The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline

April 2003

CEMML TPS 03-04
The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline
The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

Fairbanks

Kristy Hollinger

Edited by:

Glenda R. Lesondak

Prepared by:

Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands

Colorado State University

Ft. Collins, CO 80523-1490

Russell H. Sackett

Conservation Branch

Directorate of Public Works

U.S. Army Alaska

Fort Richardson, AK 99505-6500

April 2003

CEMML TPS 03-04

Haines
The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline
The Haines-Fairbanks

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table of contents able of contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 2

1.2 Methods ......................................................................................................................................... 2

2.0 CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................................ 5

3.0 PROJECT PLANNING, 1947-1953 ...................................................................................................... 7

3.1 Design Contract ............................................................................................................................. 7

3.2 Pipeline Route ................................................................................................................................ 7

3.3 Canada Route ................................................................................................................................. 8

3.4 Construction Contract .................................................................................................................... 9

3.5 Land Acquisition ............................................................................................................................ 9

3.6 Army Petroleum Distribution and the Air Force .......................................................................... 10

4.0 CONSTRUCTION, 1953-1955 ........................................................................................................... 13

4.1 Right-of-Way ............................................................................................................................... 13

4.2 The Pipe ....................................................................................................................................... 14

4.3 Pump Stations............................................................................................................................... 16

4.4 Construction Working and Living Conditions ............................................................................. 17

4.5 Dedication Ceremony................................................................................................................... 18

5.0 FACILITIES & OPERATIONS, 1955-1961 ....................................................................................... 21

5.1 Line Freeze-Up............................................................................................................................. 21

5.2 Tankers and Fuel Delivery ........................................................................................................... 23

5.3 Ship to Shore...Haines Terminal .................................................................................................. 24

5.4 Pumping to Tok Pump Station...................................................................................................... 26

5.5 Tok Terminal ................................................................................................................................ 27

5.6 Headquarters ................................................................................................................................ 31

5.7 Interface Control .......................................................................................................................... 32

5.8 Temperature Issues ....................................................................................................................... 32

5.9 Fuel Delivered: Fairbanks, Terminal, Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Greely .......................... 33

5.10 Routine Operations ..................................................................................................................... 36

5.11 Maintenance ................................................................................................................................ 37

5.12 Safety........................................................................................................................................... 38

5.13 Security ....................................................................................................................................... 39

5.13.1 Aerial Surveillance............................................................................................................ 39

6.0 SYSTEM EXPANSION, 1961 ............................................................................................................ 41

7.0 PIPELINE LIFE................................................................................................................................... 45

7.1 Haines Terminal ........................................................................................................................... 45

7.2 Tok Terminal ................................................................................................................................ 47

7.3 Booster Stations ........................................................................................................................... 48

7.4 Economic Impact.......................................................................................................................... 49

8.0 PIPELINE SHUTDOWN, 1971-1979 ................................................................................................. 51

 8.1 Impact on the Communities: Haines and Tok .............................................................................. 53
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LIST OF FIGURES

Cover: Pipeline from top of Summit out of Camp 2. Chilkoot Pass. July 20, 1955.

All photographs published from the National Archives & Records Administration: Pacific Alaska Region

are from the same collection: Record Group No. 77 (Army Corps of Engineers) Installation Historical

Files, 1938-1973, Boxes 8, 9 and 11. Hereafter the source of these photos will be referred to as NARA.

Figure 1. 10 Aug. 1954. Haines-Fairbanks POL pipeline area #3 (Harding Lake Area). Resident Engineer

vehicle M-37 stuck in the mud – looking south .......................................................................... 13

Figure 2. Ball used in clearing way for pipeline ........................................................................................ 13

Figure 3. Unloading and stockpiling British pipe at Haines ...................................................................... 14

Figure 4. Push and pull assistance was necessary to bring piping to the places needed in tundra swamp

crossing. ...................................................................................................................................... 14

Figure 5. Laying pipe for underwater crossing .......................................................................................... 15

Figure 6. Pipeline construction ................................................................................................................... 15

Figure 7. Pipe welding ................................................................................................................................ 15

Figure 8. Area 2, Mile 1173, Yukon Territory, Corps of Engineers inspection vehicle mired along pipeline

right-of-way................................................................................................................................. 16

Figure 9. Tok Terminal under construction, 1954 ...................................................................................... 16

Figure 10. Contractor’s Camp at Mosquito Lake, 25 miles from Haines, 24 Sept 1954 ........................... 17

Figure 11. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline construction.................................................................................... 18

Figure 12. Workers assemble on highway to be moved into pipeline right-of-way, a distance of 3 miles

over access road, mile 28, 1954 .................................................................................................. 18

Figure 13. Tom Nelson, superintendent of Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline explains to distinguished military

guests........................................................................................................................................... 18

Figure 14. Pipeline break located near MP 498.8. Break was discovered during test period and was

repaired ....................................................................................................................................... 22

Figure 15. Fuel tanker docking at Haines ................................................................................................... 23

Figure 16. Pipes leading from Haines dock to manifold building .............................................................. 25

Figure 17. Haines Terminal ........................................................................................................................ 25

Figure 18. Donjek Pump Station ................................................................................................................ 27

Figure 19. Tok Terminal ............................................................................................................................. 28

Figure 20. Tok Terminal flow diagram ....................................................................................................... 29

Figure 21. East end of mainline pump house, Tok Terminal. ..................................................................... 30

Figure 22. Mainline pumps, Tok Terminal. ................................................................................................ 30

Figure 23. Mainline pump engines, Tok Terminal. .................................................................................... 30

Figure 24. Fans in radiator building for cooling mainline pumps. Tok Terminal. ..................................... 30

Figure 25. Manifold and transfer pump building interior, Tok Terminal. .................................................. 30

Figure 26. Pipes leaking from manifold building to tank farm, Tok Terminal. .......................................... 30

t

9.0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ......................................................................................................... 55

 9.1 Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline .......................................................... 56

10.0 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................................ 57

11.0 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................... 59
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Figure 27. Vern McConnell at the Fairbanks Terminal .............................................................................. 33

Figure 28. Fuel drum recovery on Fort Wainwright ................................................................................... 34

Figure 29. Aerial view of Fairbanks Terminal ........................................................................................... 35

Figure 30. Fairbanks Terminal.................................................................................................................... 35

Figure 31. Pipeline marker for aerial surveillance ..................................................................................... 39

Figure 32. Destruction Bay under construction.......................................................................................... 41

Figure 33. Blanchard River pump station................................................................................................... 42

Figure 34. Destruction Bay pump station ................................................................................................... 42

Figure 35. Bill Kelm in back of Haines apartments, Ca 1959/1960........................................................... 45

Figure 36. Byrd Kelly at the Haines Terminal front gate, ca. 1957 ........................................................... 46

Figure 37. Jeanette, Joyce and Douglas Kelley in the dining room at their Haines Terminal apartment .. 46

Figure 38. Residents often kept gardens in front of their apartments. Here Betty Kelley sits on her front

porch with prize turnips .............................................................................................................. 47

Figure 39. Example of a 3” pig used in the CANOL Pipeline ................................................................... 52

Figure 40. Water shooting out of a bullet hole during pipeline repairs. ..................................................... 52

Figure 41. Sears Creek pump station, May 2002. ...................................................................................... 57

LIST OF MAPS

Map 1. CANOL Pipeline .............................................................................................................................. 5

Map 2. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline, 1955-1961 .......................................................................................... 19

Map 3. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline & new pump stations, 1961-1973 ....................................................... 43

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Pipeline crossings ........................................................................................................................... 8

Table 2. Tank Farm capacities .................................................................................................................... 26

Table 3. Permissible fuel contamination levels .......................................................................................... 32

Table 4. Current status of pump stations (2003) ........................................................................................ 58

iii
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Chapter Chapter 1.0 Introduction

When people think of pipelines in Alaska the first thing that usually comes to mind

is the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. But the state has actually been host to several large

pipeline systems over the past 60 years. The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was a lesserknown Cold War era project owned and operated by the U.S. Army from 1955 to

1973. The eight-inch diameter pipeline transported refined fuel from a deep-water

port at Haines to Fort Greely, Eielson Air Force Base, and Ladd Air Force Base

(Ladd AFB was transferred to the Army and became Fort Wainwright in 1961).

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was responsible for pipeline design and construction. The Corps contracted most of this work to private companies, maintaining a supervisory role over the project. The pipeline was designed from 1950 to

1952 and construction occurred over 22 months, from 1953 to 1955. Civilian, federal wage-grade personnel operated the pipeline in conjunction with orders received

via teletype from the Petroleum Division headquarters at Fort Richardson.1

Four types of fuel were conveyed over the 626-mile route including diesel, automotive gas, jet fuel and aviation gas. The vast majority of fuel transported was JP4:

jet fuel. Originally, five strategically located pump stations pressured fuel through

the pipeline. In 1961, six booster stations were added to the system to increase the

fuel output. When operating at maximum capacity, the pipeline could deliver 27,500

barrels of fuel a day, most of which was for Air Force use.

Fuel was an essential commodity that powered Cold War missions of defense and

deterrence. The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was considered a logistical asset and

the most reliable, efficient means of transporting the vast quantities of fuel needed

in interior Alaska. In 1970 investigations revealed the pipeline metal was deteriorating, particularly on the southern half of the system. Repair costs were prohibitive, and plans to shut the Haines to Tok section of the line were implemented. The

Tok to Fairbanks section continued operating until 1973 when it too was closed.

Routine operations, normal for the period, resulted in environmental contamination, particularly at the main pipeline pump stations in Haines, Tok and Fairbanks.

Environmental investigations and restoration work have been ongoing at these sites

since the early 1990s.

The purpose of this report is to document the history of the pipeline from its inception to the conclusion of operations. The document was written to fulfill the requirements of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the U.S. Army Alaska

and the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). The report was written in consultation with the Fort Wainwright Cultural Resources Working Group, the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers and the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

The MOA sets stipulations for the demolition and cleanup of the Tok Terminal.

Stipulation 3C required historic documentation of the pipeline.

