World War II in the North

The Yukon Field Force, 1898-1900
In 1898, a force of 203 volunteers from the Permanent Militia was sent to the Yukon to assist the North West Mounted Police in maintaining law and order.

Buffalo Soldiers in Skagway
Company L of the 24th Infantry Regiment, comprised of African-American men, was ordered to proceed to Alaska from their garrison at the Presidio of San Francisco in 1899.

24th Infantry, United States Army in Skagway, Alaska - 1900
A history of the 24th Infantry published in the Skagway Daily Alaskan of January 1, 1900, with a listing of the members of the unit.

The start of World War I
Almost the entire front page of The Weekly Star (Whitehorse, Y.T.) of Friday, August 7, 1914, was taken up in reporting on the 'Greatest General War in World's History.'

1944 ads
Ten ads in the January 1944 edition of Sports Afield, for a wide variety of products, show support for the war effort.

Exercise Sweetbriar and A.P.O. 949
An illustrated history of the only post-World War II United States Army Post Office (A.P.O.) to operate in the Yukon (during Exercise Sweetbriar in 1950).

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline
Supplying fuel to military bases in Alaska has always been a problem. This pipeline operated from 1955 until 1973.

Problems with DEW Line freight hauls, March 1956
A lengthy article from The Whitehorse Star of Thursday, March 8, 1956, describes Canadian operators being shut out of these lucrative contracts in the Yukon.

Alaska Veterans Memorial
At Mile 147.2 of the George Parks Highway between Anchorage and Fairbanks is a memorial that is beautifully designed to complement its setting, which is itself an important part of the memorial's statement.

Annette Island, Alaska
From the site of a peaceful Christian comunity to a crucial military airbase, Annette Island's history has seen extremes.

The Arctic's Military Legacy
From "Arctic Circle," a series of lengthy articles on military abuses in the Arctic, mainly focussing on Alaska.

Canada and the United States in the Arctic
A lengthy article by Oran R. Young looks at the conflicting views of these countries in terms of security and sovereignty issues.

Combat Engineering in Cold Climates
From the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, a series of fact sheets.

Contaminated Sites in the Northwest Territories
Status reports on the 11 most critical sites, 9 closed mines and 2 former military sites.

Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
This large site has lots of information on the base, both historic and current.

Fort Wainwright, Alaska
This former Army Air Corps base at Fairbanks was the primary destination for aircraft using the Northwest Staging Route to Alaska or Russia.

Gerstle River Test Site
A lengthy report by the U.S. Army on possible contamination at this Alaskan site by chemical, biological, and radiological material.

40 Years of Ecological Terrorism in Alaska
Pristine Alaska wilderness? Look what the US military is doing there!

DEW Line History
A history of the Distant Early Warning Radar Line by Lynden T. (Bucky) Harris.

Canadian Rangers
There are 1300 Northern residents currently serving in this Canadian Army Reserve unit.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
The official NATO site provides the full text of significant reports and legislation throughout the organization's history.