A Look Back in Time…
My dad, Ernie Tomlins, did that twice in his lifetime–went north to Alaska. The first time as a young unmarried man in 1942, leaving Toronto and wanting to do his part for the war effort by working on the Alaska Highway; then as a grandfather, returning in 1992 with my mom to celebrate the Highway’s 50th anniversary.
Being turned down at the recruiting office in Toronto due to a medical condition, my dad looked for other ways to contribute to the war effort. Although barely 21, he already had experience having worked as a delivery driver for Eaton’s (remember them?) and a few other opportunities as he found them. Hearing about construction jobs ‘out West’, he set off to do his part.
Reaching Vancouver, British Columbia he eventually found employment as a driver with Jupp Construction and his adventure in the north began!
My dad was one of many truck drivers hauling supplies up and down the highway–each time seeing more and more of the country as the road steadily grew.
Army engineer corps and construction workers toiled side by side, battling unbelievable conditions but feverish to complete the 1,400 miles and defend the north. The trucks drivers like my dad were integral to the success of the massive project.
Throughout his life my dad remained passionate about traveling.
When he heard about the plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Highway, my dad knew it would be the perfect time to go north once more.
While he was there he ran into a local author who was doing research for a book on the subject.
Her vision was to tell the story of the building of the Alaska Highway through the eyes and words of the men who were there.
My dad and Donna, the author, talked about his experiences which later became part of her book.
When it was eventually published Donna wrote to my dad, not realizing he had since passed away. Upon hearing the news from my mom, Donna sent her a signed copy with her condolences. My dad would have been tickled to see his story in that book.
Both time my dad was in Alaska he took along a camera–these photos span both of those experiences. He’s actually only in a few of them and, unfortunately, the identities of the others who appear have been lost to time and history.
Regardless, the pictures tell a fascinating story of the hardships faced and the determination required by these men. For some it was an amazing adventure, for others a proud duty–for many, it was both.
All I know is that, over the years I was growing up, my dad’s stories of his time in Alaska were always exciting and I never grew tired of hearing them.
Historical Footnote
The December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor catapulted America into World War II. The U.S. government made the construction of a north-south inland supply route/highway connecting the rest of America with Alaska a wartime priority.
Construction of the Alaska–or ALCAN–Highway began in March 1942, with Canadian crews beginning at the southern end and U.S. crews starting at the northern end. The two crews met on September 24, 1942 at Mile 588 (later called Contact Creek) on the British Columbia-Yukon border on the 60th parallel. The entire Alaska Highway route was completed October 28, 1942 with the northern linkup at Mile 1202 (Beaver Creek), and on November 20, 1942 it was dedicated at Soldier’s Summit.
Although this initial highway route (1,700 miles / 2,700 kilometers) was completed in 1942, the road wasn’t suitable for civilian drivers or vehicles. Being built on a tight deadline and through the Alaskan winter it featured steep grades, no guardrails, pontoon bridges, and an overall poor road surface. Finally, in 1948, three years after the end of World War II, the Alaska-Canadian Highway opened to the public. Due to almost constant reconstructions efforts (including stretches of straightening out and/or re-routing) the Highway today is more than 300 miles (450 kilometers) shorter than when it originally opened.
Shortly after the initial Alaska Highway completion, Jupp Construction went through business changes and ended up as Miller Paving Limited–today known as The Miller Group–with over 4,000 employees working across Canada, the U.S. and internationally.
– Marilyn
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