1

 The Army’s petroleum operations underwent several name and organizational changes over the years that the Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline operated. Petroleum Division was the last designation used.
2 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

As a significant Cold War property, preservation of the pipeline’s history is important and a requirement under federal regulations, as stipulated in Section 110 of the

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended).

1.1 Acknowledgments

Many former employees and their family members generously shared memories of

the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline for this study. Special thanks to: Randy Acord, Layton

Bennett, Johnny Burnham, Ray Carder, Vern McConnell, Richard Duke, June Haas,

Dwight Hanson, Earnest and Laura Kelly, Edward and Elizabeth Karmen, John

Koehler, George Lyle, Genie Menaker, David Menaker, Clarence Sparks, Joyce

Thomas and Thomas Webster. Without them, this project would not have been

possible.

Also, thanks to the following for assisting in various stages of the project: Fort

Wainwright Cultural Resources Working Group; Lee Clayton, President of the

Chilkat Indian Association; Sarah Epps, Cold Regions Research and Engineering

Laboratory; Diane Hanson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Kathy Price, USARAK

Cultural Resources Specialist; and Russ Sackett, USARAK Cultural Resources

Manager.

1.2 Methods

This project was initiated with background research in files at the U.S. Army

Alaska’s, Department of Public Works, Environmental, Fort Richardson. Three studies served as basic reference sources on the pipeline facilities and operations:

Garfield, D.E., Ashline, C.E., Haines, F.D. and Ueda, H.T. HainesFairbanks Pipeline: Design, Construction and Operation. SR 77-

4 CRREL. February 1977.

Pamphlet 360-1, Description of Alaskan Military Petroleum Facilities. 172 Infantry Brigade (Alaska) 15 January 1982.

Rickard, W.E. and Deneke, F. Preliminary Investigations of Petroleum Spillage, Haines-Fairbanks Military Pipeline, Alaska. April

1972.

Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline: Design, Construction and Operation provided a historical narrative of the pipeline. Description of Alaskan Military Petroleum Facilities described facilities and equipment at each pump station. And Preliminary Investigations of Petroleum Spillage discussed the effects of documented oil spills

along the pipeline corridor before 1972.

Background research was also conducted at the Loussac Library and the Alaska

Resources Library & Information Services (ARLIS). There were only brief references to the pipeline in historical literature. ARLIS provided magazine articles

recording the pipeline’s construction. These articles were valuable in reconstructing the early pipeline history. Also important to documenting construction was a

special “Pipeline Edition” of the Anchorage Daily News published October 11,

1955.
The Haines-Fairbanks 3

Pipeline

Initial archival research was conducted at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)

Archives and Manuscripts Department, the National Archives and Records Administration, Alaska Pacific Region, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Archives (UAF),

the Alaska State Archives, Yukon Archives, and the Sheldon Museum and Cultural

Center Archives.

Primary sources documenting the pipeline’s history were difficult to find. Original

records may have been disposed or transferred out of state when the pipeline was

shut down. Alaskan archival resources produced limited information.

Oral history interviews were a key information source for this study. Former HainesFairbanks Pipeline employees and their family members filled gaps in the written

sources and added a personal dimension to the pipeline story. Fifteen people were

interviewed in Haines, Haines-Junction, Tok, Fairbanks, and Anchorage. One interview was conducted over the phone. Two interviews conducted for the Sheldon

Museum oral history program also proved useful.

The author contacted the companies that built and designed the pipeline. Neither

Willbros, now known as Willbros USA Inc, nor Fluor Corporation had original

documentation regarding the pipeline’s history in their archives.
4 The Haines-Fairbanks

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The Haines-Fairbanks 5

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Chapter Chapter 2.0 Context

As the defense infrastructure expanded in

Alaska during World War II, fuel supplies became a growing concern, particularly at Interior bases. The Lend-Lease program and AlaskaCanada Highway (ALCAN) construction required steady fuel supplies.2 The Alaska Railroad transported fuel to the Interior and coastal

points were supplied by oil tankers. However,

the railroad was plagued with scheduling difficulties and burdened with shipping war supplies. It was also unreliable and slow to move

the amount of fuel required. Oil tankers were

in short supply due to the war effort and were

vulnerable to attack.3

These fuel supply issues received attention at

the highest levels of government, and construction of a pipeline was quickly authorized. The

CANOL Pipeline (Canadian American Gas Oil

pipeline) would move crude oil from Canadian

oil fields at Norman Wells to a refinery at Whitehorse. From Whitehorse, supplementary lines would deliver refined fuel to Fairbanks, Skagway and Watson Lake.

The combined length of the pipelines was 1,600 miles. The project’s appeal lay in

the protected inland fuel source that would allow the Army to decrease its dependence on Navy tankers.4

CANOL construction was a massive effort in terms of money and labor consumed.

The project was authorized quickly without feasibility studies or a full understanding of the conditions and costs that would be encountered.5 The final price tag for

construction was about $130,000,000.00. At the peak of construction, over 10,600

civilians and 4,000 engineer troops worked on the project.6 The work started in

1943 and the pipeline was operating by April of 1944. The CANOL ran at full

capacity for only 12 months before sections were shut down in April, 1945. The

system was plagued with leaks and spills during its short service and maintenance

costs were prohibitive. Major development of the Norman Wells oil fields ceased

in 1945. The Whitehorse refinery was sold and dismantled in 1947. The pipeline

from Skagway to Fairbanks continued to be used in a limited capacity until 1958,

delivering fuel to Whitehorse, Fairbanks and other points along the Alaska Highway. Skagway was receiving fuel by oil tankers.7

Map 1. CANOL Pipeline. Based on map in Invention & Technology, “Pipe Dream” by Raoul Drapeau.

2

 The Lend-Lease program ferried U.S. equipment to the Soviet Union during W.W.II.

3

 Drapeau, Raoul. “Pipe Dream.” Invention & Technology (Winter) 2002. 4

 Woodman, Lyman L. Duty Station Northwest: The U.S. Army in Alaska and Western Canada, 1867-1987, Volume Two 1918-1945.

Anchorage: Alaska Historical Society, 1997. 5

 Fradkin, Philip. “The First and Forgotten Pipeline.” Source unknown.

6

 Ibid.

7

 Menders, Paul. First Draft Report: An Evaluation of the Economics of Utilizing the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline for Civilian Purposes.

Economic Staff Group, Northern Development Branch, D.I.A.N.D. 29 April 1970.

N
6 The Haines-Fairbanks

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Alaska’s proximity to the Soviet Union propelled the territory’s development to a

strategic Cold War theater beginning in 1947. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

embarked on large-scale construction efforts across the territory to bolster the defense infrastructure. Fuel supply again became a key logistical issue for the military’s

widely scattered bases. As stated in an annual report, “Logistic operations in the

Alaskan Command (were) unique, not because of the forces or missions assigned,

but because of complexities created by vast distances, limited surface transportation, difficult terrain, and the extreme variations of weather encountered within the

territory.”8

The CANOL was in poor condition and too small to meet the military’s anticipated

fuel demand. The Army needed a system that would reliably and quickly get fuel to

Ladd Air Force Base, Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Greely. The bases played a

key role in the Cold War as Alaska served as “a giant listening post” and the first

line of defense against Soviet attack. Cold region training and research, aerial reconnaissance, and aerial defense were crucial Army and Air Force missions occurring at Interior bases. 9

As during World War II, a pipeline was once again identified as the best fuel transportation solution. It was thought to be cheaper than using the railroad, which was

shipping the most fuel at the time. Railroad delivery cost ten cents a gallon, while it

was estimated that pipeline delivery would cost two cents a gallon.10 Also, fuel

delivery had to compete with other railroad shipping demands. The pipeline would

be devoted solely to petroleum transportation. Finally, Cold War strategy called for

a reliable and safe delivery route. A pipeline was a smaller, less vulnerable target

than the highly visible railroad.11 This was an important consideration during the

tense Cold War years.

8

 “History of the Alaskan Command, 1969.” Prepared by the Historian, Office of the Secretary, Joint Staff Headquarters ALCOM.

9

 Price, Kathy. Northern Defenders: Cold War Context of Ladd Air Force Base Fairbanks, Alaska 1947-1961. CEMML TPS 01-2

January 2001. 10 “History of the Alaskan Command. 1 July 1956.” Prepared by Office of Information Services, Alaskan Commnd.

11 Haas, Frank M. “The Haines / Fairbanks Pipeline.” February 1992. On file at Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center, Haines, AK.
The Haines-Fairbanks 7

Pipeline

Though most defense fuel was consumed by the Air Force, petroleum distribution

(along with supply logistics) was an Army function. An Army pipeline to replace

the CANOL was considered as early as 1945.12 After congressional authorization,

the design phase was implemented in 1950, just as the Korean War started. The

Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was also known as the Alaska Canada Gas Oil Pipeline

or ALCANGO.

3.1 Design Contract

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was in charge of the pipeline construction. In

1950, the Corps issued invitations to bid on the project’s design. Fluor Corporation, of Los Angeles, California, won the bid. It designed the line from 1950 to

1952. Fluor subcontracted some of the research work to Ryall Engineering, a Little

Rock, Arkansas company.

Issues of cold climate construction necessitated careful planning and design. Preliminary route studies were conducted by air, automobile and foot.13 Ryall Engineering explored the pipeline corridor and researched the CANOL operating records.

Engineers hoped to learn from past mistakes and avoid the problems experienced

with the CANOL.14

3.2 Pipeline Route

The first step in designing the pipeline was choosing the route. Haines to Fairbanks

was a logical choice because of the proximity to existing infrastructure. Haines was

located on a deep-water, ice-free inlet with year-round access. The inlet was large

enough to handle the heavy tanker traffic pipeline fuel deliveries would generate.

There was already a dry cargo dock present, which could accommodate massive

supply deliveries and allow construction to begin immediately. And Haines was a

strategic location that let tankers use a protected coastal route on the journey to

Alaska, avoiding the rough, open seas of the Gulf of Alaska. From Haines the pipeline could follow the Haines Highway and the ALCAN Highway north to Fairbanks.

Roads were essential for transporting equipment during construction, and later for

maintenance access. Eliminating the need to build both a road and a pipeline corridor was another way to speed construction.

