 5
 other
sites
  resurveyed.
  He
inhabited  territory.  Of
  and
of  defense,  the  weakest
 point  in the  line
Anchorage,
trestles,  thus providing  attractive targets
fo r
railroad's  management
  was  considering
six  miles  north  of
  influ-
War Department authorized Colonel Lee
to  investigate and consider three choices:
improving the  line  from  Seward to
Anchorage, constructing
Railroad
off.  While  this  shortened
  miles
31
40. WPD  4297.  (2)
bat) (Sep) While  in
Aug 40. WPD
(2)  Ltr,
  ACofS  WPD to  TAG,  29 May 40. (3)  Note
for  Rcd on Memo, Acting ACofS  for TAG, 9 Dec 40.
(4)  Memo,
3640-6.
 
THE  DEFENSE  TRIANGLE:  P A N A M A ,  HAWAII,  AND
  ALASKA 19
  Anchor-
Canal had an advantage over  Anchorage
in  that  it was ice
  free
  the
recommendation  that  the job be  given
to the Corps of  Engineers.
33
More
  important
Since
thought  CAA would take too  long.
Convinced  that  Annette,  especially,
  recom-
  fact  that
province of the
 commander
building
site
 reservation
Department of the  Interior granted  tem-
porary  use of the  land needed, with
  the
employment
  extensive,
with
long,
  concrete
housing,  and  storage  for  supplies,  gaso-
line,
  and
  oil.
Engineers,
arrived at  Annette three  days  later  and
immediately
 went
 to
 work
additional  funds  for
mental  Defense  Appropriation  Act for
the  fiscal year  1941,
 in the amount of
in a war with Germany, Italy, and
 Japan.
plan,  which  presupposed  such  a  turn  of
events,  had by  fall
  been  worked out in
Fourth
  A r m y  to  Lee, 15 Jul 40. (3) Rpt of
  Passage
 Welling,
  CE, and Mr.
James  G.  Truitt,  c. 29 Jul 40. (4)  Ltr, DeWitt to
TAG,
34
TAG to CofEngrs, 25 Jul 40,  basic  unknown. (3)
Ltr,  Acting  Secy  of the  Interior  to SW, 6 Aug 40.
(4) Ltr,  Dunn  to  Lee,  5 Oct 40. All in 868
  (Annet te
Island, A laska),  1940-41, vol.  I. (5) Maj Gen  George
J.
 Nold,
 Personal
 Account.
  of Hemi-
emphasis
  in
  Washington
  ask-
to a minimum. Largely for  this reason,
the
  Chief
substantial  role  in the
transferring  military  construction  from
neers.  The centralized  system
 depart-
Van  Voorhis'  staff,  handled  fortifications
work, but all other military construction
was   the responsibility of the  constructing
quartermaster, who  reported  directly
with
design and  contractual  matters to his
superiors  in  Washington. General  De-
Witt  was of the  opinion  that  The
Quartermaster  Corps,  although it did
excellent work,
build
Engineers'
  technical
  ability.
37
September   President   bill
neers
Corps.  This authority was to  expire on
30
Secretary
38
  serious
atingly
It  took
  Con-
gress
The War Department had to put detailed
plans  for  building  into  final  form.
Workmen had to be hired and
 organized
cruiting  workers,  the Engineers
shipped  as
over  sites  for installations. To many in
the War  Department,  the  possibility  of
an attack on the triangle seemed remote,
with  th e  need  for  fast  action  not
apparent.
sphere  Defense,
41 .
with  General DeWitt,  10 Apr 57. EHD Files.
38
  ALASKA
21
cess roads.  They made some progress on
Rio Hato.
November,
  the
  11th
Roads Administration,  with  funds  sup-
plied by the Engineers,
set
  Zone's
39
get work started on the  aircraft  warning
stations,  and in
Besides
Canal, where experimental facilities were
already in place, Van
forty-six  searchlight positions,  some  of
the
  latter
  Panama.
  In
addition,
build  a  number  of auxiliary  airdromes
and  landing  fields  in the Republic.  On
11  October  he gave a  list  of the  desired
sites  to the
on 2  October  1940,
the  United  States  about
  tenure
 to
the
  duration
sion
manians and two
formed  Van
  Voorhis that
  it would
and locate the owners. On 30  Decem-
ber Van Voorhis  forwarded  a  list  of the
most urgently
 occupy
  the
lands.
  year,
problem.
41
the panhandle.  The  aviation  engineers
at  Annette were gaining  experience  on
their
men began clearing the  runway  sites.
