Foreword
Contributions of the Corps of Engineers to victory in war, and to our
country's peacetime history, are well known 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
Japan
to fit it
HAL C. PATTISON
The Author
Karl C. Dod received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Illinois
and has
taught history
Montana State College.
During World War II he worked with the U.S. Civil Service Commission
and as historian with the Historical Division in the Office of the Chief of
Engineers,
and
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
Division
and has been a staff member ever since. He is coauthor of Volume
I, Engineers in Theater Operations,
and
author
of
Volume
tions, Troops, and Training, in the series "Engineers of the
Southwest
Preface
This volume covers Engineer operations in support of the U.S. Army
in the war against Japan. The story begins with the defense build-up in
1939 and ends with the Japanese surrender
aboard
extended from
Australia,
not only to depict various
types of Engineer operations but also to indicate how Engineer work helped
implement
tion in the
combat and service missions wi th in a given theater.
Above all, the author has attempted to indicate the many problems that
had to be resolved—problems stemming from terrain and climate, from the
inadequacy
of
organizational
Engineer
mission
could be successfully accomplished.
I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to present and former colleagues
in the Historical Division who helped in the preparation of this book. Dr.
Jesse A. Remington, Director of the Historical Division,
gave 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
Latt did the initial research on the engineers in Panama
and Alaska. I am indebted to a
large number
Engineer officers who were
participants in the war against Japan and who reviewed portions of the
manuscript and provided additional information and also pointed out
errors
of fact; the names of nearly all of them are recorded in the volume.
In this connection
C.E., Maj. Gen. Hugh J. Casey
(Ret.), Maj. Gen.
Gen. Bernard L. (Ret.), 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
Mrs. Caroline
Moore and Mrs. Lois Aldridge of the World War II Ref-
erence Branch, Office
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
members
Military
History, especially to Dr. Stetson Conn, Chief Historian, and to Dr. John
Miller, jr.,
valuable sug-
gestions fo r improving the manuscript. M r. David Jaffé was
responsible
Bacon, Chief of the
of
the photographs.
index.
Early War Plans and the Corps of
Engineers. ............... 3
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
III. THE
Bataan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 5
IV. BUILD-UP IN THE SOUTHWEST
PACIFIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Toward a More Aggressive Strategy......................... 128
Preparing for the Offensive ................................ 153
V . FIRST OFFENSIVES: THE SOLOMONS AND
PAPUA
. . . . . . . 160
Strengthening
the
Guinea ........................ 173
Engineers in
Comba t.....................................
Logistic Support. . . . . . . .
xi
Strengthening Alaska's Defenses
T he Engineers Organize for War. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Protection
Against
Air
Change in O rgan iza tion ................................... 360
I X . AFTER MIDWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 6 5
Work on Defensive
404
1943-JAN-
QUADRANT
Directs a n All-out E f f o r t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2 6
T he All-out Effort Continues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442
The CBI Is Cut Back..................................... 463
XII. THE DRIVE ACROSS THE CENTRAL PACIFIC. . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
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
XIV.
RETURN TO THE P H I L I P P I N E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570
Leyte andMindoro....................................... 570
xii
XV. THE FINAL MONTHS OF THE W A R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625
Destruction of the Japanese in the
Philippines
and
Okinawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4 0
1942-1 OCTOBER 1 9 4 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 8 4
B. TYPES
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 0 5
Maps
No.
1.
2 . Alaska,
1940. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5 . Philippine I s l a n d s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
6 . Bataan, 1942 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
1 08
8. Pacific Ocean Areas, 1 August 1 9 4 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
9 . Papua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 3
10.
xiii
13.
Airfields
Australia
fo r th e United States Army up to 31 December
1 9 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
14 . Facilities Other
monwealth
of
Australia
up to 31 Decem-
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 1
15. Alaska and Western Canada, 1 9 4 2 - 4 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
16. Aleutian Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
19. Makin A t o l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
20. The China-Burma-India Theater, December 1 9 4 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
2 1 . China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 1
22. T h e Ledo
Road.
Kwajalein Island. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 7 7
24 . South Marianas and S a i p a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494
25. Guam, 1945 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 7 . Hollandia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2 8
28. The Southern Philippines, 1 9 4 4 - 4 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
574
July 1 9 4 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 667
33. Planned Attack
676
Illustrations
Brig. Gen. Eugene R e y b o l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
46
Maj. Gen.
Hugh J. Casey and Brig. Gen. Leif J. Sverdrup . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
An Australian Road
142
The
Port Moresby C a u s e w a y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Buna Area Adjacent to Simemi Creek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
43d Engineers at Dobodura
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
A Section of the Oro
Bay-Dobodura Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Base B Area, O ro B a y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Engineers Dressed
for -37° F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Digging O u t T u n d r a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 9 4
Constructing
a
Pacific
Brig. Gen.
Skagway
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 . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8 4
A
Stringing
Footbridge and
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 0 5
Floating Ponton Pier, S a i p a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512
Engineers of the 1881st With Full
Jungle
Dispensary n Native-Type Building, Milne
Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Liberty Docks, 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 on the
River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1 6
Pit,Caballo I s l a n d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 622
Fort Drum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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
Airfield Construction,
Iw o
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,
Establishment,
been assigned
defenses in Panama, Alaska,
from
the
Arctic
urgent projects. Plagued by shortages
of men and
when
bulwark on many fronts, the engineers
were engaged in the vital mission of cre-
ating an organization and developing
equipment that would enable them to
carry out their many duties
on the battle-
case
war
atively
build-up began.
of an effort gradually getting under way
from small beginnings and destined
eventually to assume tremendous pro-
portions.
Corps
of
Engineers
broke
out.
The
mandated
growing and the low state of
American
armaments,
for 1946, the War Department General
Staff concluded that the United States
should
not
attempt
1) The last
sumed that after a period of strained
relations, Japan would attack without
 