The Haines-Fairbanks route traversed two countries and a diverse landscape of

variable climates. Recorded temperatures ranged from a low of -82q F in Snag,

Yukon Territory to a high of 92q F in Fairbanks, Alaska.15 The line snaked through

mountain, tundra, swamp and plateau. Designers had to carefully consider extreme

elevation changes, which affected the location and number of pump stations needed.

Chapter Chapter 3.0

Project Planning,

1947–1953

12 Pamphlet 360-5. The U.S. Army in Alaska. 172nd Infantry Brigade (Alaska) May 1976. p.104. 13 George, W. “The Alaska Pipe Line.” The Military Engineer. Nov-Dec 1955. p.460. 14 “The Alcango Pipeline: Part 1 of 2.” Western Construction. Feb. 1955. p.37, 38. 15 Garfield, D.E., Ashline, C.E., Haynes, F.D., & Ueda, H.T. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline: Design, Construction and Operation. CRREL,

Special Report 77-4. February 1977. p.1.
8 The Haines-Fairbanks

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They also tried to keep the pipeline as straight as possible to

shorten the route and avoid excessive use of pipe.16

The 50-foot-wide pipeline right-of-way was located after aerial

and ground investigations. To narrow down the final corridor

selection, aerial surveys and photography were used to plot a

four-mile-wide band to known landmarks and elevations. Then

rough maps were drawn and a ground survey located the line to

survey points and private property boundaries.17

The pipeline was planned to be predominantly surface laid except for two major

underground sections. Originally designers also planned to bury the pipeline under

large streams and rivers. After research exposed the dangers of variable water flows

and deepening river channels, it was decided to attach the pipeline to ALCAN and

Haines Highway bridges wherever possible. Where bridge crossing were not available, the pipeline was buried or raised over the water on trestles or catenary cables.18

3.3 Canada Route

Approximately 292 miles of the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline crossed Canada in the

Yukon Territory and British Columbia. Cooperation of the Canadian government

was absolutely essential in constructing, operating and maintaining the project.

There was precedence for the issue with previous projects such as the CANOL

Pipeline and the ALCAN Highway. In the exchange of notes to work out details for

the right-of-way authorization, the pipeline project was described as “a mutual

defense interest of both countries.”19

The United States first approached the Canadian government with a request to

survey the proposed pipeline route on July 25, 1950. Canada gave its approval

several weeks later. In July of 1952, the U.S. Department of External Affairs sent a

memo seeking permission to build the line. The United States and Canada signed

Treaty No. 20, “Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline,” on June 30, 1953.

The treaty authorized operation of the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline for 20 years. The

government of Canada arranged “for the remission of duties and Federal taxes, on

construction equipment, materials and supplies imported into or purchased in

Canada, when consigned to the project and used in its construction.”20 If either

government wished to terminate the agreement after 20 years, they were free to do

so. The Permanent Joint Board of Defense was tasked with resolving disputes if

either the United States or Canada disagreed about the need for continuing use of

the pipeline.

Canada required that certain conditions be met in the construction and operation of

the pipeline. The government was primarily interested in protecting its lands from

environmental degradation and ensuring that Canadian labor and supplies were

used in the construction, operation and maintenance of the pipeline in its country.

The Canadian pump stations were operated entirely by Canadians.

HAINES-FAIRBANKS PIPELINE

Major River Crossings 25

Minor Stream Crossings 82

Major Highway Crossings 49

Secondary Road Crossings 39

Major Swamp Tundra Crossings 11

Table 1: Pipeline crossings.

16 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Products Pipeline, Haines to Fairbanks Alaska, Operating Manual. Prepared by Fluor Corporation.

May 1955. 17 George, W. “The Alaska Pipe Line.” The Military Engineer. Nov-Dec 1955. p 460. 18 Ibid. p.461.

19 Secretary of State for External Affairs, Canada to the Embassy of the United States of America. 30 June 1953.

20 Note No. 227, Embassy of the United States of America, Ottawa, April 19, 1962 to Embassy of The Honorable, The Secretary of State

for External Affairs, Ottawa.
The Haines-Fairbanks 9

Pipeline

3.4 Construction Contract

Invitations to bid on the pipeline construction contract were advertised September

15, 1953. Potential contractors were given one month to submit proposals. The

government estimate for the job was $28,622,684. Only three bids were received –

$29,001,287, $31,812,739.25 and $38,7784597.35. Williams Brothers (Tulsa, Oklahoma), McLaughlin Inc. (Great Falls, Montana) and Marwell Construction

(Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) won the contract as a joint venture with

their low bid of $29,001,287.00.21 Williams Brothers was the primary contractor.

3.5 Land Acquisition

The Army needed to acquire land for the pipeline right-of-way and pump stations.

A 50-foot corridor was required for the 626-mile route. The pump stations varied in

size from five acres at Junction and Donjek to 203 acres for the Haines Terminal.

Overall, the pipeline occupied 2,404.34 acres.22 Private property was acquired by a

Declaration of Taking. Public lands were withdrawn by Public Land Orders.23

In contrast to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline built some 20 years later, there was no

consultation with native groups for use of the land. The laws and regulations governing tribal consultation today were not yet in place. According to a report by

Northern Land Use Research Inc., there were mixed reactions to pipeline construction among Tlingits in the Haines region. Interviews indicated that some thought

the pipeline was important to national defense. Others appreciated the job opportunities created by the construction and operations. These reactions can in part be

attributed to the perceived understanding that the Haines Terminal would be returned to the native people when the pipeline was closed.24 However, some residents were decidedly against the project. As one elder stated:

I do know that there were people fairly upset with what was taking

place. And the major issue dealt with boundaries. The boundary

issue just regarding the federal government coming in and doing

whatever they pleased without even checking with the community.

On how the land was used, who used it, who owned it...The only

comments that I heard when I was a kid was the lack of respect

regarding boundaries and the lack of being able to express one’s

opinion. Not knowing who you could go and express your concern

> to@.

25

The pipeline land in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory was “acquired by

and remain> ed@ in the title of Canada.”26 The expense of obtaining the land was to

be incurred by Canada. It is not known what price the Canadian government may

21 “Joint Venture Built Largest Single Project.” Anchorage Daily News: Pipeline Edition. 11 Oct. 1955. 22 This figure includes the acreage added in 1961 when six additional pump stations were constructed.

23 Defense Environmental Restoration Program, Formerly Used Defense Sites, Findings and Determination of Eligibility. Alaskan Petroleum Pipeline System, Haines-Fairbanks Division, Alaska. Property No. F10AK1016. 24 McIntosh, S. J., Bowers, P. M., Higgs, A. S., & Williams, C. M. Tanani Subsistence. Report prepared for: Central Council Tlinget and

Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Northern Land Use Research, Inc. March 2000. 25 McIntosh, S. J., Bowers, P. M., Higgs, A. S., & Williams, C. M. Tanani Subsistence. Report prepared for: Central Council Tlinget and

Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Northern Land Use Research, Inc. March 2000. p.33. 26 Annex to Note No. 288, from the Embassy of the United States of America, June 30, 1953.
10 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

have paid to acquire the land for the pipeline corridor and pump stations, or if

private property owners were affected.

The only known, documented discussion of native land right issues in Canada took

place in the Yukon Territory, with regard to the Klukshu Indian Village. The village, located near Klukshu Lake, was used as a summer fish camp by the Champagne Indians. There were 118 residents in 1951. The fish camp was near the Haines

cut-off road that connected Haines to the ALCAN Highway.

In 1951 the Klukshu expressed their desire for the creation of an Indian reserve. A

letter by R.J. Meek, who worked in the Indian Affairs Branch of the Department of

Citizenship and Immigration, stated that the Haines cut-off road had disrupted life

at Klukshu Village. “Since the opening of the Haines-Cut-Off Road, access to the

fishing station is easy...many visitors, tourists, and others drop in at the village to

watch the fishing and drying.”27 The reserve was intended to protect the village

from further disruption.

A survey was scheduled to take place in 1951, but due to a controversy over the

exclusion of a church mission from the proposed reservation boundaries, the survey was not completed and the reserve was not created. In 1954 the request was

renewed. The reserve was created in January of 1955. The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline right-of-way was exempted from the boundaries. A 1954 letter to the Indian

Affairs Director stated: “With regard to the oil pipe line now being constructed

which will cross this land, I note with satisfaction that this line will not interfere

with the use of the land by the Indians.”28 This is the only known discussion regarding possible impacts to native land use caused by the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline.

This consultation was taking place through Canadian administrators of the Indian

Agency, Department of Citizenship and Immigration. Tribal consultation on a government-to-government basis was not yet practiced. 29

3.6 Army Petroleum Distribution and the Air Force

Ninety to ninety-five percent of fuel transported via the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline

was consumed by the Air Force. Initially the only Army fuel deliveries were to Fort

Greely. Fort Greely’s combined fuel storage capacity was 74,500 barrels. The Ladd

AFB and Eielson AFB storage capacity was 508,950 barrels. Even after Ladd AFB

was transferred to the Army in 1961, the Fairbanks Terminal served more as surplus holding for the Air Force rather than for Army use.

The discrepancy in fuel consumption was a result of differing Army and Air Force

missions and technology. Ladd AFB’s Cold War missions centered on border patrol, strategic aerial reconnaissance, photo and electronic reconnaissance, and long

range detection. Eielson AFB was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) headquarters.