Such  problems as Major  Nold  had
  were
mainly
  with
39
Schley, 29 Aug 40, sub:  Progress  on Rio  Hato  Road
Panama.  611 Panam a  1940-45.
40
W PD   2674-30.  (2 )  Acquisition  of  Land,
  PCD,  pp .
W PD   2674-31.  (2) Acqu isition of  Land,  PCD, pp.
23-25.
  Metla-
  inform
supplies and that Nold had exceeded his
authority  by  getting  water for his  camp
from  a lake outside  the area set
 aside
  for
to  meet  some of  their  demands. He
hired  some  fifty
at some  distance  from  the soldiers'
bivouac  to
  lessen chances
  of  friction.
pretty  well  and  satisfied  the Indians."
 43
  adequate  source
  Nold's
the
  Indians
Under that organization's regulations,
Nold set out to have the CCC regulations
changed, but without success, at  least not
then.  There
technicians about the inadequate rations
fo r  the
gan to  arrive.  By the end of the year
the dock had  been  finished  and the
camp was nearing
44
On 23 October Capt. Benjamin B. Talley
with Company  B of the 28th  Engineers
and a few civilians arrived  from  Annette.
No CCC labor was desired and
 none
 was
canning, a  local  company leased its
buildings,
year, clearing  for the  runways was
 about
fields  in the  Alaska  panhandle.
45
  Engineers
  to
spring on the  cut-off  for the
 Alaska Rail-
to
  Colonel
  tun-
Railroad  lay the track. On 9 December
the War Plans Division ordered construc-
tion  of  aircraft  warning  stations  at
Kodiak, Sitka,  and  Fairbanks  and an in-
formation center at Anchorage.  DeWitt
now recommended  that one or more
 sta-
  Prince  of
protection  almost  to the  Arctic  Circle,
42
Island, Alaska), 1940-41, vol.
44
pt. I. (2) Ltr,
(2) Ltr,  Dunn
 Semimonthly
Rpt,
86  (Yak utat Airfield), pt. I.
 
  AND  ALASKA
suggestion  under  study.  Preparations
now vitally
sance  flight  and  Company D of the
  29th
located.
only  those  who
roads  and
  trails, since
portant  as  building  new  roads.  Ur-
gently  needed  was a  connecting  link
between Wahiawa on the
supplies moving to the coastal  defenses.
Also  of  great  benefit  would  be  double-
tracking
 part
passes where
  the railroad
such
  projects.
gineers began work
the  aircraft  warning station  on  Mount
Kaala. There were indications that
 build-
ing
  site
atop
Park. Park
but  they were  opposed  to having  struc-
tures  erected  which  would "materially
alter  the natural appearance of the  reser-
vation." They
  recruit  work-
master
large  part  of the  labor  force  in the
Islands.  By  late  1940,  various military
units, such as the Hawaiian  Separate
Coast
Division, were
trails
tional defense
 workers
46
  (1) 1st Ind, TAG to CofEngrs,  30 Oct 40, on Ltr,
DeWitt
 Ltr,  Dunn
  to
  Lee,
7  Dec 40.  Both  in 617 (Alaska). (3)  Note  for Rcd
on Memo,
  Acting  ACofS
WPD  3640-6.  (4)
(Alaska) pt. I.
47
 Incl to Ltr, Talley  to C EHD, 6 Nov 57. EHD
Files.
48
4  Oct 40. (2)
  Engr
Wyman, 7 Nov 40.  Engr  AGF PAC, 676.3. (4) Ltr,
Short  to
Hearings  Before  the  Joint Committee on the Investi-
gation  of the  Pearl Harbor  Attack  (cited hereafter  as
Pearl  Harbor Hearings,  79th  Cong, 1st  sess,  pt. 30,
pp.  3005-3006).  (5)
Engr AGF PAC, 611.
eration,  because
  of the
minister  a  large
  number  of  workmen.
construction  firms  under  lump-sum  con-
tracts.  This  would  mean  advertising
  the
and
  giving
tractor  to  finish  the job within  the  speci-
fied  time.
struction  firm  under  a  cost-plus-a-fixed-
fee  contract.  This  type
 especially when
and specifications.  Congress had  first au-
thorized  its use in  August  1939 for con-
struction in Panama and Alaska.  In July
1940  Congress  approved  its use
  without
the new  arrangement,  the War  Depart-
ment selected a  firm  it  considered quali-
fied  and  negotiated  an  agreement.  Ad-
vertising, receiving bids, and awarding
the job to the  lowest
  responsible  bidder
  arrangement—were eliminated.