MAP 1
lihood seize Guam and the Philippines.
Enemy forces could be expected to make
raids
on
Canal
might
be
wrecked
by
sabotage
or
by
naval
the Pacific coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and the
Canal, while two more would be in re-
serve. Since it was assumed the Philip-
pines would soon be
the
Navy,
with
toward Japan. Once bases had been es-
tablished in the western Pacific, the time
would be at hand to begin the
attack
on
was contemplated for a conflict of such
magnitude. The
Army's strategic
1
(1)
(2) Louis Morton, "American and Allied Strategy in
the Far
No. 9,
Watson,
UNITED STATES A R M Y IN WORLD WAR II
(Washington, 1950), pp. 415, 453-54. (4) Joint Army
an d
Reg Doc 223.
HAWAII,
AND
ALASKA
5
nies would
Two general service regiments, 7 sepa-
rate labor battalions,
water sup-
areas. An
be
formed.
3
Corps of Engineers, like the rest of the
Army, would not
183,455. There were but ten engineer
units—7 combat
regiments, 2 of
could be
service regiment, in
called into fed-
Engineer Reserve officers available fo r
4
quate to deal with the manifold respon-
sibilities which the Corps of Engineers,
both a combat arm and a supply service,
would have to discharge in the
course
of
of that enormous area
cut through barbed wire entanglements,
reduce fortifications, and build and re-
pair
roads
to
enable
in g enemy offensives,
ing mines, destroying
times fighting as infantry. Behind th e
fighting
fronts
missions—to build fortifications, con-
struct airfields, camps, hospitals, ware-
houses, roads, and ports; operate light,
power, and water
necessary
supplies.
6
sive
2
of engi-
3
4
OCE, A n n u a l Rpt Covering Mil Activities of the
CE for FY Ending 30 Jun 38, pp. 3, 4, 10, 12, 13.
5
an d operation
Corps in November 1942. Chester
Wardlow, The Transportation Corps: Responsibili-
ties, Organization,
STATES A R M Y IN WORLD WAR II (Washington,
1951),
its World
War II
UNITED STATES A R M Y IN WORLD WAR II
(Washington,
in time of war,
since the United States no longer had to
defend its land frontiers, meant almost
exclusively seacoast defenses.
storage
space
for
early 1930's, the term came to include
searchlight positions and antiaircraft em-
placements and,by the
late 1930's, air-
fo r the Army in peacetime other than
fortifications
was
charged
Maj.
in Washington in 1938. One of his prin-
cipal tasks was to organize and train
engineer
units
Kingman, head of the
The troops, for the most part, received
only on-the-job
teen
specialized
developed and tested
construction.
Congress had
provement
flood control. To perform this civil
work and to build
tricts, staffed
der the general direction
of the Chief of
Brig. Gen. Max C. Tyler, head of the
Civil Works Division of General Schley's
office. At that time the Corps was at
work on about 1,000 rivers and harbors
projects and about 400 flood control proj-
ects in the United
7
The
districts afforded Engineer officers valu-
able experience which would stand them
in good stead in time of war. What is
more, a construction organization was
already at
Pacific
Outposts
against
7
Ending
Tabs
1926-41,
p. 24. EHD Files. (3) Annual Rpt OCE, 1938, p. 1.
(4) Incl,
6 Jun 55.
7
on the policies of the administration in
Washington,
appropria-
larger
go to The Quartermaster General. In
a period of strained relations likely to
precede the outbreak of war with Japan,
it could be expected that one of the first
tasks assigned the Corps would be the
strengthening of seacoast defenses
Far East indicated that a
major defense
cated that
hemisphere. Addressing Congress in
spent by 30
the continental
prove seacoast defenses in the Canal
Zone,
Hawaii,
a strategy of hemisphere defense
along
trated almost
entirely on
ritories. The
early planning. In the words of Brig.
Gen. George V. Strong, chief of the War
Plans Division of the
chain."
9
House
Secretary of War Harry H. Woodring
and General
the President, they stressed the need for
air power. Of the outlying territories,
they considered the Canal Zone by far
the most important. General Craig
wanted
$23
million
for
work
strengthen coastal defenses in the United
States, the Canal Zone, and Hawaii and
$4 million to build the first air base in
Alaska. An unspecified but modest sum
would
ities and temporary
S. Everett Gleason, The Challenge to Isolation, 1937-
1940 (New York: Harper & Brothers,
1952),
Roosevelt, compiled by Samuel I. Rosenman (New
York: The Macmillan Co., 1938-50), 1939
volume,
pp.
70-74.
9
Legis
3807-31.
10
ment
Affairs, 76th Cong,
8
CORPS OF E N G I N E E R S : THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN
Existing Defenses
The Canal
the
posts, 3 on the Atlantic side, and 3 on
the Pacific. Coast artillery and antiair-
craft
defense
installation
outside
in Panama,
Rio Hato had originally been a private
landing strip, the property of the owner
of a nearby resort. The owner gradu-
ally improved the strip, and U.S.airmen
began
United
and,
month.
the
ment to buy it or lease it on a long-term
basis. In the Hawaiian chain, almost all
military installations
plateau, and Hickam, on the southern
shore northwest of
Harbor. Alaska had no military de-
fenses, the only Army installation in the
Territory being Chilkoot Barracks,
would
attempt
a
major
mari ly responsible for keeping hostile
forces away.
Pan-
moded.
airplane became an important weapon.
For
the islands and the
Canal were more vul-
Commanding General,
Panama Canal
Canal will come from either
land based
To the
America.
There
the
Pacific.
The
only
pagos, Cocos, and Clipperton.
regular
appropriation
(1) Hist Sec CDC, Constr and Real Estate Activi-
ties in the CDC, 1 Jul 46, vol I, p. 1. (2)
Preliminary
Study
39-31
Ltr,
dent, 22 Nov 39. WPD 3512-50.
12
(Pan-
 
THE D E F E N S E TRIANGLE: P A N A M A ,
HAWAII, AND ALASKA
1940.
By
defense
construction
master General, who
States
seacoast defenses,
$268,746
for
$90,349,459 more for
possessions, including
the
Department for defense in that
Terri-
Quartermaster
gineers $1,500,000 to improve the
road
field.
tion, about half of it for
strengthening
the Canal Zone
fense appropriations.
On 12 February it
the
period
conflict
to public opinion, were strongly disposed
to slash the War Department's request
fo r
Sub-
Appropriations began hearings on the
W ar
the fiscal
stallations in the
in Alaska at Anchorage and for the stor-
age of
ritory.
on 3
drastically
to the Senate, the
curtailed, but those for Hawaii were cut
approximately
in
half
and
those
for
Alaska
Cong, 1st sess, 26 Apr 39.
(2) Public Law 61, 76th Cong, 1st sess, 2 May 39.
(3) Public Law 164,76th
Public Law 361,76th Cong, 1st sess, 9 Aug 39.
15
40.
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,
revise its war plans. War Plan ORANGE
had presupposed a conflict involving only
the United States and Japan. After
Munich, the view
not only with Japan but also
with Ger-
United States became involved
Com-
pean axis in hostilities, the United
States
could
Pacific, but would
tude. The War Department's
strengthen Hawaii, the Canal Zone, and
Alaska. In May the Joint
Board, ap-
proving the
report, instructed
a number of possible war situations.
These plans were given
committee completed
1939. According to this plan, the
United
States
would
latitude. No reinforcements would be
sent to the Philippines. The outbreak
of war in Europe led to
further studies.
lined, in general, more extensive com-
mitments of the
Hemisphere.
16
going
engineer
department engineer, with offices at the
post of Corozal, near the Canal's Pacific
entrance.
super-
Under General
main job of the combat engineers was
to train with the
Colonel North
on a
part-time basis
Shatter,
department
engineer,
staff of Maj. Gen. Charles D.
Herron,
Commanding
General,
manded
the
Hawaiian
teau, the only Army engineer unit in
the
16
(1)
Conn
UNITED
WORLD
11
elsewhere,
was
responsible
bors,
and
district engineer, under
Francisco,
to the
in
and harbors and flood control work as
was done rested on the Seattle Engineer
District headed by Col. Beverly C. Dunn ,
who was
North
sibility of Lt. Gen.
quarters
culties. There were few resources in
manpower or materials in the triangle.
The Hawaiian chain,
of some 6,200 square miles, had a popu-
lation of 425,000, almost all of it
con-
Oahu, with the capital
omy, which was
most all of the supplies and the great
number of workmen required for an
extensive construction program would
wide through which ran the vital water-
way, was
Panama, which the Canal Zone bi-
sected, had no industry to speak of,
almost no construction equipment, and
few skilled workmen.
The only manu-
would offer the greatest obstacles to
large-scale
scant
plete
cation of the areas of strategic
impor-
of
Colonel North's organization casemated
small number of access
prove Rio Hato airfield.
appropriations
of
be spent for equipment. "Our dry sea-
son," Colonel North
(1) Prelim Study, I, 3, 10, 49; III,127; app. A,
pp. 1-2. (2) Ltr, North to C EHD, 19 Jul 57. EHD
Files. (3)
Opns During World War II, POA, pp. VI, X. EHD
Files.
18
 
set for a big push. . . . Most of ournew
equipment is here . . . but w e must
have a lot more money which I under-
stand ... is in the War Department
Act
Voorhis replaced General Stone.
the
Canal.
make
on the Pacific. But up to
this time,
after his
began
to
Panamanian Republic. If the Canal
were to be adequately protected, de-
fenses
20
proof more
thought necessary,
more
ties for critical supplies, would, it was
estimated in June 1939,
District, with
proving the ports at Honolulu, Pearl
Harbor, and Midway Island.
Navy
the first construction for defense in the
Territory. With funds
work
Har-
Late in
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
gram of building and improving airfields
in the Territory. Of those CAA planned
to build, the Secretary of War was es-
pecially interested in the one on Annette
Island
fields at these two places,
planes
would
the
relative
19
Ltr, North to C Constr Sec Mil Div OCE, 27
Dec 39.
1st Ind, North to CofEngrs, 13 Feb 40, on Ltr,
C Constr Sec Mil Div OCE to Engr PCD, 1 Feb 40.
660.283
(Panama)
File
26 Apr 39. House Subcom of the Com on Appropri-
ations, 76th Cong., 1st sess., Hearings on the War
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
termaster Corps in the
began to survey the site at Annette. No
final decision had as yet been
made with
regard to
"phony
Denmark and Norway and in May in-
vaded
States, and President Roosevelt and Con-
22
(Washington, 1947) (cited
Navy's Bases) I, 163, 169, 174. (2) Ltr, Maj Edward
M. George, CQM Alaska Air Base, to Lt J. B.
Rankin, Acting CQM
600.1
(Ladd
Offs Survey
... 7 Jun to 8 Aug 39. 686 (Alaska) 1939. (4)
Ltr,
4239.
Alaska) vol.
I, 1940-41.
JAPAN
building
up
armaments.
for
months earlier. The
Field and the
mendorf, together
was to be
minor
stall searchlights, and
Ocean Navy Act,"which authorized ex-
pansion of the fleet by 70 percent. In
August it authorized the President to
call
the
second supplemental defense
program by
$5.4 billion.
draft. The strength of the Army was
to be increased to 1400,000 men.
The Joint Board accelerated work
on
the
ing the late
which presupposed possible
dent Roosevelt approved this
supposed
operations
in
Europe
and
fensive in the Pacific.
conflict, War Department planners re-
garded the strengthening of the Canal
Zone as more urgent than
ever.
North
antiaircraft bat-
the joint command
job, North used men
work. Construction
the 11thEngineers, about 600 men
from
by the
the
23
Public
24
781,
76th
Cong,
3d
sess,
15
season, which
from May
ing the rainy season, the clayey earth be-
came a soft sticky gumbo and. . . con-
struction which involved earth excava-
tion and moving was difficult and
slow."
26
the Canal Zone,
almost obsolete, North wanted
sible
a
start
con-
bile. But mobility of itself
would be
defense
Republic
lights and
would necessitate building many
treaty negotiated
States authorities wanted
with the Panamanian Government, and
procedures for
progress in persuading the Panamanian
Government to lease land for 999 years,
as American commanders in the Canal
Zone wished.
before Panama would consent
in the summer of 1940.
27
appropriated $1,197,332 for improving
Herron,
convinced
lined in mid-1939 would have to be ex-
panded, continued to insist on more
funds for fortifications, and in this he
was
ment engineer in July
bombproof vital installations on
against bombing and to
of
military installations about to begin, the
need for more
25
sess,
40. (2) Hist Rcd of the 11th Engrs, 1943. 314.7.
26
27
(1)
Memo,
C
Constr
CofEngrs, 29 Apr 40.
 
