Ordinary Men Build A Legendary Road
Black Engineers & The ALCAN Highway
African American, Company B, Alaska Highway. Born: 15 August 1907, Ruston, Lincoln, Louisiana. Died: 12 December 1975, Choudrant, Lincoln, LA. Enlisted: 12 April 1941 at Jacksonville Army Air Field, Florida and discharged 22 November 1945. Education: grammar school. Civil occupation: janitor/sexton. His father was Pierce Albritton (1867-1934) and his mother was Charity Coleman (1869-1915). He…
The Quartermaster provided food, clothes, shoes, mosquito nets, parkas, washing machines, tools, trucks, tires and toilet paper – you name it and they supplied it.
Colonel Johnson, 93rd commander, wanted a Post Exchange at each of the company headquarters. He appointed Lt. Donald Schmitt 93rd regimental PX Officer, because Schmitt had taken bookkeeping in high school. Schmitt ran seven PX’s spread over 400 miles of the Highway.
Capt. George Egge, “Smitty’s” boss, had an even bigger job. Egge was in charge of ordering and delivering materiel to seven full companies spread out along the highway.
A small bay about seven to ten miles south of the Nisutlin Bay provided a relatively permanent location for the 93rd Engineers Motor Pool, relocated from Jakes Corner to get closer to the action. Equipment and supplies from Whitehorse came by sternwheeler down Teslin Lake to Morley Bay
Teslin Lake is 78 miles long and about 3 miles wide. While the road that would access Morley Bay was under construction, sternwheelers pushed barges loaded with supplies and equipment for the road builders up the Lake to Morley Bay.
During its initial foray into the Yukon, the 93rd centered its activities around a forested area ten miles from Tagish. For a short time they located the Motor Pool there and it became what it is today, the spot on the map named Jakes Corner. The name came from Lt. Cleve R. Jacobsen an electrical engineer from Tennessee.
A “spot in the road”, Carcross housed 100 Tlingit Natives, the Watson Trading post, a railroad depot, and Caribou Hotel and Bar. Over 10,000 soldiers would pass through their little village on their way to build the highway. In May of 1942, 1200 segegated soldiers of the 93rd arrived. The first white man that ten year old Millie Jones had ever seen was black. By mid-June, most of the 93rd was gone. One hundred and thirty troops remained to guard the bridge and help unload equipment at the depot. The 340th, a white battalion, passed through on their way to Teslin River.
The 340th second battalion, over 800 men, left Skagway for Carcross and began their march to Teslin River. With limited heavy equipment they were ferried across Tagish River to continue marching past the 93rd Motor Pool at Jakes Corner.
A city of 600 souls swelled to 3,600 in April of 1942 when the US Army and the 93rd Engineers occupied their harbor, buildings and airfield for the Alaska Highway Project. The origin of the path from the sea to the interior and central portion of the Alaska Highway Project, Skagway became a major military troop and supply transport center.
African American, H&S Company, Alaska Highway, Medical Detachment. He was the 93rd Post Office clerk at Carcross, Yukon. Born: 23 March 1914, Bastrop, Moorehouse, LA. Died: 23 March 1968, Detroit, Wayne, MI. Enlisted: 16 Apr 1941, Jacksonville Army Air Field, FL. Education: four years college. Occupation: Teacher at a public school. His father was Robert Jordan Whitlow (1890-1957), laborer…
African American, Alaska Highway, H&S Company, Motor Pool. Born: 22 July 1909, Port Gibson, Claiborne, Mississippi. Died: 16 November 1973, Tacoma, Pierce, Washington. Lived in Issaquena County, MS. Enlisted 14 Apr 1941, Camp Shelby, Mississippi and discharged 20 September 1945. Civilian Occupation: auto mechanic, repairman. Education: grammar school. He married Ruth Olevia Meacham (1915-1980) on 28 June…