Air Force missions involved flights over Alaska, Canada and the Soviet Union

27 R.J. Meet, Superintendent Indian Agency, Department of Citizenship and Immigration, to Indian Commissionor for B.C., Vancouver

B.C. 28 May 1951. In Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, “Summary of the Non-native Activities in the Klukshu Reserve Area and Their

Impact on Traditional Life: A Response to the Federal Offer Respecting the Klukshu Specific Claim.” Appendix 2. 27 September 1994 28 Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. “Summary of the Non-native Activities in the Klukshu Reserve Area and Their Impact on

Traditional Life: A Response to the Federal Offer Respecting the Klukshu Specific Claim.” Appendix 2, 27 September 1994. 29 The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations believe the pipeline affected and disrupted traditional lifestyles and impacted Indian

health. Their 1994 investigations concluded that environmental contamination from fuel spills and the aerial spraying of chemical defoliants

exposed people, wildlife and vegetation to dangerous levels of chemical toxins. See “Summary of the Non-Native Activities in the Klukshu Reserve

Area and Their Impact On Traditional Life: A Response to the Federal Offer Respecting the Klukshu Specific Claim.” By Champagne and Aishihik

First Nations. 27 September 1994.
The Haines-Fairbanks 11

Pipeline

using aircraft such as B-47s, B-52s, KC-97s and KC-135s, which consumed large

amounts of fuel. On the other hand, Army Cold War missions, such as Air Force

protection and cold weather training, did not require nearly as much fuel. Because

the Air Force was the primary consumer, it provided most of the money for the

pipeline operating budget through Operations and Maintenance Money Air Force.

Remaining funds were procured through Operations and Maintenance Money

Army.30

The Army reorganized and renamed its petroleum distribution system a number of

times between 1955 and 1971. Initially pipeline operations were under the supervision of the Quartermaster Corps and were known as the Alaskan Petroleum Pipeline System.31 Over the years the system was also known as The Alaska Petroleum

Pipeline System, the Petroleum Distribution Office, Petroleum Distribution Division and the Petroleum Distribution Unit.32 On July 1, 1974, the Petroleum Division was established as an element of the Director of Industrial Operations.33 Headquarters were at Fort Richardson’s Petroleum Distribution Office (PDO), Building

724. It was subordinate to the Director of Logistics of the Defense Supply Agency.

The pipeline was operated by federal, wage-grade personnel under the direction of

the U.S. Army. Though most pipeline employees were civilians, some Army personnel were assigned at the pump stations for training and assistance when civilian

labor was limited. Many early employees were recruited from the CANOL Pipeline. In fact, most of the station foremen were former CANOL workers. Their knowledge and experience was valuable to the newly operating Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline.

30 Thomas Webster, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 29 October 2002. p. 2.

31 “QM Corps to Supervise Big Pipeline.” Pipeline Edition: Anchorage Daily News. 11 October 1955. 32 Alaskan Command Natural Resource Information Exchange 11 Jan. 1971. On file at UAA Archives and Manuscripts Dept. U.S.

Army Haines Fairbanks Pipeline. 33 Pamphlet 360-1, Description of Alaskan Military Petroleum Facilities. 15 January 1982.
12 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline
The Haines-Fairbanks 13

Pipeline

Construction of the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was a major undertaking that required detailed planning and organization. Supplies and equipment were procured

outside Alaska and then distributed along the 626-mile route. Construction crews

were strung along the right-of-way in two countries for nearly two years. The work

was accomplished in extreme weather and terrain under a strict 22-month deadline.34

4.1 Right-of-Way

The first step in building the pipeline was clearing a

right-of-way. A 50-foot-wide corridor was needed

along the 626-mile route. The center 30 feet were

graded for pipeline placement. Williams Brothers

subcontracted the Alaskan section of the job to Oaks

Construction Co. of Anchorage and the Canadian section to Omack Company of Canada. Clearing work

started in December of 1953 at Ladd Air Force Base

in Fairbanks. Crews only had three hours of daylight

at that time of year, so most work was initially done

in the dark. Two additional crews were added January 1, 1954 — at Tok Junction and the Alaska-Yukon

border. Crews cleared an average of one mile a day

during the winter months. Severe weather stopped

all but one team in February when temperatures

dropped to 30 below zero. The single team continued working by covering its vehicles with tarps to trap engine heat. At

night, kerosene lanterns were placed under the tarps to keep equipment

from freezing.35

In summer the mud and floods were major problems for the clearing

crews. Spring thaws combined with permafrost exposed from digging

up the tundra turned the right-of-way into “an alleyway of gumbo.”36

The common practice of pushing all debris to the edges of the right-ofway worsened problems by blocking water drainage. An Anchorage Daily

News article described the conditions:

In muskeg and thawed permafrost areas, the track vehicle

sometimes sank up to the hoods to become immobile as tracks

failed to gain toe-holds on the icy bottom. On occasion a cat

would drop out of sight and a thoroughly drenched skinner

would scramble to high ground. Extra tractors were kept busy

towing floundering equipment.37

Chapter Chapter 4.0

Construction,

1953-1955

Figure 1. 10 Aug. 1954. Haines-Fairbanks POL pipeline

area #3 (Harding Lake Area). Resident Engineer vehicle

M-37 stuck in the mud – looking south. NARA.

34 Huttlinger, J. “Contract Awarded for Strategic Alaskan Line.” World Petroleum. Vol.24 No. 13. Dec. 1953. 35 “50-Foot Right-of-Way Hacked Out of 626 Wilderness Miles.” Pipeline Edition: Anchorage Daily News. 11 Oct 1955. 36 “Mud a Major Problem for Line Builders.” Pipeline Edition: Anchorage Daily News. 11 October 1955. 37 Ibid.

Figure 2. Ball used in clearing way

for pipeline. NARA.
14 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

A seven-foot-diameter steel ball was attached

between two tractors to help clear trees and

brush. The ball was filled with water and

weighed ten to twelve tons.38 The right-of-way

clearing was finished in October of 1954.

4.2 The Pipe

The pipeline pipe was eight-inch-diameter,

Grade A, seamless steel with a standard .277-

inch wall thickness. Pipe slated for burial was

slightly thicker at 0.322 inches. Alaska’s section of pipe was from Jones and Laughlin at

Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. The 8,300 tons of pipe

made a 9,500-mile journey before arriving in

ports at Haines and Valdez. Barges carrying 500

tons each made their way down the Ohio and

Mississippi rivers to New Orleans where the

load was put on freighters for the next leg of

the journey. From Louisiana, it was a 7,500-

mile voyage across the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, through the Panama Canal and then

up the Pacific Coast. The journey took two

weeks. Pipe on the Canadian section was from

Scottish mills. It was shipped from England

across the Atlantic and through the Panama

Canal.

The pipe was unloaded on the Haines docks and

rolled into stacks eight or nine pipes deep. From

the docks, pipe was loaded onto logging trucks

by Caterpillar D-6s for distribution along the

route. The D-6s had Trackson Pipe Layer side

booms rigged to them. Pipe was placed every

five miles with trucks and skids. Trucks were

unloaded with D-6s configured the same as

those used for loading.39 In rough areas tractors pulled and pushed the trucks through the

right-of-way muck. Spacer gangs followed pipe

distribution to line up and clamp pipe together

for the welding crews. A 1/16-inch gap was left

between the pipe segments.40

It was impossible to make the pipeline follow

an exactly straight line. The pipe had to be bent

in many locations to accommodate curves and

turns in the route. Bending the pipe was accomplished on site using Caterpillar D-6 tractors with side booms.

Figure 4. Push and Pull assistance was necessary to bring

piping to the places needed in tundra swamp crossing. NARA.

Figure 3. Unloading and stockpiling British pipe at Haines. NARA.

“Corduroy and temporary bridges were utilized to keep

the pipe stringing moving forward. At one location in

Canada, Koidern No 1 and South Fork, a temporary bridge

was built to reach the Island between the two streams. Dick

Woodring, stringing superintendent, tried out the trestle

with a Cat. The west side of the structure gave way, dunking the super and the skinner into 9 ft. of icy water. Luckily no one was injured, and the drowned Cat was rescued

by cables run from several pull Cats on the shore.”

—Excerpt from: “The ALCANGO Pipeline: Part 2 of 2”

Western Construction. March 1955

38 CRREL (1977) Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline: Design, Construction and Operation. Special Report 77-4. p. 6, 7. 39 Ibid. p. 6

40 “The ALCANGO Pipeline: Part 2 of 2.” Western Construction. March 1955. p.35.
The Haines-Fairbanks 15

Pipeline

Most of the pipeline was laid directly on the

ground except for two major sections that were

placed underground. These were a 40-mile segment north of Haines and a 100-mile segment

south of Fairbanks. The Haines section was

buried to protect the line from rockslides and

avalanches in the mountainous terrain. The

Fairbanks section was buried through military

maneuver areas.41

Though the Haines ditching operations required

drilling through solid rock, burying the line near

Fairbanks was more difficult because of the

permafrost. Ditch digging for pipe placement

required a minimum burial depth of at least

seven feet. Most pipe was buried at nine feet,

and some as deep as fifteen feet. Cleveland 320

trenching machines were altered to accommodate the permanently frozen ground. A smaller

wheel with more buckets was used so that the

ditcher operated continuously with less jarring

action on the equipment. The permafrost wore

out the specially treated steel teeth on the buckets. The teeth had to be replaced twice a day.42

It took an average of 12 hours to dig one mile

of pipeline trench. In the summer, ditchers ran

24-hours a day, six days a week, with Sundays

devoted to routine repairs.43

As the pipe was spaced along the right-of-way,

welding crews followed to fuse the pipe lengths

together. The work started April 19, 1954. Welding was carefully monitored throughout construction. The pipe metal was constructed softer

than normal because of the cold temperatures the line would be exposed to. Soft pipe is more difficult to weld and many applicants

failed qualifying employment tests. Finding enough welders for the

job and keeping men on the job after they started were challenges.

In many places the right-of-way was flooded by up to three feet of

water. Work continued with men working in icy, waist-high water.

Hip boots were standard equipment. Where the right-of- way was

flooded, laborers welded sections of pipe together and floated them

into position. The pipe was anchored to the ground with 480-pound

concrete weights – made as needed. The route also required many

stream and bridge crossings. The regular welding crews bypassed

these tricky areas in order to maintain a rapid pace. Tie-in crews

finished the work later. Pipe for underground burial was welded and

Figure 5. Laying pipe for underwater crossing. NARA, A4-3826.

Figure 6. Pipeline construction. NARA.

 Figure 7. Pipe welding. NARA, DA 573

#373.