16
CORPS OF E N G I N E E R S : THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN
provide access to the new observation
posts,
teries, and searchlight positions. Addi-
tional roads
forward or
withdraw rapidly,
required a
doubted that many additional roads
could be
have
bolster
eral
August,
War Department
tion engineers, less one battalion—a new
type
Washington was that were
28
need
need
from
parent that the configuration of the archi-
pelago limited construction to a line
extending
to detect
til they were
pro-
made in April 1940, called fo r three fixed
and six mobile stations on the
four larg-
Fort Shafter. The fixed stations were
to be built at the most crucial points.
The westernmost one
tion would be put on
steep
M a u i would be atop 10,000-foot high
Haleakala . On 27 June the War De-
partment authorized construction,
Theodore Wyman,
him with the
were remote
the
3d
cableway
Kaala.
29
vision had informed General George C.
Marshall, Chief of
(1) Rad, Herron to TAG, 8 Oct 40. WPD 1928-
27 . (2 ) Memo, Acting ACofS WPD for Marshal l , 21
Jan 41. WPD
Hawaii,
1940-42,
Interstaff Routing
Slip, Dept Engr to CofS HD, 4 Oct 40. Engr AGF
PAC. (5) Ltr, Herron to TAG, 3 Feb 41. 381
(Hawaii)
106.
29
PAC, Sig 676.3. (2) 4th Ind, TAG to Herron, 27
Jun 40, on Herron
AND ALASKA
under con-
field artillery be sent to the
Territory.
Department
quarters at
sible to DeWitt. The first
echelon of
Anchorage
32d
Engineer
Combat
engineer unit
ties for their camp and engage in com-
bat training. In August the Joint
Army
month-long
study
of
without naval protection.
30
forcement of Alaska before Pearl Harbor, see Stetson
Conn, Rose Engelman, and
STATES A R M Y IN WORLD WAR II (Washing-
ton, 1964), ch. IX.
THE WAR
AGAINST JAPAN
naval bases be used to build posts for
Army garrisons.
and
defenses.
31
would
be
aircraft warning stations. Late in May
DeWitt was directed to make a study of
the network of stations which the War
Plans Division proposed for the
Terri-
ter at Anchorage and
bases and one near Anchorage. If pos-
sible, the stations were to be mobile.
Should General DeWitt judge that more
stations were needed, he was to
decide
would
be
responsible
one
to Norton
Strait. He believed the number of de-
tector stations should eventually be in-
creased
Mar-
He was in favor of the locations for the
installations at Kodiak, Sitka, Fairbanks,
and
Anchorage,
but
wanted
forts
be
made
prove communications in the almost un-
inhabited
and
standpoint
line
Anchorage,
high
aircraft.
The
six miles north of
erably by the Engineers. On 13 July the
War
oceangoing
off. While this shortened
miles
31
40. WPD 4297. (2)
Co (Com-
bat) (Sep) While in Alaska. (3) JB 312 Ser 650, 14
Aug 40. WPD 3512-68. (4) Watson,
Chief of Staff,
TAG,
22 May 40.
(2) Ltr, ACofS WPD to TAG, 29 May 40. (3) Note
for Rcd on
for TAG, 9 Dec 40.
(4) Memo, ACofS for TAG, 7 Aug 40. All in WPD
3640-6.
 
THE D E F E N S E TRIANGLE: P A N A M A , HAWAII, AND ALASKA 19
of tunneling, it would be easier to defend
against aerial attack than the
existing
line
in that it was ice free the year round.
On 31
started work at Ladd and Elmendorf , it
was highly important to get work under
way
Alaska panhandle. In mid-1940 the
Civil
Convinced
airfield construction was properly the
province of the Quartermaster—that the
Engineers
month
building
site of
Department of the Interior granted
tem-
understanding
that
employment and the purchase of sup-
plies. The
hangar,
a
dock,
gaso-
line,
and
oil.
arrived at
a dock.
mental
Defense
Appropriation
billion,
appropriated for defense since the previ-
ous June.
that the
United States
would be
Insofar as the Pacific was concerned, the
United States initially would continue to
maintain a defensive position and con-
centrate
on
strengthening
plan, which presupposed such a turn of
events, had by fall been worked out in
broad outlines.
35
33
(1) Ltr, DeWitt to TAG, 2 Jul 40. (2) Ltr, AG
Fourth A r m y to
Lee,
Passage
by 1st Lt A. C. Welling, CE, and Mr.
James G. Truitt, c. 29 Jul 40. (4) Ltr, DeWitt to
TAG,
(Alaska).
34
 (1) Ltr, DeWitt to TAG, 9 Jul 40. (2) 1st Ind,
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,
Alaska),
J. Nold, Personal Account. EHD Files.
35
(1)
Conn
and
emphasis in Washington on
the Chief of Engineers made a bid for a
substantial role in the building of de-
fense projects.
caused a great deal
Van Voorhis' staff, handled fortifications
work,
was
the
responsibility
Hawaii,
structing quartermaster
The
Quartermaster
Corps,
construction
speed. All three department
Engineers'
ties was soon
at his
30 June 1942. For the time
being,
the
38
international situation, defense work in
the outlying
There were
The War Department had to put detailed
plans for building into final form.
Workmen had to be hired and organized
into effective construction forces. In re-
cruiting workers, the Engineers were
increasing competition
shipped as prescribed by
because of strong differences of opinion
over sites
the War Department, the possibility of
an attack on the triangle seemed remote,
with the need for fast action not
apparent.
sphere Defense, pp. 74-75, 93. (2) Public Law
800,
76th
Cong,
36
Affairs, Hearings
37
with General
38
 