To  qual i fy for the new type of contract a
firm
  work.
by  the  Advisory  Commission to the
Council of National  Defense.  The con-
tractor
  furnished
  his
  organization
  and
his
 know-how
pected
additional equipment,  which  it
a  fee,  the  amount  of
  which
  which
mates
  were
in  peacetime.  In
use.
49
In
cussed  ways  and  means of  accomplishing
construction  with Col.  Warren
to the
general, Hannum
posed  to  using  cost-plus-a-fixed-fee  con-
tracts.  But in view of the  fact  that  the
Navy was  using this type  of  agreement
extensively in the Islands and
 since
  there
fications,  negotiating  a  cost-plus-a-fixed-
49
 Remington,
Military
manuscript  in
contractors, Wyman could  find  none
  in
man
  that
  he
  come
Rohl-Connolly Company, the W. E.
Callahan Construction
  Company, and
Gunther  &  Shirley
  Company. Rohl-
  Engineers
  and
other
among
  them
Parker, Arizona.
  Engineers,
visory Commission  to the  Council  of
National  Defense,
with the  three  firms,  who formed  a
 joint
ing
making additions to the  radio  station at
Fort
The
  Hawaiian
  Constructors
  would
  re-
  from
would
  be
  responsible
of  the engineer  in charge of the  field  area
in
  which
gineer
  supply
job  sites, for
would  be to recruit  workers  in the
United States  to build up a
 construction
construction  for the Army  from  the
Quartermaster Corps  to the Corps of En-
gineers,  discussions  began  in the War
Department
  about
  trans-
Air Corps was  transferred  to the En-
gineers, except
  in the
Air  Corps
sion  of  responsibility
  would  have  been
  the
while in the  triangle,  the  first  ones were
scheduled  for  transfer  early  in  1941.
Military  commanders in Hawaii and
Alaska  believed the  transfer  did not go
far  enough.  On 16  December,
  General
DeWitt
two parts  of the  Anchorage
 construction
. . .  are
efficient  and  expeditious  job  cannot  be
done,  if  both  the  Quartermaster
  Corps
50
  (1)
  Pearl
mony
  1 0 6 0 f f .
(3)  Ltr, Asst  Dept  IG to CG HD, 4 Nov 41.  Engr
AGF
to CG CPA,  14 Mar 44.  Engr  AGF  PAC, Contracts,
160, vol. I.
 Herron
Islands  transferred  to the Engineers,
radioing  the War  Department  on 6 De-
cember  1940
work would mean duplication  of organi-
zation
ing quartermaster's  entire  organization,
Hawaii was "not favorably
added  to
  their responsibilities
51
in the  United States.  (2)  Memo,  CofS  for SW, 1
Apr 41.  G-4/31324.  (3)  Ltr,
 DeWitt
  40. (4) Rad, Herron  to  TAG, 6 Dec 40. (5)
DCofS
  G-4 to  TAG, 31 Dec 40. Last  three  in AG
600.12
  (11-19-40)
The  first  months
pointed
  to
ican  and  British military  and naval
planners, meeting  in  Washington  from
late  January  through  March  to  assign
areas
  of
  responsibility
egy,  agreed
  that the
if  it was drawn  into the  war.  In a strategy
at  first  defensive,  American  forces  would
attempt
  to
  hold
  South
America.
sending
 Britain
virtually  a  belligerent.  A  month later,
Russia  and  Japan signed  a  5-year  neu-
trality  pact.
after Germany invaded  the Soviet Union
on 22 June. With  the USSR engaged  in a
desperate struggle  in
sively
posts anxiety
January  Secretary  of the  Navy  Frank
Knox
Stimson of his
  dissatisfaction  with  the
Islands;  he was  especially  apprehensive
over  the possibility of an  attack  by  car-
rier planes.
the  urgency  of preparing  a  co-ordinated
defense, reassured Knox that Hawaii was
"the  best
  con-
all  defense
to
construction
fense  work,  stated
might
post, he  informed
  General  Marshall re-
1
 Conn
Defense,  pp.  98-99,  101.  William  L.  Langer  and S.
Everett
  Gleason,
2
3
  3583-1.