41 “Ingenious Method Used for Burial of One-Fourth of Line.” Pipeline Addition: Anchorage Daily News. 11 Oct 1955. 42 “The ALCANGO Pipeline: Part 2 of 2.” Western Construction. March 1955. p.35. 43 “Ingenious Method Used for Burial of One-Fourth of Line.” Pipeline Addition: Anchorage Daily News. 11 Oct. 1955.
16 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

then placed in the ditch. The soil was backfilled

as quickly as possible to prevent exposed permafrost from thawing. Normally in permafrostfree areas outside Alaska, pipe was placed in

the ditch and then welded.44

Teams of radiographic inspectors followed the

welders to check for faults in the weld joints.

They checked a random 15% sample visually

and with x-ray equipment. The U.S. Army Corps

of Engineers contracted the work to Isotope

Products of Texas and Edmonton, Alberta. Isotope Products took gamma graphs using the radioactive pill method. The initial inspections

revealed many faults, and Lincoln Welding Co.

was hired to bring up more qualified welders

from Oklahoma and Texas.45 The work progressed rapidly after that, and in one recordsetting day, the Canadian team completed 426

welds in one 12-hour shift.46

4.3 Pump Stations

Marwell Construction Company built the pump stations in

Canada and Alaska. The pipeline was initially designed with

five stations at Haines, Border,

Haines-Junction, Donjek and

Tok. Haines and Tok were also

equipped with bulk fuel storage

facilities known as tank farms.

Tank farms were already

present at Fairbanks and

Eielson Air Force Base. The

Fairbanks tank farm was built

during W.W.II to store fuel

shipped by the CANOL Pipeline.

The pump station construction work was carefully planned and coordinated with

supply deliveries. Construction specifications detailed exact locations of machinery and equipment in buildings and around the station. Over 2,100 drawings were

prepared. When changes to the plans were required, they were done on site.47

All pump stations were designed to be self-supporting communities. They were

equipped with their own heating, water, electrical and sewage systems. Living quarters were provided for the operators and their families. These consisted of two or

44 “Tanker Arrives in Alaska...Delivers First Fuel for Line.” Oil and Gas Journal. 20 June 1955. 45 “The ALCANGO Pipeline: Part 2 of 2.” Western Construction. March 1955. p.35. 46 Ibid. p.35, 38.

47 “Joint Defense Plans Served by Alaska Products Pipe Line.” Oil in Canada. Vo. 7, No. 48. 26 Sept 1955. pp. 62-72.

Figure 8. Area 2. Mile 1173, Yukon Territory, Corps of Engineers

inspection vehicle mired along pipeline right-of-way. NARA.

Figure 9. Tok terminal under construction, 1954. NARA.
The Haines-Fairbanks 17

Pipeline

three bedroom apartments and bachelor quarters at Haines and Tok. Every station

also had at least two fuel storage tanks to supply the equipment and vehicles.

Building conditions at the five pump stations varied according to the sub-surface

soil. Tok Terminal was the easiest to build due to the presence of two feet of silty

topsoil overlaying gravel. Donjek was the most problematic because of unstable

soils and the presence of permafrost to varying depths. The pump building foundation had to be excavated 12 feet underground. The bottom four feet were backfilled

with compacted gravel.48

The pumps at every station were laid on concrete slabs. Vibration pads were placed

around the concrete to insulate the building from the jarring action of pumping

equipment. The Donjek Station concrete slabs were eight feet thick.49

4.4 Construction Working and Living Conditions

There was pressure to complete the pipeline as quickly as possible. The job urgently needed to be completed before the start of another winter. The pressure led

to a fast work pace, particularly during the summer when crews were put on 12

hour shifts seven days a week to take advantage of the extended daylight hours.

Conditions were too much for some. Though the number of workers brought in

from outside is unknown, many men quit and returned to the Lower 48.

Two mobile camps or ‘spreads’ were used to

support construction work – one in Canada and

one in Alaska. The Alaskan spread started in

Fairbanks and the Canadian spread started on

the Alaska/Canada border. Each crew had 140

employees on average.50 During peak construction in 1954, the workforce swelled to 775 employees, with 500 men working on the pump

station construction.51 Catering services and a

fleet of trailers used as bunkhouses, mess hall,

kitchens, showers and offices supported employees. Canus Services Inc., the catering company, served three meals a day. Breakfast was

at 5:00 am, dinner at 7:30 pm, and packed

lunches were provided to eat on the job.52

The mobile camps moved with the men as work progressed – generally at 50 to 70

mile intervals. Everything was designed to move in one overnight trip. Smaller

camps were arranged as needed when work lagged from difficult conditions. Commercial logging facilities could also be used for small crews staying behind the

main spreads. Crews kept in contact with each other and the main offices by twoway radios. Stationary camps were set up at the five pump station sites.

The international agreement between the United States and Canada required that

supplies and labor for the Canadian section of the pipeline be obtained from Canadians. This agreement appears to have been strictly adhered to, as everything from

48 Ibid.

49 Ibid.

50 “Two Contractor ‘Spreads’ Sped Work.” Pipeline Edition: Anchorage Daily News. Oct 11 1955. 51 Judah, M. A. “Alaskan Products Line Completed.” Pipe Line Industry. 4:3 (Oct 1955) p.48. 52 “Pipeline Construction Crews Had Trailer Living Quarters.” Pipeline Edition, Anchorage Daily News 11 Oct. 1955.

Figure 10. 24 Sept 1954. Contractor’s Camp at Mosquito Lake

25 miles from Haines. NARA.
18 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

the pipeline pipe to metal for construction of

pump station buildings was purchased from

Canadian sources.

4.5 Dedication Ceremony

When the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was completed in 1955, a dedication ceremony transferred management responsibilities from the

contractors to the military. The ceremony took

place at the Haines Terminal on October 12.

Alaska’s top Army and Air Force officers were

in attendance, along with Governor Frank

Heintzleman and Canadian officials. During the

ceremony Brigadeer General D.H. Tulley, Assistant Chief of Engineers for Military Construction stated, “The ALCANGO may well

prove to be a deciding factor in some future

wartime operation.”53 The project engineers

thanked those involved in the construction and

praised the U.S. and Canadian governments for

cooperating to build the project.

The end cost of construction was

$38,249,796.00. This was 32% over the original $28,622,684.00 construction bid.54

Figure 11. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline construction. NARA.

Figure 12. 1954, Mile 28. Workers assemble on highway.

53 Photo caption; US Army photo. Alaska State Archives. Record Group 101. Office of the Territorial Govenor, Series 130.

54 D.E. Garfield, C.E. Ashline, F.D. Haynes and H.T. Ueda. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline Design, Construction and Operation. February

1977.

“There is the story of three inspectors who were walking along

the right-of-way and glancing over their shoulders periodically for bear protection. When a bear showed up on the left,

the inspector on that side made for a tree without wasting

time to yell. The other two continued walking until the second man in file saw the bear and went up another tree. A few

seconds later the third man noticed the bear when he glanced

back and went up a third tree. The inspection team carefully

maintained their altitude until a side-boom tractor came by

and routed the bear.”

— Excerpted from “Products Line Completed.”

Figure 13. Tom Nelson, superintendant of the HainesFairbanks $40,000,000 POL pipeline, explains to

distinguished military guests how the great ALCANGO

626-mile pipeline carries the different fuels, jet and

aviation, motor and diesel, to military bases in the

interior. L to R; Maj. Gen. James F. Collins,

Commanding General USARAL; Brigadier H. L.

Meuser, Commander, Northwest Highway System,

Canada; Brig. Gen. Hugh Mackintosh, Columbus

General Depot, Quartermaster Corps; Lt. Gen. J. H.

Atkinson, USAF Commander in Chief, Alaska;

Commissioner, F. H. Collins, Yukon Territory, Canada.

U.S. Army photograph, Sheldon Museum Collection,

Haines, Alaska.
The Haines-Fairbanks 19

Pipeline

 Map 2. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline: 1955 – 1961.
20 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline
The Haines-Fairbanks 21

Pipeline

From 1955 to 1956, the pipeline was staffed to minimum levels. As stated in the

1957 ALCOM report, “The maintenance of the pipeline by the Army was considered the loneliest job one could be assigned. Many times difficulty was experienced in keeping stations manned.”55 In August of 1956, for example, there were

still 18 unfilled positions at the Haines Terminal alone.56 Tok was operating with

just seven employees in 1955. Former employee George Lyle remembered, “I was

working 12 hours seven days a week. Yeah pretty near all winter we worked 12

hours seven days a week... it helped out on the paycheck. But it got a little old!”57

The staff shortage led planners to recruit a number of workers from outside. They

also hired people with no former pipeline experience to train on the job.58 Maintaining a qualified workforce was an issue for the duration of operations.

The pipeline was designed as a multi-product system to transport four fuel products: aviation gas, jet fuel, automotive gas and arctic grade diesel. Five pump stations moved the fuel through the pipeline. They were located strategically to push

fuel over higher elevations along the route. Six booster stations were added to the

system in 1961 to increase the pumping capacity.

Fuel was pumped through the pipeline in two stages: from Haines to Tok and then

Tok to Fairbanks. Bulk fuel storage facilities, known as tank farms, were located at

Haines and Tok to hold fuel before pumping it through the pipeline. Tank farms

were also present at the fuel delivery points on Ladd AFB (Fairbanks), Eielson

AFB and Fort Greely.

The system was designed to operate under four phases: normal, emergency, increased emergency and full capacity. Normal and emergency only called for use of

the three main stations: Haines, Border and Tok. Increased emergency and full

capacity outputs used all the pumping stations.

The pipeline pumped 9,600 barrels per day under standard operations. Maximum

output was as high as 16,500 barrels per day if the booster stations at HainesJunction and Donjek were put on line.

5.1 Line Freeze-Up

Though pipeline construction was completed in late 1955, it was not until 1956 that

full-scale operations commenced. In 1955 the construction engineers tested the

pipeline with water instead of fuel to check the integrity of the line. The rationale

was to prevent the costs and hazards associated with the loss of fuel if leaks occurred. No major ruptures developed during the test, and the pipeline was transferred from the contractors to military.

Chapter Chapter 5.0

Facilities and Operations, 1955-1961

55 “History of the Alaskan Command, 1 July 1956 – 30 June 1957.” Prepared by the Office of Information Services Alaskan Command.