THE DEFENSE TRIANGLE: P A N A M A , HAWAII, AND ALASKA
21
possible,
teries, storage for
Rio Hato. When
States in
2,000-man camp for them. The Public
Roads Administration, with funds sup-
plied
airfield. In November Colonel North
set up a
Canal Zone's
stations,
partment
Canal, where
prepared plans for two coast artillery and
forty-six searchlight
Panama.
In
airdromes
and
Little progress was being made on the
leasing question.
Dr. Arnulfo
tions to the views of the Government of
the
United
gested—he wished to limit
U.S. tenure to
insisted that Panama
that
A
commission
of
Colonel North—was established. After
the commission's first meeting,
sites
ber Van Voorhis forwarded a list of the
most urgently needed tracts to the Pana-
manian Government, suggesting that,
preciable progress had been
problem.
41
In
Alaska
the
their first job. Work went ahead on the
camp and dock and,
39
112-17. (2)
Schley, 29 Aug 40, sub: Progress on Rio Hato Road
Panama. 611 Panam a 1940-45.
40
23-25.
work started, the Council of the Metla-
katla Indians called upon Governor
Ernest
him that their tribesmen
supplies and that
camp
the airfield.
placed them
at some distance from the soldiers'
bivouac to lessen chances of
friction.
Indians."
43
of water
under lease was extended to include the
lake.
There
the Indians but
travel between camp and job.
Because
arrive at work later and leave earlier,
Nold set out to have the CCC regulations
changed, but without success, at least not
then. There were
civilian
gan to arrive. By the end of the
year
camp was nearing completion. Clearing
fo r the runways was continuing.
44
force
and a few civilians arrived from
Annette.
No
sent. As this was the off-season for fish
canning, a local company leased its
buildings, wharf,
year, clearing for the runways was about
to begin. By
fields in the Alaska panhandle.
45
Other
spring on the cut-off for the Alaska Rail-
road. General Schley assigned
Railroad lay the track. On 9 December
the War Plans
Division ordered construc-
tion of aircraft
warning stations at
formation center at
tions
protection
almost
Island, Alaska), 1940-41,
44
(1) Ltr, Nold to Dunn, 6 Feb 41. 230.44 Alaska
pt. I. (2) Ltr, Nold to CG, Ninth Corps Area, 5 Nov
40. 430.2 (Alaska).
(2) Ltr, Dunn to Lee, 14 Oct 40. (3) Semimonthly
Rpt,
suggestion under study. Preparations
Witt planned
Engineer Topographic Battalion
be
located.
"Generally
lotted $70,200
was only a
portant as building new roads. Ur-
gently needed was a
keep
defenses.
from Honolulu
passes
where
such projects.
the
build-
might take
Park. Park officials agreed to give the War
Department temporary use of the land,
but they were opposed to having struc-
tures erected which would "materially
alter the natural appearance of the
reser-
architecture
work-
master Corps had
already absorbed a
Islands.
units, such as the Hawaiian Separate
Coast Artillery Brigade and the Hawaiian
Division, were forced to use their own
men
trails they needed.
by
fall
enough
workers
method
46
(1) 1st Ind, TAG to CofEngrs, 30 Oct 40, on Ltr,
DeWitt to TAG, 31 Jul 40. (2) Ltr, Dunn to
Lee,
7 Dec 40. Both in 617 (Alaska). (3) Note for Rcd
on Memo,
Acting ACofS
WPD 3640-6. (4) 10th Ind, TAG to DeWitt, 20 Dec
40, on Ltr, Kingman to DeWitt, 17 Sep 40. 061.01
(Alaska)
47
 Incl to Ltr, Talley to C EHD, 6 Nov 57. EHD
Files.
48
4 Oct 40. (2) Interstaff Routing Slip,
Maj
Vere
A.
Wyman,
Hearings Before the Joint Committee on the Investi-
gation of the Pearl Harbor Attack
(cited hereafter as
pp. 3005-3006). (5) Ltr, Herron to TAG, 8 Nov 40.
Engr AGF PAC, 611.
required to recruit, organize, and ad-
minister a
construction firms under
sponsible
tractor to finish the job within the
speci-
to the
struction firm under
and was to be used especially when there
was little or no time for preparing
plans
1940 Congress approved its use without
restrictions as to
considered
quali-
vertising, receiving bids, and awarding
the job to the lowest responsible bidder
—standard procedure
under the
firm had to have a good reputation and
the financial resources to do the
work.
be approved by the Under Secretary of
War. If it amounted to more than $500,-
000, it had to be approved, in addition,
by the Advisory Commission
his know-how and supplied materials and
equipment. The government was ex-
pected to provide him, if necessary, with
additional equipment, which
government
tracts had to be let meant that cost esti-
mates were often not
them
outside
culties which might ensue from their
use.
49
gineer, at that time on an inspection trip
to the Islands. Like engineer officers in
general, Hannum
posed
that
the
extensively in the Islands and since
was
little
fications, negotiating a cost-plus-a-fixed-
solution.
manuscript in preparation for the series UNITED
STATES A R M Y IN
WORLD
25
Hawaii
not
man
that
he
come
Rohl-Connolly Company, the W. E.
Callahan Construction Company, and
Gunther & Shirley Company. Rohl-
projects for the Corps of Engineers and
other agencies of the federal government,
among
them
the approval of the Chief of Engineers,
the Under Secretary of War, and the Ad-
visory Commission
to the
with the three firms,
who formed a joint
structors. The
laying
Fort Shafter. The work was to cost $1,-
097,673 and the fixed fee was $52,220.
The
Hawaiian
Constructors
would
re-
the district as they became ready and
would be responsible for detailed con-
struction
planning
to
meet
in which the project was
located. They
materials
gineer supply yards in Honolulu to the
job sites, for organizing and directing the
work crews, and for administering
their
would be to recruit workers in the
United States to build up a construction
organization in the islands.
gineers, discussions began
in the War
trans-
construction
Zone,
where
Air Corps and ground forces and a divi-
sion
ones were
done,
volved." DeWitt wanted the work given
to the
mony
mony
of Brig Gen Warren T. Hannum, pp. 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.
THE WAR
AGAINST JAPAN
Islands transferred to the Engineers,
radioing the War
work
was
for
same
materials. He wanted the construct-
ing quartermaster's entire organization,
General Staff
cember,
General
Hawaii was "not favorably considered."
51
for the Air
51
Construction
in the United States. (2) Memo, CofS for SW, 1
Apr 41. G-4/31324. (3) Ltr, DeWitt to Moore, 16
Dec 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) Airfield Constr.
The
der increasing pressure as
ican and British
global
strat-
if it was drawn into the war. In a strategy
at first defensive,
American forces would
America. With the passage on 11 March
of the Lend-Lease Act, which authorized
sending arms and war
States
became
USSR in the near fu tu re , Japan was free
to
after
on 22
June. With
sively to the
posts anxiety grew in early 1941 over the
state of the defenses, and Hawaii no
became a major
Knox wrote to Secretary of War Henry L.
Stimson of his dissatisfaction with the
existing protection for the fleet in the
Islands; he was especially
rier planes.
the
urgency
departments"
tinued to hold high priority in the over-
all defense program.
to the War Department
fense work, stated that it could "be an-
ticipated that the attack on these
islands
sudden
raid
without
any
post, he informed
General Marshall re-
1
Defense, pp. 98-99, 101. William L. Langer and S.
Everett Gleason, The Undeclared War, 1940-1941
(New York: Harper & Brothers, 1953),
p. 354.
3
4
106.
ing the
ibbean
Defense
Voorhis,
Puerto Rican Departments and the Trin-
idad Base Command. He continued to
press fo r more defenses for the
Canal.
aircraft warning stations and was
troubled over continuing shortages
cerned over inadequate protection for
the
installations
at
Dutch
Harbor,
stressed
of
sisted in championing these projects
against almost unanimous opposition in
the War Department. He continued to
take
a
network
of
airfields
preparations, DeWitt made repeated
of military
been agreed
in Hawaii and
on 1
struction—done by contractors and hired
labor—had
been finished;
the biggest
and quarters at Wheeler Field, at a cost
of approximately $6 million. Addi-
tional jobs were in prospect, such as stor-
age for
ones
dorf
later. Ladd,
was 85 percent complete; Elmendorf, be-
ing worked on by the contractors Bech-
tel, McCone, and Parsons, was 80
percent
finished.
engineers'
growing
Anchorage under Talley, who was
trans-
could
ages
lems. In addition,
difficulties of its own.
(2)
1st
known. 452.1Alaska.
 