4
106.
ing the  Islands.  He  hoped  to
  build
  roads
  and
  trails.
ibbean  Defense  Command—was  estab-
lished  in February  under  General Van
Voorhis,
  who
press  fo r
He
  wanted
aircraft
stressed
Island in the  Aleutians
take a  strong interest  in CAA's plans for
a  network  of  airfields  in the
  Territory.
preparations,  DeWitt  made repeated at-
tempts  to have construction  of the  fields
of  military  value
took over construction for the Air  Corps
in Hawaii and  Alaska.  In
  Hawaii,
  the
on 1 January  he had a  fund  of $18 mil-
lion  for such  work.  Most
  of the  con-
projects
of  approximately
age for
doubtedly soon be necessary.
  recom-
G-4 on 4 January directed the Engineers
to  take  over
later.
  Ladd,
 be-
ing
  worked
tel, McCone, and Parsons, was 80 percent
finished.  For  better  supervision of the
engineers' growing
  office  at
ferred  from  the  28th  Engineers  at
Yakutat.
expect
  an
plies  and mounting transportation  prob-
lems.  In  addition,
  1st
 DeWitt
Kennedy  and Maj  Frank  M.  Paul,  AC, 3 Jan 41.
68 6  (Airfields)  pt. 2,  Serials  81-200.  (2) 2d
  Ind,
29
Panama
in January, a great push  forward  in  con-
struction
  in
  Panama
  was
 possible.
  But
it
  held
  back
by
of  land.  On 5 March, the Panamanian
Government stated it would be
 willing
 to
turn
  sites
 Army,
  pro-
vided
the
  States  occupy
final
 airfields
7
the War Department  directed  General
Schley  to
structing  quartermaster in Panama to
finance  work  on the new
  fields.
  Van
pointed  out
  full  schedule
gineer troops  and the
Panama, so that assigning the jobs to the
quartermaster would  seem
B.  Somervell,  Chief,  Construction
eral,
  agreed
the Engineers and have them do the jobs.
Two companies of the  11th Engineers
were  assigned  to the  fields.  In  March
the 805th  Engineer  Aviation  Company
  to  help with
United
engineer  was  taken  in May by the  com-
mander  of the
  11th Engineers, Colonel
few
labor  was almost  exhausted,  Young
planned to recruit additional  workmen
and  purchase large quantities  of  equip-
ment and supplies in the United
  States.
of  surfacing
were  under
cently
  season  would
Somervell  to  CofEngrs,  12 Dec 40,  basic  u n k n o w n .
Engr  AGF  PAC,  QM  600.1  C-C  (Hawaii).  (3) Ltr,
SPD
  Engr
  to  CofEngrs,  7 Dec 40.  Engr  AGF  PAC.
(4)  Ltr, Acting  Asst  CofS  G-4 to  TQMG,  7 Jan 41.
G4/30436-13.  (5) Lt Col
Rpt of Alaska  Constr  1941-44,  pp. 12, 441.  C  12027,
KCRC.
7
Conn,  Engelman,  and
WPD for
Voorhis  to  TAG, 12 Apr 41.  Last  two in WPD
2674-34.
8
  (1)
  Memo,
  Engineering
  (Panama)
C Fortification  Sec OCE for  CofEngrs,  25 Apr 41.
Both in 686 (Panama)  1940-41.  (3) Prelim  Study,  I,
 
MAP 4
begin any
the United  States  were not expected for
some  time.  In  May,  Andrews
  put the
fact  that
ting  proper  training  as
strips
  were
ways  sufficiently  graded  to  allow  planes
to land. Two  auxiliary
gency strips developed  into auxiliary
 air-
the original plans had not  specified hard-
surfacing.  The
  engineers experimented
aircraft
  warning
at
 Almirante,
 hard  to
 by plane or
31
sites
  Van
ing the  system  further.  The  local  joint
board  wanted  five  more stations in  Pan-
ama,
  and
  proposed
th e  summer  an   fall  of  1941 despite  th e
downpours
tional  handicaps
the  "lack  of  money,  of  authority,  and of
certain equipment  for  special
acquisition of
  land continued
  the
worked
transfer of  tracts.  In  July  two U. S.-
Panamanian
  boards
other
well,  and by  late  August the additional
tracts which Van  Voorhis  had  requested
late in April had
 been  surveyed and  Pan-
ama  had authorized their
  Canal
for  airfields.  Tracts  needed
as  enough  men and materials were on
hand to make occupation practicable.