56 Keith H. Ewbank, Colonel, GS, HQ USARAK, Office of the Chief of Staff to B. Frank Heintzleman, Governor of Alaska. Alaska State

Archives. 57 George Lyle, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 21 July 2002. p.14.

58 Johnny Burnham, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 7 May 2002. p. 5.
22 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

The new operators quickly discovered, however, that testing the line with water was a costly

and time-consuming mistake. In November

1955, the weather turned very cold. Temperatures reached minus 30 at Border Station and

minus 60 at Tok Terminal. Haines was pumping jet fuel at 800 pounds per square inch (psi)

when at about 2:00 am all pump stations started

losing pressure. Haines responded by increasing the pressure to 1,000 psi, but Tok was still

only receiving a dribble of fuel. Ray Carder at

the Haines Terminal ordered the shutdown of

the line. Batch Elder was the general foreman

of the pipeline at that time. Ray remembers, “I

went in and woke him and announce(d) the news

that the pipeline was in my opinion, froze up –

he couldn’t believe it.....Batch held his head

between his hands for a while and said, ‘They

told me I couldn’t have freeze-up on this

line’.”59

It was discovered that the water used in testing had not been completely purged

from the system and had settled in the pipe at lower elevations along the route. The

low temperatures froze the water into solid chunks of ice, and the fuel was unable

to pass over or push it through the system. It took about six months before pumping

operations could resume.

All the ice had to be physically removed from the pipeline. The work began in

January of 1956. The first step was locating the ice blocks. The pipeline was put

under pressure of 1000 pounds per square inch (psi) and pressure irregularities

were noted. A person then walked the line near the low-pressure areas and tapped

the pipe with a 10-pound hammer. The absence of a sharp ringing sound indicated

an ice blockage. Once the ice was located, brush fires were lit underneath the pipeline to loosen the ice. Then the pipe was cut and the open end was directed towards

the right-of-way edges. Pressure was put on the line and, as pipeline employee

George Lyle described, “it would shoot out these big icicles: twenty, thirty feet long

and eight inches in diameter.”60 The fuel and ice were discharged straight onto the

snow-covered ground and left to evaporate. Attempts were made to cut the pipeline

away from areas where discharged fuel might leak into the watershed.

The pipeline was cut in 28 locations over a 176-mile section. The amount of fuel

lost during the operation varied at each location. Several former employees recall

seeing pictures of ice removed from the pipeline stacked up like cordwood along

the right-of-way.61 The last cut was made on March 16, 1956.62 A valuable lesson

was learned; water should not be used to test the pipeline in such a cold climate.

After this initial freeze-up, the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline operated without major

interruption for over 15 years.

Figure 14. Pipeline break located near MP 498.8. Break was

discovered during test period and was repaired. NARA.

59 Ray Carder, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 8 April 2002.

60 George Lyle, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 12 July 2002. p. 2.

61 Ray Carder, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 8 April 2002. p. 9.

62 Rickard, Warren and Deneke, Frederick. Preliminary Investigations of Petroleum Spillage, Haines-Fairbanks Military Pipeline,

Alaska. Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory. April 1972
The Haines-Fairbanks 23

Pipeline

5.2 Tankers and Fuel Delivery

The pipeline system essentially began with Military Sea Transportation Service

(MSTS) tankers and their delivery of fuel in Lutak Inlet at Haines. The tankers

were loaded with refined fuel in California or Washington. The journey to Alaska

took about five days. The tankers were often transporting fuel to Whittier and Kodiak

as well.

Lutak is a deep-water, ice-free inlet. A T-shaped

concrete dock was built for the pipeline system. The dock was capable of mooring a 26,000

dead-weight-tonnage tanker. There were two

dolphins, 780 feet apart, to hold the ship against

spring fenders. The dock was equipped with a

dockmaster’s office where an employee monitored the tanker arrivals. There were also two

pumps located on the dock in case the tanker’s

pumps malfunctioned.

Before fuel could be pumped from the ship, it

had to be tested for contamination. A lab employee drew samples from the cargo holds and

performed tests at the station’s lab to make sure

the product was clean. The testing process took

from three to eight hours. Pure, uncontaminated

product was critical for jet fuel and aviation

gasoline. Poor fuel quality could cause a plane

crash. The lab did a good job of monitoring the

fuel quality and, as the lab foreman Frank Haas

stated, they “never had an airplane crash because of contaminated fuel.”63

Fuel was rarely found to be contaminated or

impure. On one occasion a new crewmember

accidentally opened the wrong valve in the

cargo hold and mixed two different types of fuel.

The mistake was immediately identified and the

fuel was shipped back to the Lower 48 for rerefinement.64

No one interviewed for this study recalled any shipwrecks occurring on voyages for

the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline fuel deliveries. This is not to say that it was always

smooth sailing. Ships docked in all kinds of conditions: through rain, sleet, snow

and wind. Navigation could be complicated further when the cold, damp air iced up

the tankers. Ray Carder recalls a cold spell when this occurred:

Well, the temperature was down to around ten or fifteen below zero

with the north wind blowing out there the way it is now, only I

guess worse, and...(they) iced up all over the ship. And I mean when

MILITARY SEA TRANSPORTATION

 SERVICE (MSTS)

The Military Sea Transportation Service was created on

August 2, 1949, to centrally manage all Department of Defense ocean transportation needs. During W.W. II four separate agencies managed ocean transport. A need for centralized control of military shipping was identified and the

MSTS was the result. The MSTS was renamed the Military

Sealift Command in 1970. It continues to operate today. It

is a service of the United States Navy.

Figure 15. Fuel tanker docking at Haines. NARA.

63 Frank Haas, interviewed by Pam Moore, tape #92.210.01, transcribed by KM, April 1999. On file in the Sheldon Museum Archives,

Haines, Alaska. p. 12. 64 Ibid.
24 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

it ices up, there’s ice that big around all over the cables, the catwalk that went across the well deck, you could barely get across it

unless you walked sideways. The ice was that thick. But that wasn’t

the first tanker that had come in in that condition.65

Another problem tankers faced was maneuvering in the tricky tidal currents of

Lutak Inlet. Sometimes an airplane would be used to guide the ship in. A tanker

also occasionally hit the dock when trying to navigate its landing. Frank Haas recalled one incident:

We were standing waiting for the ship to shear off, as it normally

did, and he was coming almost straight at the dock, and you know,

we’re used to the ships and they would come in, and they would

kick it in reverse, and just fall off to the side. And we’re standing

and we’re watching a while, Enterlin’s eyes are getting bigger, and

finally the Chief Mate, a fellow named Kirkpatrick, was standing

right on the bow, didn’t raise his voice. He just looked at us and

said, “You know, if I was you guys, I’d get the hell out of there.”

Mass exodus of eight men. I was accused of running over one fellow and spinning my feet a couple of times. They claimed that’s

why he went bald.66

Fortunately there was no fuel in the tanker at that time or sparks could have ignited

a serious explosion.

The ships had crews of approximately 30 to 40 men. Many of the tanker captains

were W.W.II veterans who ferried fuel across the Atlantic to the European theater.

The Haines station foremen were often invited aboard the tankers to dine with the

captain. Ray Carder, the Haines foreman, remembers that the meals were excellent.

A tanker arrival meant an increased pace of work for the Haines Terminal workforce.

When a ship arrived, the station men helped secure it to the dock with steel cables.

Then, during the entire unloading operation, men were kept on fire watch. Preventing the fuel from sparking at this stage was very important. The dock was equipped

with a fire foam protection system in case there was an explosion. Once pumping

from the ship began, it continued non-stop around the clock until all holds were

emptied. The rate of pumping varied according to ship and the experience level of

its captain and crew. A skilled crew might have the holds emptied within 12 hours.

On average though, the tankers were in Haines for a day and a half. Fuel shipments

varied over the years according to military needs. There were probably one or two

tankers arriving at Haines every week during peak operations. Normal output called

for one tanker shipment every week and a half.

5.3 Ship to Shore—Haines Terminal

The tankers pumped fuel from the ship into pipes leading from the dock to the

manifold building at the Haines Terminal (see Figure 16). There were four ten-inch

pipes – one for each type of fuel. There was also a six-inch pipe for kerosene.

Designers originally planned to use a kerosene buffer between the fuel batches.

65 Ray Carder, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 8 April 2002. p. 12.

66 Frank Haas, interviewed by Pam Moore, tape #92.210.01, transcribed by KM, April 1999. On file in the Sheldon Museum Archives,

Haines, Alaska.
The Haines-Fairbanks 25

Pipeline

Operators quickly determined, however, that the

fuel interface could be controlled without the

kerosene buffer.

In the manifold building, fuel was routed to

specific storage tanks. All fuel was pumped

from the ships to the tank farm before going

into the pipeline. Fuel storage served multiple

functions. First, it allowed tankers to discharge

cargo quickly and efficiently, without worrying about batch schedules. Second, storage allowed any water and/or sediment in the fuel to

separate and settle on the bottom of the tank.

The presence of water in the fuel was harmful

because it could corrode the pipeline and contaminate fuel. Finally, fuel storage permitted

tank gaugers to take a more accurate inventory

of the product delivered.

Figure 16. Pipes leading from Haines dock to manifold building.

NARA.

The manifold equipment at Haines was originally left outside, with no protection except for a roof. During the first

winter of operations snow drifts buried the valves, which

were in an open underground pit. It took three days to dig

out the valves. The next summer, a more appropriate, fully

enclosed building was constructed over the manifold equipment.

Tank Farm

Pumping Area

Housing Complex

Fuel tanker dock

Manifold Building

Figure 17. Haines Terminal. NARA.
26 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

5.4 Pumping to Tok Pump Station

As dictated by the pumping schedules, fuel went from storage tanks back to the

manifold building where it was then routed to the mainline pump building. On the

way the fuel passed through Warner Lewis water separators and Moorlane strainers

as a final precaution against introducing water into the system. In the mainline

pump building, fuel entered the eight-inch pipeline and started the journey north.

The building was divided into an engine room, pump room and control room. The

control room was isolated from the engine and pumping areas by a firewall. The

room was pressurized to protect workers from breathing harmful petroleum fumes.