29
Panama
in January, a great push forward in con-
struction in Panama was possible. But
it appeared that progress on important
projects would,
by the
disagreement over
the acquisition
Panamanian
turn sites over to the U. S. Army, pro-
vided the leases
the sites, pending the working out of a
final settlement. During
in the Panama
the War Department directed General
Schley
finance work on the new fields. Van
Voorhis, however, insisted that the
do the construction. He
ready had more than a full schedule of
work in the Canal Zone, and that en-
gineer troops and the civilians had for
months been working on airfields in
Panama, so
the
Engineers
and
have
reached Panama
to help
United States. His
mander of the 11th Engineers,
Colonel
North's program. Since there were too
few engineer units and the supp ly of local
labor was almost exhausted, Young
planned to
ment and
of surfacing materials, such as
rock
and
sand.
8
cently organized
basic
Engr AGF
to CofEngrs, 7 Dec 40. Engr AGF PAC.
(4) Ltr, Acting Asst CofS G-4 to TQMG, 7 Jan 41.
G4/30436-13.
CofOpns Constr
441.
WPD for
Voorhis to
Br, 30 Apr 41. 686
(Panama) 1940-41. (2)
Both in 686 (Panama) 1940-41. (3) Prelim Study, I,
11,
 
MAP 4
airmen help the engineers, since substan-
tial numbers of civilian workmen from
the United States were not
expected
for
fact that
ways sufficiently graded to allow planes
to land. Two auxiliary dromes—Agua-
dulce and Chame—were under construc-
tion. (Map
better airfields.
surfacing. The experimented
treatment
aircraft warning stations,
one at Jaqué
at
Almirante,
hard to
ship. Land had
31
sites had not yet been taken over. Van
Voorhis was already thinking of expand-
ing the system further. The
local
joint
service
th e summer and fall of 1941
despite
certain equipment
(AWS) sites."
original stalemate had
Panamanian boards were established,
to be taken over immediately, while the
other arranged for their formal transfer,
after
tracts which Van
Department
fo r airfields. Tracts needed for other
installations would be occupied as soon
as enough men and materials were on
hand to make occupation practicable.
Negotiations for a permanent settlement
of the leasing problem were
being car-
ried on
hard work, they could not keep up with
the
demands
Andrews wanted
ing of the runways and the removal of
obstacles in the approach zones. As the
rainy season wore on, the experiments
with soil stabilization
stitute for asphalt or concrete.
Run-
Washington
Chorrera and the two at La Joya, into
airdromes
pected to be so extensive that contrac-
tors,
money
partment did not want to ask Congress
fo r 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
Ltr,
11
Conn, Engelman, and Fairchild, Guarding the
United States, 344-45. (3) Langer and
Gleason, Un-
32
CORPS OF E N G I N E E R S : THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN
been secured. General Andrews, mean-
while, transferred funds from other
projects, hoping
Chorrera and La Joya.
gan work on two more
aircraft warning
seven stations. Colonel Young believed
there were only two
barracks" at the stations until essential
apparatus had been installed. The
other was to transfer workers from other
jobs. But this would mean slower prog-
ress on such important
porting men and supplies to the remote
sites, one of the prime causes of delay.
As
recommended
Voorhis
Panama
Rica
as
well.
13
some attention to camouflage, hitherto
neglected in the Canal Zone. In line
with a
chief of the Camouflage
Capt.
Frederick
camouflage
course he prepared
sets
River and the
because the river did not
present
a
the Canal.
The third,
by the
Van Voorhis and proved as insistent as
his predecessor that defenses be strength-
ened. The number of Engineer jobs
continued work
ages of workmen and
and 1 ,500 more were expected before
th e
enough to
mission to have his employees work
eight hours a day,
Contractors
Sec Pan
CDC 686 (Airfield
Note
14
Young to C
One group of new
others as many as 70 hours
would have
July
for the fiscal year 1942,
much of it to go
fo r additional machinery. The rest
would be used for hiring more workers,
providing housing, and getting materials.
Construction could then
and in the following months additional
workmen were
difficulty arose in
replaced
by
Ricardo
Adolfo
Pan-
their
was stalemated again.
winter, the
Alaska Defense Command,
over
18,500.
engineer construction battalion be sent
to Fort Richardson
camp, improving roads, and engaging in
combat training. Meanwhile,
ard Park, Lee's successor
fo r th e buildings for the enlarged Army
forts at the three
housing for a small garrison at the air-
port being
The engineers were to do all construc-
tion, except at the naval stations, where
it would be performed by contractors
working for the Navy. Additional proj-
ects were being planned.
stall
airfields and
arrived
purposes.
Areas
routes regularly
flown by
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, with 1st Ind, WD to CofEngrs, 16 Oct 41.
2250, pt. 12 Ser
16
(1) Watson, Chief of Staff, p. 457. (2) Hist of
the 32d
(Combat) (Sep)While 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
 
On 5 April the
avail-
Railroad.
17
Two
weeks
lump-sum
con-
unfamiliar fixed-fee type of agreement.
On 12 May Dunn opened the two
bids
gineers' estimate
of the
Dunn wrote Park, were undoubtedly try-
ing to protect themselves "against the
uncertainties of
ing defense construction.
started
w i t h a minimum of delay, he decided to
let a cost-plus-a-fixed-fee contract. The
following month, he signed an
agree-
on the subgrade, drainage, and tunnels.
The job was to begin in July.
19
Receiving
little
progress
General DeWitt again
advocated that the
There were,
were urgently needed.
ment
construct
seven
but did
Schley if the
Engineers to do the work because they
questioned whether
would
be
quate
for
tha t the facilities and runways would be
adequate and explained that the cause of
th e delays was the fact that money had
not
been
that
fields had recently
graveled
runways
Park recommended against
ment decided not to press the matter, and
by
for four additional fields.
Alaska to see for himself how
construc-
The ones at Anchorage and Fairbanks,
begun
to, or Scheduled fo r Alaska, 28 Mar 41. WPD
4464-9.
17
(Alaska).
18
to Park, 15 May 41. 617 (Alaska).
19
20
(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.
THE
D E F E N S E EFFORT G A I N S MOMENTUM
35
of
"properly
sheltered."
was
being
rushed
to
completion
by
Major
of 500 men were nearly finished and it
was
workmen
continuing
and
and storage fo r gasoline.
When
De-
gency landing strip in use bu t , on the
whole,
a
spongy
growth
found
in
een
feet
they often had to scoop it out and fill the
hole with gravel. Nold had solved the
troublesome problem of the shorter
working hours for the CCC, for in April
the head of the
After reviewing progress of the work to
date and estimating the number of
troops and civilians likely to be avail-
able, DeWitt concluded that one of the
regular runways would be ready by De-
cember.
temporary
risons, which had been given priority by
th e Navy
struction, were nearing completion
the Alaska Peninsula or in the Aleu-
tians. DeWitt
only the Alaskan mainland
Fighter planes could n t safely fly the
600 miles from Kodiak, th e
nearest
field,
view
protection required, Admiral Harold R.
Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, argued
that airfields should not be constructed
in the without approval by the
Joint
other hand, pressed for the building
of an Aleut ian airfield. Construction
would
be
resolved.
22
armies into the
Alaska, since
Soviet collapse
of War
Stimson directed
expedited. On the 15th of
that
month
thorized
from 18,500 to 24,000. Because the
Army posts at the three naval
stations
DeWitt that he would turn over funds to
the Navy to assure housing for the mili-
tary garrisons there as soon as possible.
21
DeWitt to Marshal l ,
C EHD,
22
General Schley
Territory.
23
"Actual
pressure,"
Talley
wrote
later,
. . . from that date the tempo
changed
tally prepared for war.
troops
stallations. The 32d engineers, imme-
diately after 4 July, began building tac-
tical roads and bombproof shelters at
Fort Richardson.
one of the runways ready by the end of
the
year.
At
Witt ordered the unit to construct a third
runway and
During August and September,
151st Combat
Engineers reached
other
Army
installations
and
snow."
per se."
making progress. By midsummer, run-
ways
ational. Ladd
was a
ing for 560 officers and men.
Elmendorf
was
the
largest
military
West
bing the right of way. Blasting began
in
August
September
the
Seattle
fo r bids for the construction of a dock at
the terminus of the cutoff. In addition,
work had begun on those aircraft warn-
ing stations which had been approved
almost a year before, and survey crews
were investigating sites for sta-
tions.
27
23
(1)
Table,
MC-E-M,
WPD 4297-1. (3) Memo, WPD for TAG, 9 Jul 41.
WPD 3512-120.
23
(1)
Park,
June
Regiment
was
Battalion and the 807th Engineer Aviation
26
27
Snyder, HR,
6 Aug 41. 600.1 (Alaska) pt. 1. (2) Seattle Engr
Dist , Monthly Rpt of Opns, Jul-Sep 41. (3) Ltr,
Seattle Engr Dist to OCE,27 Sep 41.
Last
37
mer, DeWitt wanted to start construc-
tion
further investigation. Storage for
Alaska, over four million of it
near
An-
chorage,
various airfields, with maximum disper-
sion and concealment. Discussions con-
tinued over building landing fields on
the Alaska Peninsula and in the
Aleu-
tians.
In
July,
at Cold Bay,the
peninsula.
He
pointed
out
that
the
air-
CAA,
so
ing would be necessary. He asked that
the Engineers be made responsible for
building the fields on the Alaska Pen-
insula. In
Late that
naissance
until their reports were in.
28
requested the War Department for au-
thority to
was
authorized
the close of the
were coming
slowly on the
neers who had made the surveys for air-
field sites in the Aleutians, pointed
out
found
on
looked promising. Visiting Alaska in
the fall , Maj.John F. Ohmer,
Jr., of the
pert
in
would blend
work.
29
17
WPD
3640-6.
28
(Alaska) M ay
Memo,
WPD
for SGS, 31 Oct 41. WPD 4503-4. (4) WD Ltr
(AG 600.12) (9-23-41) MO-E to CofEngrs, 24 Sep 41.
600.1
 