Negotiations  for a permanent settlement
of  the  leasing
authorities or the
  despite
the demands of the Air  Corps. Planning
to
Andrews wanted  more  of the  emergency
  strips converted
ing of the
rainy
  season
  wore
stitute
  for
  asphalt
improvement  agreed  to by
Chorrera and the two at La
  Joya,  into
fo r  the runways.
tors,
the quartermaster in Panama, would
probably have  to be  employed.  More
money  was  requested  but the War De-
partment did not want to ask Congress
for  additional  sums until more land had
9
  (1 )  Prelim  Study,  II ,  9-12,  2 3 0 f f .  (2 ) Note  fo r
Rcd on  Memo,  WPD for C AAF, 24 Sep 41. WPD
4186-17.
10
11
Conn,  Engelman,
  Gleason,  Un-
32
CORPS
  OF  E N G I N E E R S :  THE WAR
  AGAINST
  JAPAN
projects, hoping  that  he  would  later be
reimbursed.  Improvements  of  airfields
construction
  at
  Chame
  was
Chorrera
  warning
stations
  entry
stations on the  Pacific  side, General Van
Voorhis pressed for the completion of all
seven stations.  Colonel Young believed
there were
work  on  what  he  called  the  "elaborate
barracks"  at the stations until  essential
apparatus  had been  installed.  The
other
ress  on  such  important  installations as
searchlights and
  antiaircraft  batteries.
porting men and  supplies  to the remote
sites,  one of the  prime  causes  of  delay.
As  recommended  by the  local joint
board,  early  in  September  Van Voorhis
asked  Washington to approve  construc-
tion  of several  more  stations in Panama
and in
  devote
with  a  suggestion  made  in the  spring of
1941  by  Col.
  he  prepared
of
se t
because  the river did not  present  a
straight  line  or  follow  the  contours  of
the Canal. The  third,
by the  Chemical
Van  Voorhis  and  proved  as insistent as
his predecessor
ages of workmen  and  equipment.  On 1
July Colonel
  th e
tion.  On 16 July,  Young  received
mission
 a
 week.
  In
Contractors working
  for the
Prelim  Study,  II, pp.  12-14.  (3)  Memo,  C  Constr
Sec
 Pan
  Engr
CDC 686  (Airfield  Facilities, Pan).
13
  II,  232-34.  (2) Note  for Rcd
on  Ltr, WPD to C AAF, 24 Sep 41. WPD  4186-17.
14
  (1)
 
fied  with
  the 56-hours-a-week
others  as
been
  possible
  except
extend  the  work  week.
  As  part  of an
for
fo r  additional  machinery.
providing housing,
 and getting
 m aterials.
pushed  with the  beginning  of the dry
season  in
  January. Late
and in the
  following  months  additional
difficulty  arose  in  October  when, in a
coup d'etat, President Arias was replaced
by
th e  change  of
was  stalemated  again.
winter, the  tempo  of  work  in
  Alaska
quickened.
raised  from  7,300  men to  over  18,500.
In May
engineer  construction  battalion  be  sent
to  Fort
gineers,  who had  more than  enough to
do in working on  facilities  for  their
camp, improving roads, and engaging in
combat
prepare
ing
  garrison.
  By
  early
  May
  Col.
 Rich-
ard
fo r
  th e
housing
tion, except  at the  naval
  stations,  where
Colonel Dunn  received
airfields
  and
  naval
arrived
  in
  Alaska
ardson Highway, and a number of major
routes regularly  flown  by
  (1)  Watson ,  Chief  of  Staff,  pp.  462-65.  (2) 1st
Ind,  6 Aug 41, on  Ltr, TAG to  OCE, 29 Jul 41.
600.1  (Pan 1941-45)  pt. 3. (3) Ltr, OCE to SW , 15
Oct 41,
2250,
sition of Land, PCD,  p. 40.
16
  (1)
  in  Alaska.
(3)  Ltr, Park  to  Schley,  8 May 41. (4)  Memo,  G-4
for  TAG, 18 Apr 41.  Last  two in  600.1 (Alaska)
May
 40-Oct  41. (5) Ltr, DeWitt  to  TAG,  12 Feb 41.
061.01  (Alaska)  pt. 1. (6)
 List
 of
 Units
Railroad.
17
tion
he had  received and  found  that the lower
one was about  35  percent above  the en-
gineers'  estimate
  bidders,
ing to
and
ing  defense  construction.
 delay,
The job was to begin in July.
19
General DeWitt again advocated  that  the
work
  be
  turned
airdromes in the  Territory  suitable  for
military
were
Witt recommended that the War Depart-
ment
but did agree that the CAA  program
should  be
M a n y
Engineers to do the work because  they
questioned whether  the  runways  and
facilities
quate for Army planes.  Countering this
view,  CAA assured the War Department
tha t  the  facilities  and  runways would be
adequate
 and
th e
before
spring had  come, construction  could  be
expedited.
fields  had
others  would
suaded
ment decided not to press the matter, and
by the end of June CAA had let contracts
for  four  additional  fields.