The pump room housed three Wilson Snyder quintuplet pumps which pushed the

fuel through the pipeline. Each pump was driven by a 285 horsepower ChicagoPneumatic diesel engine (6 cylinder, 4 cycle, 720-420 RPS).

The next pump station was 48 miles from Haines, on the U.S.-Canadian border.

The station, called 48-mile or Border, had the heaviest pumping load on the pipeTable 2. Tank farm capacities.

TANK CAPACITY

Station Number of Barrels Per Tank Total Capacity Total Station

 Tanks Barrels Capacity

Haines Terminal (1,2) 1 110,000 110,000 390,000

 9 30,000 270,000

 2 5,000 10,000

Tok Terminal 9 30,000 270,000 285,000

 3 5,000 15,000

Fort Greely 2 15,000 30,000 74,500

 4 10,000 40,000

 2 2,250 4,500

Birch Lake (3) 2 6,600 13,200 13,200

Fairbanks Terminal 2 25,000 50,000 204,950

 14 10,000 140,000

 4 2,250 9,000

 3 1,190 3,570

 4 595 2,380

Eielson Air Force Base 5 30,000 150,000 304,000

1. The 110,000 barrel tank at Haines was added to the station in 1964.

2. The Haines and Tok tank farms had 5,000 gallon tanks because originally the pipeline

design called for use of a kerosene buffer between the fuel tenders. Operators discovered that the fuel interface could just as easily be managed without the kerosene buffer,

and the tanks were used for regular fuel storage.

3. The tanks at Birch Lake were added to the pipeline in the late 1950s for strategic

emergency diesel and automotive fuel storage.
The Haines-Fairbanks 27

Pipeline

line. The highest elevation on the route was at

mile 57. Border had to push the fuel over that

3,750-foot rise. Border was critical to the pipeline system and for this reason the station was

larger than the other booster stations at Junction and Donjek. The 32-acre site included a

mainline pump building, utility building, warehouse-garage-shop building, family housing and

a cold storage locker. The pump building housed

three pumps and three Chicago Pneumatic diesel engines to drive the pumps. There was a

5,000-gallon storage tank to supply the station’s

fuel needs. Housing consisted of two apartment

buildings: one with six two-bedroom units and

one with six three-bedroom units. There was

also a dormitory building with a ten-man capacity.

From Border, the Junction and Donjek pump stations could be brought on line to

increase the fuel output to Tok Terminal. Junction and Donjek had similar facilities. Each five-acre station consisted of a mainline pump building, utility building

and family housing. The pump building housed two pumps and two diesel engines.

Housing consisted of one apartment building and one single-family residence for

the station foreman.

5.5 Tok Terminal

Tok Terminal was a major component of the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline. At Tok

fuel was temporarily diverted from the eight-inch line to the tank farm for storage

before progressing to Fairbanks. Storing fuel at Tok it made it easier to send smaller,

better-managed batches of fuel north as needed. It was only 194 pipeline miles

from Tok to Fairbanks as opposed to the complete pipeline route of 626 miles.

Storing the product at Tok provided a last opportunity for water and sediment to

settle out of the fuel. The Tok tank farm had a 285,000-barrel capacity.

Operating Tok Terminal involved many of the same functions as at the Haines

Terminal, minus the tanker deliveries. The station was receiving, storing and pumping

fuel. Foreman Johnny Burnham described a typical day:

Well, you got your pumping orders from wherever the headquarters was at, either Haines or down at Fort Richardson. And the

pumping orders would tell you if you were going to pump fuel or

receive fuel or just hold pressure on the line. For instance, if you

was going to receive fuel they would tell you at what time the

other pump stations south of us would go on the line, and tell us

what back pressure to hold on the line, which could be anything

from 50 pounds to 600 pounds of back pressure that you would

hold. If you was going to pump of course they would tell you, the

pumping orders would tell you at what pressure to pump at and

what product to move and so on like that.67

Figure 18. Donjek Pump Station. NARA.

67 Johnny Burnham, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 7 May 2002. p. 1.
28 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

Fuel entered the mainline pump building via the eight-inch pipeline. From the pump

building a line led the fuel to the manifold and transfer pump building where the

product was transferred back and forth from the tank farm. The manifold building

housed the valves and piping leading to each storage tank, three Warner Lewis

water separators, three motor-driven centrifugal pumps, a 600-gallon products sump

tank and two positive displacement meters.

Once fuel arrived at the manifold building from the mainline pump building, it was

routed to the tank farm. Each storage tank was attached to the manifold building by

an eight-inch pipe. Opening the appropriate valves in the manifold building allowed fuel to enter the pipe leading to a specific tank. The pumps in the manifold

building assisted the flow of fuel up the hill to the tank. The tank volumes were

calculated in advance and when filled, the valves leading to the tank were closed

and valves leading to another tank were opened.

Each tank was equipped with a 40-

foot swing line for filling and withdrawing the product. As fuel flowed

up to the tank farm, tank gaugers

were on hand at the tank to operate

the swing line. Filling the storage

tanks required careful and constant

monitoring. The swing line was

placed just below the product level

in the tank and was raised as the tank

filled. This prevented static electricity from igniting a spark.

To supply the pipeline from the tank

farm, the operation was reversed.

The tank gauger positioned the

swing line just below the product

line and fuel was drained from the

tank. It was important that gaugers

kept the line as far from the tank

bottom as possible to avoid drawing sediment and water out of the tank. Since the

tanks were on a hill, gravity assisted the fuel flow back to the manifold building. In

the manifold building the product was routed through a Warner Lewis water separator and into a pipe leading back to the pump building.

The Tok pump building was similar to the one at Haines. It was divided into a pump

room, engine room and control room. The control and engine rooms were separated

from the pump room by a firewall and had a pressurized air system. Three Wilson

Snyder quintuplet pumps driven by Chicago-Pneumatic diesel engines propelled

the product through the pipeline. The diesel engines were connected to a water

cooling system in the adjacent radiator building.

Tok Terminal was also connected to the CANOL Pipeline. The CANOL was still

pumping fuel north to Fairbanks. A three-inch line led from the pump building to

the manifold building for fuel arriving or exiting via the CANOL. The tie-in was

only used for several years before shutting down.

Figure 19. Tok Terminal. NARA.
The Haines-Fairbanks 29

Pipeline

A. Pipeline (underground) feeds fuel into the pump building.

B. Pump Building. In the pump building fuel is routed to the manifold & transfer pump

building.

C. Manifold & Transfer Pump Building. Opening the appropriate valves leads fuel to

storage tank in tank farm. Every storage tank is connected to the manifold building by

a separate pipe.

D. Pipes lead from the manifold building to every storage tank in the tank farm.

E. Fuel fills storage tank. Then, to supply pipeline with fuel for northern delivery, fuel

travels back down the pipe to the manifold building where it is routed to the pump

building and into the pipeline.

F. Radiator Building. Contains radiators to cool the diesel engines running the pumps.

Underground piping feeds cold water to circulate around the engines.

G. 8” pipeline (underground) leads from pump building north to Fairbanks.

Figure 20. Tok Terminal Flow Diagram.

LEGEND
30 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

Figure 21. East end of mainline pump house. Tok Terminal.

Courtesy George Lyle.

Figure 22. Mainline pumps. Tok Terminal. Courtesy

George Lyle.

Figure 23. Mainline pump engines. Tok Terminal. Courtesy

George Lyle.

Figure 24. Fans in radiator building for cooling mainline

pump engines. Tok Terminal. Courtesy George Lyle.

Figure 25. Manifold and transfer pump building interior.

Tok Terminal. Courtesy George Lyle.

Figure 26. Pipes leading from manifold building to tank

farm. Tok Terminal. NARA.
The Haines-Fairbanks 31

Pipeline

5.6 Headquarters

Operation of the pipeline was “a coordinated effort of all the stations and station

operators.”68 Fort Richardson’s dispatch division in the Petroleum Distribution

Office (PDO) directed these efforts. Dispatch ordered fuel, monitored the inventory and planned pumping schedules. Pump station operators communicated with dispatch

through two-way teletype. Hourly reports were

sent to headquarters from every pump station, 24-

hours a day. These reports detailed tank gauge

readings, barrels received, pressure levels, air temperatures and tank farm inventories. All this information was needed to work out the day’s operating guidelines.

Many variables had to be considered when creating the pumping schedules to ensure the timely

delivery of fuel. As the pipeline’s operating manual

stated, “One of the biggest problems of the dispatcher will be to get the right product, to the right

place, at the right time.”69 Use of four different

products had to be predicted well in advance of

the tanker deliveries and be coordinated with available storage space in tanks at Haines, Tok,

Fairbanks, Eielson and Fort Greely. Another factor to consider was that it took 11 to 18 days for

fuel to move the 626 miles from Haines to

Fairbanks. Also, the pipeline had to be packed with

fuel at all times, even when Fairbanks was not receiving product. The entire pipeline had a 210,000-

barrel capacity. Finally, pumping fuel in large

batches was desirable to limit the number of product interfaces. All these factors were carefully considered when ordering fuel and making the batch

schedules.

Dispatchers monitored the pipeline at a manually

operated control board. The pipeline was represented by a paper tape scaled to 1/8 inch equaling

100 barrels of product. “The paper tape was used

to plot the displacement of the products in the line

by batches, corrected to all operating variables

including time of entry into the line and specific

gravity of the product. At hourly intervals this

color-coded tape was manually advanced in the

direction of product flow a distance equal to the

net quantity of product pumped into the line.”70

68 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District. Product Pipeline, Haines to Fairbanks Alaska, Operating Manual. Prepared by the

Fluor Corp., Ltd. Los Angeles California. 69 Ibid. p. 23.

70 Garfield, D.E., Ashline, C.E., Haynes, F.D., Ueda, H.T. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline: Design, Construction and Operation. CRREL,

Special Report 77-4, February 1977. p.11.