Hawaii
Short began to push
appropriate large funds
for airfields in
passed on 17 March, it
allotted $108,410
for officers
quarters at
fields in Hawaii.
rapidly expanding Hawaiian Air Force
is essential," he wrote to Marshall on 2
May. "An effort has
labor
slow and
as a
occurs,"
to
such
afford the delay in time which has here-
tofore been required to secure
appropria-
be ex-
heavy bombers; later, lengths were to
be increased to
airfields, more
Islands.
Lyman
handicap of insufficient personnel.
construction for
Combat
neer
unit
instead of the
cent. In
trails,
fortifications,
equipment.
the arrival, on 26
pects of getting more combat engineers
or substantial amounts of machinery in
the near
were not bright
32
Colonel
4297-1. (2 ) Data from files of Mil Pers Div OCE.
(3) Ltr, D u n n
to Park, 6 Oct 41.
600.1 (Alaska) May
40-Oct 41. (4) Ltr, DeWit t to TAG,30 Oct 41.
618.33 (Alaska).
1st sess, Hearings on Fourth
Supplemental National
31
PAC.
32
(1) Ltr, Herron to TAG, 6 Feb 41. 320.2 (3d
Engrs) 251/1. (2 ) Ltr, Lyman to CofEngrs, 1 Apr
41 . Engr AGF PAC. (3 ) Hist of the 804th Engr
Avn Bn.
The
transfer
of
work
fice
construction.
principal
terials, and
pressure to
Islands.
1941.
33
Hawaiian Air Force, the Honolulu Dis-
trict office prepared
ized and two new ones added. Wyman
and Martin, while awaiting expected ap-
proval
from
Washington,
airfields.
such
from Washington,
master with which to build tempo-
rary barracks at three fields—Hickam,
Wheeler, and Bellows. He could en-
large the two military
fields on the outly-
ing islands—Morse on
the four territorial airports—Burns,
Hilo, Molokai, and Maui—with money
from CAA. These resources would
have to do
even stopgap
supplies.
34
For
some
Departments had been making plans for
storing
reserves
mended putting
the Navy.
struction for the Air Corps to the
Engi-
this job in the
from th e
United States were
reasonably certain the
other
was
34
(1) Ltr, Wyman to SPD Engr, 2 Jun 41. Engr
AGF PAC, 686. (2) Memo, Asst Dept Engr for
Lyman, 18 Mar 41. Engr AGF
PAC.
35
CofEngrs, 3 Jan 41. (2) Ltr,Short to TAG, 3 Apr
41. Both
THE WAR
AGAINST JAPAN
and
th e other in the side of a steep cliff in
Waikakalaua
Gulch,
question arose
proofing
was
much time and money,
cendiary bombs and bomb fragments
only.
The
the problem, that concealment and par-
tial protection were
ration bombing
would quickly
destroy a
lightly protected
installation. It
one-ton bombs,
that time. Required would be a con-
crete cover about 6 feet thick, topped
with earth.
doubtedly soon to be
would pro-
the higher cost of
work.
How
mental, authorized construction for
quested storage
not
specify
or where it wanted it. As with other
defense work, there was the
problem
of
cost
gone
up
36
projects, Wyman still had to give a good
deal of thought to old ones. A matter
of
importance
improvement
Honolulu
ties had been gradually
devel-
between the mainland and offshore Sand
Island. On 17 October 1940, Congress
had authorized the dredging of Keehi
Lagoon north of the
which
proving
carried out by the
was the construction of John Rodgers
Airport, which was to be built just east
of Hickam
on the
northern shore
authorized
tions were soon being made to
begin
 (1) Ltr, Short to TAG, 3 Apr 41. (2) Rpt,
Wyman
to
tion of War Reserve Avn Gas Storage in
Hawaiian
Islands,
 
needed, twelve were authorized, half of
them
sion
struction, Wyman
awarded additional
ing
Paul Grafe. This group was to
improve
the
territorial
with
shelters; this
engineering and supervise
most of the additional
larged in May with the addition of Ralph
Woolley
1941 he made such
proof
contractors had estimated it would take
twenty months to
could
be
finished
cost.
Nothing
Navy. On 19 May the original contract
with the
Hawaiian Constructors
rective from Under
Wyman
took
sponsibilities made an ever larger district
organization necessary. By mid-1941
civilians
in
38
the additional combat troops he had
been
vated
Bringing the
of the
until
several
Engineers up to full strength
and steps
aviation engineers.
a battalion by 15 July.
39
Slowly
37
The Military Engineer, XXXIX
Short,
4 Nov 41. Engr AGF PAC, 333, IG Rpts (Gen).
(2)
Ltr,
113/1.
THE WAR AGAINST
point to
Hawaiian
pected to be finished by the end of the
year. Improvement of the territorial
airports
started and about 5 percent complete,
was to be finished by July
1942. The
made a
November. The Honolulu District con-
tinued
of
cover construction for 200,000 barrels.
Investigations at Aliamanu Crater indi-
cated that only a tunnel
would
14th
83,000 barrels at the crater. A pipeline
would connect
the two
installations with
funds been
Wyman asked General Schley
had misgivings about the whole project.
The bombproof
tical amount of
could
reasonably
Eugene Reybold,
"desired that th e full amount of storage
be provided on the basis of the estab-
lished construction
greater degree of protection."
added protection would have
the oil industry to Honolulu, where in
October they consulted with Wyman and
helped
site.
43
construction, Lyman
footing. Repeated
and the expansion of the 804th into a
battalion with an authorized strength
of
40
AGF
PAC.
41
and Ind,
Inter-
Both
in
Engr
AGF
PAC.
42
known. Engr AGF PAC.
3d Ind, CofEngrs to SPD Engr, 9 Sep 41, basic
unknown. Engr AGF PAC.
THE
D E F E N S E EFFORT G A I N S
MOMENTUM
656
officers
ally met the need for more manpower.
More
hand
would
was completed.
of local
contractors and
plantation own-
defense construction,
formed Short that
"no action is
equipment for the
804th Engineers
reached Hawaii
in the
job of
improving roads
aviation engineers went to Wheeler and
Hickam Fields.
From time
on
Oahu
sions—the 24th and the 25th. The 3d
Engineer Regiment was split into the 3d
and 65th Battalions, which were assigned
to the new divisions. Both
units con-
engineers working mainly on beach de-
fenses and trails in the southern
half of
northern.
47
fo r mobilizing
would
using troops and
con-
responsible for taking over vital civilian
util i t ies
tinued operation. The mobilization
civilians who
curred. Vehicles, equipment,
45
Ltr, Short to TAG, 5 Aug 41. Engr AGF PAC,
381
(Hawaii)
113/1.
46
1st Ind, 4 Sep 41, on Short's Ltr, cited in pre-
ceding note.
47
(1) HD GO No. 71, 4 Nov 41. (2) HD GO No.
53, 16 Sep 41.
THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN
against
air
seemed to think the chance of such an
attack was remote. Capt.
a study of the role the aviation engineers
would play in
An
Islands
would
assault by paratroopers, with
The
airfields,
enemy, would have to be defended by
infantry
paratroops
or
maintain
up
camouflage.
doned. At
officers, and 200 civilians would be re-
quired. Considerable engineer work
pare airfields for defense. It would
take
time
barbed wire entanglements, ready fields
for demolitions, and disguise them with
camouflage. Lyman on 10 October ap-
proved the
lieved might
defense of the fields on the outlying
islands. He
plan of the 804th be adopted.
49
mentation
tary installations in the Islands could be
hidden effectively. Early in 1941, th e
engineers
began
ber of installations and
Engineers
was
successful
would
not
show
graphs made with
infrared filters. On
Pearl Harbor the
as
cially equipped
cameras. Several
camou-
Hickam could not be effectively con-
cealed unless Pearl Harbor were in-
cluded. The engineers discussed with a
number of naval officers plans for cam-
ouflaging
this
of the
Harbor
made
48
(Revision 1940). (2) Interoffice Routing Slip, Lyman
to G-4 HD, 21 Nov 41. Both in Engr AGF PAC.
49
the United States.
(3) Memo, Lyman
AGF PAC 600.12
(Sep), 8 Oct 41, Rpt, Avn Engrs and the
Defense
of
 
