The Black soldiers who built the Alaska highway : a history of four U.S. Army regiments in the north, 1942-1943 / John Virtue ; foreword by Monte Irvin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Virtue, John.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Army.

History.

Alaska Highway--History--20th century.

Alaska Highway.

United States. Army--African American troops--History--20th century.

United States.

African American soldiers--Alaska--History--20th century.

African American soldiers.

World War, 1939-1945--Regimental histories--United States.

World War, 1939-1945.

Physical Description:

vii, 220 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, [2012]

Summary:

"This is the first detailed account of the 5,000 black troops who were reluctantly sent north by the U.S. Army during World War II to help build the Alaska Highway and install the companion Canol pipeline. Theirs were the first black regiments deployed outside the 48 states during the war"--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction

Pondering a pathway to Alaska

Highway and pipeline approved

The second emancipation order

Blacks rush to enlist

Black soldiers voice their complaints

Army reluctantly assigns Black regiments

Heading north

Japanese attack justifies the Alcan highway

The 93rd and the 95th start off with picks and shovels

The 97th completes the highway

The 388th does the heavy lifting

An unexpectedly severe winter

Surviving isolation

The highway is praised, the pipeline criticized

Identifying problems

News coverage of Black troops suppressed

Epilogue.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780786471171

0786471174

OCLC:

794708258