Alaska
  he
The  ones  at  Anchorage  and  Fairbanks,
begun early by the Quartermaster Corps,
were
to, or  Scheduled  fo r  Alaska,  28 Mar 41. WPD
4464-9.
17
 (Alaska).
19
  (1)  Ltr , DeWitt  to  TAG, 1 May 41.  600.1
(Alaska)  pt. I. (2) Ltr, DeWitt  to  TAG,  1 May 41.
600.1  (Alaska)  May  40-Oct  41. (3) DF, WPD to
Spec  Staff,  Army  Avn,
 19 Jun 41. WPD  4503.  (4)
Memo,  WPD for  G-4,  22 May 41. (5)  Ltr, Park  to
CofEngrs,  24 Jun 41.  Last  two in  600.1  (Alaska)
pt. I.
35
"properly
of  500 men were  nearly  finished  and it
was  planned  to  transfer  many  of the
workmen
a start would soon be made on hangars
and
  storage
gency
whole,  progress  was not as marked  as at
Yakutat. An  obstacle  was the muskeg,
a
encountered
 April
ington
After  reviewing progress  of the work to
date  and  estimating  the  number  of
troops  and  civilians
regular  runways  would  be
temporary
risons, which  had  been  given  priority by
th e  Navy  over
some  troops  were already  housed.  On
the whole, DeWitt was
construction  in both
Navy  base
Fighter  planes  could  not  safely  fly the
600 miles  from  Kodiak,  th e nearest  field,
because
  the
  distance
 naval
 argued
in the Aleutians without approval by the
Joint
other  hand,  pressed  for the  building
of
  an
armies  into  the  USSR  during  the  sum-
mer  focused
ment  feared  that
Bering  Strait.
the War Department increased the au-
thorized strength of the Alaskan garrison
from
Army posts  at the
DeWitt that he
  mili-
21
  (1)  Excerpts  of Ltr  from  DeWitt  to  Marshal l ,
4  Jun 41.  600.1 (Alaska)  pt. I. (2)  Ltr ,  Nold to
C   EHD,  7 Aug 57. EHD
  Files.
22
  (1)  Ibid.  (2) Ltr, Marshall  to  Stark,  19 Aug 41.
WPD
  4503-3.
  (3)
  Memo,
  JAPAN
Naval
Territory.
23
  "Actual
  pressure,"
  Talley
4th of July  1941,
  from
and  Alaska was psychologically and  men-
tally prepared
diately  after  4  July, began building  tac-
tical  roads  and
Engineer  Aviation  Battalion  was
cially
men
one of the  runways  ready
  by the end of
During  August and
 Combat
other
had  encountered  no
snow."  Talley  observed,  "and
per  se.
making
  progress.
  By
 midsummer,
  run-
ational.  Ladd
  was a
ing for 560  officers  and  men.  Elmendorf
was  the  largest  military  base under  con-
struction  in the Territory.  In
  July
  the
plies
bing  the  right  of
tunnel at the eastern end of the line. In
September  the Seattle District advertised
fo r  bids  for the construction  of a
 dock
 at
work
ing
  stations
  which
  457.
WPD  4297-1.  (3)  Memo,  WPD for  TAG,  9 Jul 41.
WPD  3512-120.
  Ltr, Talley to C  EHD, 6 Nov 57. EHD  Files.
23
KCRC.  (2 ) Ltr ,  DeWitt  to  Park,  30 Jul 41. 686
(Annet te
June
  Regiment  as
  regiment
  802d Engineer  Aviation
Battalion and the
27
  Buell  Snyder,
  Seattle  Engr
  Rpt of
Seattle
  Engr
 
37
Many
 projects
mer,
tion on the storage  tanks for reserve gaso-
  Work  had been
million gallons was to be  provided  in
Alaska,  over  four  million  of it  near  An-
chorage, but no  final  decision had
  been
made
  regarding
various  airfields,  with maximum  disper-
sion  and
the  Alaska  Peninsula and in the  Aleu-
tians.  In  July, DeWitt  suggested
  put-
at Cold Bay, the
peninsula. He
ties  than  those
ing would be
  for
  Pen-
insula.
construct  an  airfield  on Umnak. The
Joint
  Board
  postponed
first