THE DEFENSE EFFORT GAINS M O M E N T U M
45
nection was the hau tree, which could be
made to grow in almost any direction
and within a
year produced branches
thirty feet long.
Extremely difficult to
ing up sharp outlines were the construc-
tion of false rock formations and the
planting of cacti. On the whole, be-
cause Washington, despite requests,
almost no co-ordination
room for a new building.
Runways,
manner could be easily identified from
the air.
needed to ferry heavy bombers from th e
United
existing
dated islands, was dangerously exposed.
A
Pacific and
partment
on fields in the South Pacific and to have
them
finished
matter
was told. "Every
Reybold, who succeeded Schley
Wyman to carry out the
work.
An
allotted.
members of his staff and with Admiral
Bloch,
in
in the
Short set 15
of the runway at each field. There-
after other
ult imately have three
age for gasoline and buildings fo r servic-
ing crews would be provided later. The
project was given an A-1-a rating, the
highest
52
Wyman
about
States and
Nov 40. (2) Rpt, Maj John F.
Oliver, Jr.,
4 Oct 41. Engr AGF
PAC,
(1) Ltr, SPD Engr to CofEngrs, 17 Oct 41. (2)
Ltr, Chief Finance
A N M B ,
Engr AGF PAC,686 (Ferry Route) I.
 
Canton, and its survey was
available
to
detachment. The next day Short and
Wyman agreed
on Canton, by the Hawaiian Con-
structors under a
troops. To get firsthand knowledge
about the more distant sites, Wyman sent
two officers, Maj. Roger M. Ramey of
the Air Corps and Capt. Stanford Mac-
Casland of the Corps of Engineers to
make
a
reconnaissance.
same day a party of officers and civilians
left by ship for Christmas to investigate
conditions on that island and make
pre-
district office by
supply ship based on Honolulu, and
finding the Navy short of
ships,
Wyman
Haleakala. The Hawaiian Constructors
supplies
in
the
looks excellent from an airman's point
of view." The setup in Fiji was "about
perfect." The defenses of that British
Crown Colony were being strengthened
by New
Caledonia, there might be some
diffi-
about 30 miles north of
Noumea,
the
capital,
fields on the island held promise.
54
in
runways at
territories.
55
(1) Ltr, Short to TAG, 22 Nov 41. (2) Rad,
Wyman to CofEngrs, 23 Oct 41. Both in Engr AGF
PAC, 686 (Ferry Route) I.
54
Memo,
CofS
G-4 HD, 28 Oct 41. Engr AGF
PAC,
PAC,
cost-plus-a-
fixed-fee
route
islands
and Major
Pacific to establish the necessary liaison
with the local governments. At this
time
pines, would be responsible for work on
the fields west of New Caledonia.
56
70 civilians
of the
Hawaiian Constructors
district
and 20 miles
feet above sea
had been
lation had been evacuated, but a British
resident commissioner and 26 Polyne-
sians had returned in April
1941 and
mouth of the lagoon.
long at
roads were poor. The engineers would
have
about 130 troops and civilians headed by
Capt. C. D.
age two of the barges filled with water
and had to be abandoned though some
of the equipment was
tion.
land
was
ways
island.
temporary dock, the blasting of coral
from the lagoon, the erection of shop
buildings, and the surveying of the site
fo r the runway.
In New Zealand and its possessions, gov-
ernmental agencies
constructed public
construction
was
or borrow
co-operative. Within
thirty-six hours
5 Nov 41. (3) Rad, Wyman
to
CofEngrs,
58
(1) Ltr, Baker to Wyman, 17 Mar 42. (2) Ltr,
Baker to Wyman, 30 Nov 41. Both in Engr AGF
PAC.
after Ramey and MacCasland had
made
with Prime Minister Peter Fraser the
desirability of improving Nandi field,
work had begun. New Zealand even
gave the project priority
tion prohibiting
direct orders of the government in order
that sufficient lumber might
Wyman that work had started at Nandi.
In
late
New
island.
MacCasland was fully justified. One of
the field's
ways.
When
Sverdrup
They believed
emergency
use
until
French High Commissioner
would be out of the question until an
agreement between
by the Australian Government at the re-
quest of the Free French were already
improving Tontouta,
until
an
French to permit sending in American
workmen and equipment. The Austral-
ians agreed
addi-
tional
sites
Hebrides, but they were unable to do
anything at Plaines des Gaiacs because
their resources
have to wait.
creasingly hampered by various obstacles.
Transportation bottlenecks began to
plague the construction forces.
materials from
curement became entangled
59
Ltr,
Sverdrup
to
Wyman,
to TAG, 22 Nov 41. All in Engr AGF PAC.
60
Rad, Sverdrup to Short, 27 Nov 41. Both in Engr
AGF PAC.
those in
priorities
that projects in Hawaii be given the
same priority as those in Panama. He
wanted especially to have an A-1-b rat-
ing for materials needed for the storage
tanks
for
neers.
higher rating. In July, all defense proj-
ects in Alaska were rated A-1-c. With
this
low
rating,
the
rials, particularly steel and copper, all
the
more
so
since
Because of the
delivery. August
steel,
61
A
way "during the short
Priorities
materials
for
fo r the ferry route.
Construction in
this time ap-
funds for a project could the Engineers
place
orders
they were designated, a normal pro-
cedure in peacetime. To make possible
building up reserves of
another as deemed
necessary, efforts were
meantime, the Chief of Engineers, in
order to ease the supply situation in
Hawaii, made an
available $400,000
to the
Seattle District
As
District was to replace them with
stocks
of 1942. Still, these sums could not be
used for building up stockpiles in any
real
rials for authorized projects. Nor were
61
(1) Ltr, Short to TAG, 28 Jul 41. (2) Ltr,
Fiscal
OCE,
41. (4)
Ltr, D u n n to Schley, 9 Aug 41. 161 Alaska
(Preferred Rating).
Dunn to Schley, 9 Aug 41.
63
A N M B Priorities Comm OCE, 4 Sep 41,
on Ltr,
 
JAPAN
in
getting
and Japan had reached a precarious state
by October 1941. On the 18th of that
month General Hideki Tojo, an advocate
of an aggressive, expansionist policy, be-
came premier of Japan. The American
position regarding a settlement in the
Pacific, hitherto unacceptable
of readiness
peaceful settlement
would attack.
work,
construction under the department engi-
neer's supervision
had increased
approximately 5,000.
November, the
bombproof
command
defense installations such as antiaircraft
guns, had completed emplacements fo r
medium
public, engineer
tion, except some housing at Rio Hato
being built by the
The 805th
the two strips at La Joya. A major
effort
stallations. Continued maintenance was
tion question, since
bers in the coup d'etat of October had
not been filled.
64
(Stockpiles). (3) 1st Ind,
41, to Ltr,Moore to
Dunn to Park, 7 Nov 41, on
Ltr, Park to Dunn, 29
Oct 41. 400.291 (Stockpiles).
(1) Prelim Study, II, pp. 14-16, 254. (2) Ltr,Lt
Col S. N. Karrick, IGD, to TIG, 20 Dec 41. G-4 /
27963-188.
in the immediate future. In October
and November, a group representing the
War Department's General Staff divisions
toured
firsthand
how
work
was
progressing.
All
were
declared that construction in Alaska "in-
vites
Army
adequately defended, a view shared by
most
December
Lt.
tions
particularly that construction, approved
Heiden, that Army camps
and that a number of roads be built as
alternate lines
envisioned by the War Department plan-
ners would require much more engineer
work. Completion of the airfields alone
would take another summer season.
"Full construction," in the opinion of
Colonel Walker, "could only be accom-
plished within
to
manent
and
pected, in some cases acquiring real estate
took an inordinately long time. The
Engineers had to negotiate with the Na-
tional Park Service for almost a year
before they were allowed on Haleakala.
By late November progress was a little
more encouraging. Housing for the sta-
tion on Mount Kaala on Oahu was fin-
ished, and the station on Haleakala was
almost
the remaining stations were continuing.
None
cause the Signal Corps' apparatus still
had to be
storage were complete and had been
given
were assembling equipment to start work
shortly. Nine tanks, each with
a
capac-
Hammond Iron Works of Warren,
Pennsylvania. Three major projects for
ammunition storage
one at Wheeler Field and the other at
Aliamanu
(1) Memo, G-2 WD for ACofS G-2, 1 Dec 41.
WPD 3512-148. (2) Memo, Walker for G-3 WD, 5
Dec 41,
with Incl.
THE WAR
AGAINST JAPAN
Work had begun on coastal
defenses,
principally
on railway gun positions.
supplemental
agreements
work had
risen from
$1,097,673 to
tors, plagued with growing scarcities of
men and materials, struggled
relatively
recruited required an extraordinary
deficiencies, duly
partment after his investigation in
September.
many of the
auditing
subdivision
the using agencies often did not
furnish
exact
information
trying as best he could to keep th e con-
struction effort on an even keel, held
conferences
Hawaiian Constructors. At these
men tried to "iron out any problems that
arose," with the district engineer con-
stantly trying to impress on the con-
tractors the need for speed. But even
so , the difficulties he faced
were great.
States Japan seemed
informed its Pacific commanders that
Japanese troop movements indicated
direction," and especially
Francisco, Panama,
directed
structed
population."
70
that engineer work would
Rpt, W y m a n
to Cof-
Engrs, 4 Dec 41, sub: Month ly Rpt of Opns, AWS
Detector
Stations,
Dist Of to
Pearl Harbor Bd to CofEngrs, 1 Aug 44. (4) Ltr,
Hq 1st Bn
Harbor, 15 Dec 41. All in Engr AGF PAC.
69
(1)
World War II, POA, pp. 98off. (2) Ltr,
Asst IG HD
to CG HD, 4 Nov 41. (3) Rpt from Div Engr, Pac
Div, to the Army Pearl Harbor Bd on
Contract
No.
"B." Both in Engr AGF
PAC.
70
 
THE D E F E N S E EFFORT GAINS
MOMENTUM
53
In
Panama,
was
broken
dent de la Guardia
extending installations
71
fields
start was about to be made on storage for
reserve gasoline. Construction on the
ferry route had begun. In Alaska—
aside from
were still in the planning stage. Little
could be
In
32,000—just under
804th
21,000
troops
without warning. Some made
lasting
Fields and
machine-gunned Schofield
minutes before
engineers
were
equipment
was
though most of the planes on the field
were demolished, no
directed their most devastating
bulk
partly destroyed the Navy's Kaneohe Sea-
plane Base in eastern Oahu and its Ewa
71
with
combat operations,
Canal
Zone and the surrounding regions
after the outbreak
Pacific may be
subject prepared by the author and on file in the
Historical Division, Office
the United States and Its Outposts, pp. 346-48.
72
lulu Engr Dist
of Opns, AW S
Rpt of Opns, Constr Progress AC Stations, 16-30
Nov 41. Last two in Engr AGF PAC.
73
(1) Strength of the A r m y WD AGO Rpts. (2)
The
and Services, Volume I, UNITED STATES
A R M Y
IN WORLD WAR II
Marine Air Station in the southwestern
part of the
of the
World War II,
eds.,
"The Army Air
Forces in World War II, vol. I, Plans and Early Op-
erations: January 1939 to August 1942
(Chicago: The
accounts
Harbor see (3) Conn,
States, ch.
War II," vol. III,
1931-1942 (Boston:
 
struck
hours
after
the
attack
stocks
of
supplies
and
their advance
ing
not
prevent
the
the
stand
the Philippines, and, apparently, the War
Department
ORANGE–3
and the Filipino forces could not beat off
an invasion at the
5) There and on
enemy access to Manila Bay. Although
it
was
reach
reinforcements from the United
policy regarding the Philippines began
to change. Among the men responsible
for modifying the War Department's
policy was Maj. Gen. George Grunert,
who had become commander of the
Philippine
year. His insistent pleas for reinforce-
ments at length led the War Department
to make a beginning toward
bolstering
the
Government.
In
of the commonwealth. There was
henceforth
an
fenses of the
A R M Y IN WORLD WAR II (Washington, 1953),
pp. 61-64.
an
invasion,
the B-17
time
if based in the
ening the Philippines, President Roose-
velt
islands an over-all command,
(USAFFE).
command included
MacArthur
ing Bataan Peninsula and
the end of the year and an even
larger
force
his preparations. On 1 October he
asked
permission
plan to
November Marshall
later
revis-
3
Preparations
for
Defense
pines
neers.
had only a small staff to supervise con-
struction, supply, and map making.
MacArthur had no engineer in USAFFE
until October 1941, when
concern.
Corregidor, Caballo,
there,
begun
was a maze of
defensive works—tunne ls ,
ters, and shops. The island appeared to
be impregnable against any probable
naval attack, but
same was true of the defenses of the other
fortified islands. During
4
For
2
Henry
L.
Stimson
and
Brothers,
Plans and
3
(1) Ltr, M a c A r t h u r to Marshall, 1 Feb 41. AG
093.5. P.I.
(7-2-40) (4).
4
vided fo r Philippine independence af ter a ten-year
 
58
CORPS OF E N G I N E E R S : THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN
the fiscal years 1939-41 inclusive, funds
allotted to the
transferred $500,000
to the
Corregidor.
of fortification work at the
harbor
de-
Panama mounts (makeshift concrete
field
minor improvements.
defense
of
virtually a wilderness. On 25 July 1940
Grunert, after outlining for the General
Staff what he considered to be the
"minimum requirements
$1,939,000 for roads, docks, and bomb-
proof storage. Marshall replied
nature.
6
include $346,000 for the harbor defenses.
He
made
by which time the War Department's
attitude
March of that year Congress appropriated
$946,000
November 1940 Major Mielenz had
recommended that an interservice board
be
Harbor Defense protection
commanding general of the Harbor De-
fenses
appointed
the
board
at
once,
and
by
three years
until early October.
element in the
in the Philippines—Nichols, just south
transitional period, during which the United States
would
and the
have
the
power
"to
call
by the Philippine
Government." Morton, Fall
5
(1)
Ltr,
CG
Bays to CG Phil Dept, 26 Oct 40. AG 600.12
(10-
26-40)
Years," The Military Engineer, XLI (May-June,
1949), 179-81. (3) Col L. E. Mielenz, MS,
Engr
Islands
of
Engr Preparation). SWPA File M343. (4) TM 20–
205, 18 Jan 44.
(1) Ltr, CG Dept to TAG, 25 Jul 40. AG
600.12 (7-25-40) (1). (2) Memo, WPD for CofS, 14
Aug 40. (3) Rad, TAG to CG Phil Dept, 19 Aug
40. All three in AG 600.12 (7-25-40)
(1). (4) WD
Phil Dept, 22 Oct 37. 381 (Phils) 1934-45.
(1) 1st
to CG Phil Dept,
sec. 1 (1). (2)
Mielenz, Engr Preparation. (3)
Ltr, C Constr Sec OCE to CG Phil
Dept, 6 Aug 41.
Rad, CG Phil Dept to TAG, 25 Jul 41. AG
600.12
59
the distinction of being the only military
field in the islands with a paved runway.
But this
Clark, was too small to take B-17's
safely.
runway
plan
a
network
on Lu-
ment had obtained $2,773,000 for Gru-
nert's projects.
been allotted for
immediately allotted him three of the five
million,
the near future.
ippine Commonwealth, but the bulk was
assigned to the Engineer
tect not only the
service was needed.
During the latter
to build
eral Kingman that the department
engi-
been "a
able to transact its business in a few
hours
There were
work
and
Stickney
gram. With but one regular officer to
assist him,
he considered
with
9
Fought With What
They Had (Boston, 1951), pp. 26-27. (2) Ltr, Stick-
ney to King man , 28 Apr 41. 600.1 (Phil Dept Air-
fields) 1941.
(1) Rad, CG Phil Dept to TAG,30 Oct 40. (2)
Rad, TAG to CG Phil Dept, 7 Dec 40. Both in
600.1
Phil Dept to TAG, 12 Jan 41. AG 600.12 (10-26-40)
sec. 1 (1). (4) DF, G-4 to CofEngrs,