HEADQUARTERS TRANSFER

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline headquarters were

originally located at Haines. In 1956 the Army decided to move administrative control of the pipeline

to Fort Richardson. The Haines Business Council

caught wind of the plan and organized to protest the

move. The Council sent a letter to the President of

the United States and Alaska’s Governor, Frank

Heintzleman. The letter argued that the move was unnecessary, likely to increase operating costs of the

pipeline, and not in the best interests of Haines residents. They stated: “It is believed that this move is

being sparked entirely in military circles with only

personal interest and conveniences in mind and not

the interests of the government. If it is a question of

housing and conveniences of living, we would like to

point out that living conditions in Haines are comparable to those in any Alaskan town.”

Governor Heintzleman took the issue to heart and

promised to lend support against the headquarters

transfer. Heintzleman sent the Army an inquiry about

the justification for the proposed move. The Army

replied with a letter, signed by the Colonel Keith H.

Ewbank, detailing the reasons for the headquarters

relocation. The Army cited the need for centralized

control of all military fuel distribution operations in

Alaska. Besides the Haines Fairbanks Pipeline the

military was supervising railroad tank car transport

from Seward and Whittier to locations throughout the

territory. The Army further stated that the move would

“result in a more efficient and economical petroleum

distribution system.”

According to Haines Terminal foreman, Ray Carder,

pipeline employees were not overly concerned by the

move. They realized there was little office space at

the Haines Terminal and that the Army needed to consolidate control of their fuel distribution. The Army

letter resolved the issue and the headquarters were

transferred in September of 1956.
32 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

5.7 Interface Control

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline transported four different products. For example, a

batch of diesel fuel pumped through the pipeline was followed and pushed by a

batch of jet fuel. This was done without physical separation of the two fuels. Mixing of the products, otherwise known as fuel interface, was kept to a minimum by

pressurizing the pipeline. Even when pumping was stopped, the line was kept tightly

packed with fuel and pressure was maintained to prevent mixing.

The mixing that occurred was predictable, testable and controlled. Mixture occurred because the products had different specific gravities. The mixture rate then

depended on the gravity difference of the products, velocity and pipe diameter.

Heavier products tended to go to the bottom of the pipeline and the lighter product

was forced to the top.

Fuel interface was the most important factor for pipeline operators to control. Without

careful monitoring and testing, contaminated products could cause engine failures.

It was particularly important in jet and aviation fuel, where a stalled engine could

cause a plane crash. Table 3 shows the amount of product that could be safely

mixed with each fuel type.

Machines that measured the specific gravity

of fuel, called gravitometers, were installed

at every pump station. The gravitometers provided a continuous gravity reading on the product flowing through the line. Since each fuel

type had a different specific gravity, it was

possible to determine where in the pipeline

the fuel interface was located. Gravitometer

checks worked best when the specific gravity

of two fuels next to each other was not too

similar. There was, therefore, a preferred

pumping sequence for the products.

Tok Terminal employee Earnest Kelly recalls managing the fuel interface:

The gravity starts to change when it gets close to this interface, so

you know you’re close to it. Then it changes clear over to where it

says pure gravity for this fuel that’s pushing the other fuel. You

open a valve real fast and that pure fuel then starts going up on the

hill to your storage tanks. And that little interface is opened to a

slop tank. And it goes in a slop tank and then it’s closed off. Just a

few barrels go to this slop tank.71

Fuel could also be monitored visually by color. Automotive fuel was red, aviation

fuel was green or purple and diesel was a pale straw color. The mixing of the fuels

would create a noticeably different color.

5.8 Temperature Issues

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was exposed to extreme temperature variations ranging from a low of –83°F to a high of 92°F. Fuel expands in the heat and contracts in

PERCENT ALLOWABLE CONTAMINATION

OF ONE PRODUCT WITH ANOTHER

(Assumed in Tankage)

Contaminant AvGas MoGas Jet Diesel

Av Gas 100% 10% 0% 0%

Mo Gas 0% 100% 2% 0%

Jet 0% 0% 100% 5%

Diesel 0% 0% 0% 100%

Table 3. Permissible fuel contamination levels.

71 Earnest Kelly, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 11 April 2002. p. 27.
The Haines-Fairbanks 33

Pipeline

the cold. Expansion or contraction of the product affected the fuel volume and

amount of pressure required to pump the product. Cold temperatures also increased

the viscosity (resistance to flow) of the fuel. As the operating manual stated:

The expansion and contraction of product in the line is so great

that on a temperature rise it is possible to be receiving product at

the north end of the line without any pumps operating. The converse is also true that on a temperature drop, and with the pumps

operating, no product will be delivered at the north end, the pumped

product being used to repack the line. The operator will have to

observe continuously the temperature and pressure conditions all

along the line.72

Pumping operations were not the only thing affected by extreme temperatures. Fuel

levels in the storage tanks were affected as well. The tanks were painted white to

reflect heat. Even so, Frank Haas recalled:

The initial boiling point on some of those products were as low as

eight-six degrees Fahrenheit. So on a hot day, you could go out by

the tanks and you could watch, you could actually see the vapors

coming boiling off the tanks and just like a waterfall coming down

the side of the tank. They were dense enough, that they actually

obliterated or blocked the sunlight enough to create a shadow.73

Most of the fuel transported through the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline had a very low

freezing point. Diesel was the only product occasionally affected by the cold. During some particularly bad weather at Tok, temperatures reached minus 70. According to operators, diesel came out of the pipe looking like Jell-O.74 After that experience, dispatch tried not to pump diesel fuel during extremely cold weather.

5.9 Fuel Delivered: Fairbanks

Terminal, Eielson Air Force Base

and Fort Greely

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline delivered fuel

to Ladd AFB, Eielson AFB and Fort Greely. By

1961 Ladd AFB was transferred to the Army

and renamed Fort Jonathan Wainwright. All

three bases had tank farms for fuel storage. Fuel

was also delivered to a storage area at Birch

Lake. Eielson AFB, Fort Greely and Birch Lake

were supplied by taking cuts from batches of

fuel passing on the way north.

The Fairbanks Terminal was different from the

other pump stations because personnel had direct, day-to-day contact with the military and

72 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District. Product Pipeline, Haines to Fairbanks Alaska, Operating Manual. Prepared by the

Fluor Corp., Ltd. Los Angeles California. 73 Frank Haas, interviewed by Pam Moore, tape #92.210.01, transcribed by KM, April 1999. On file at the Sheldon Museum Archives,

Haines, Alaska. p. 9. 74 Ibid. p. 23.

Figure 27. Vern McConnell at the Fairbanks Terminal. Courtesy

Vern McConnell.
34 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

the terminal served as a base for the four or

five tank gaugers working at Eielson Air Force

Base. Also, Fairbanks had fuel distribution

officers. Distribution officers transferred fuel

to holding tanks, tanker trucks and railroad

tank cars for use around the base. Finally, there

was no station housing at Fairbanks. Pipeline

employees lived in town.

The Fairbanks Terminal was equipped with

pumps to push fuel south to Eielson AFB when

necessary. The terminal had a lab for final

checks on the quality of the fuel inventory. The

lab was mostly staffed with military personnel.

The Fairbanks tank farm on Birch Hill was

built in 1943 to store fuel arriving from the

CANOL Pipeline. The tanks were a portable,

bolted steel type, set up for permanent use in

W.W.II. As George Lyle explained, “You could

take them apart in sections and haul them on a

flatbed truck and then bolt them back together

when you got to the new location. But they set

them up as permanent tanks and so they went

inside and they welded a channel over all those

bolt heads on the insides so it was more or

less a welded tank after that.”75 These older

tanks were sometimes a problem in cold temperatures. Welds occasionally cracked when

the fuel level was low and the tank would leak

a small amount of fuel.

Starting in 1961 the Fairbanks Terminal took

on the job of getting fuel to Nenana, which

was a distribution point for supplying fuel to

the White Alice and DEW Line sites. Fuel was

loaded onto railroad tank cars in Fairbanks for

the short journey south to Nenana. There the

fuel was transferred to barges and floated to

the Yukon River. The barges delivered fuel to

an airfield at Galena and other points along

the river. From the airfield, fuel was flown to

sites as needed.76

1967 CHENA RIVER FLOOD

In the summer of 1967, the worst disaster in Fairbanks

history occurred when the Chena River flooded. The

city was inundated with water and 7,000 residents were

displaced. Fort Wainwright was equally affected. Fortunately, the pipeline was not damaged and pumping

operations continued without serious interruption. Small

vehicle fuel distribution points were out of commission

though, and a temporary refueling station had to be set

up on Gaffney Road. Also, Fort Wainwright at that time

had an outdoor storage area for drummed fuel stock.

The drums were carried away by the flood waters and

had to be recovered with a wrecker. Most of the barrels

were eventually located and returned.

The Fairbanks Terminal foreman, Vern McConnell, received a meritorious civilian’s award for “service to the

Fairbanks Terminal during the flood, which resulted in

severe damage to his personal property which would

have been avoided had he not stayed on to work his job

for nearly three straight days.”

Figure 28. Fuel drum recovery on Fort Wainwright.

Courtesy Vern McConnell.

75 George Lyle, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 12 July 2002. p. 10.

76 Personal communication with George Lyle. October 2002.
The Haines-Fairbanks 35

Pipeline

Figure 29. Aerial view of Fairbanks Terminal. University of Alaska Anchorage: Consortium Library Manuscripts

& Archives Dept. U.S. Army Haines Fairbanks-Pipeline Records 1954–1958.

Figure 30. Fairbanks Terminal. NARA.

Birch Hill

Tank Farm
36 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

5.10 Routine Operations

A team of workers supported pipeline operations.

These included maintenance crews, supply specialists, electricians, mechanics, welders, pump operators, fuel gaugers, lab technicians and fuel distribution officers. The number of employees fluctuated over the years as military fuel needs

changed. During peak operations, up to 280 people

were employed at the stations.77 Another 30 to 40

people supported pipeline operations at the Fort

Richardson headquarters Petroleum Distribution

Office in Building 724. The pump stations were

staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Employees worked on rotating shift schedules. There

were three eight-hour shifts at Tok and Haines:

8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 5:00 pm to 12:00 am and 12:00

am to 8:00 am. The shift schedule changes varied

according to pump station, but staff could rotate

shifts as often as every week. A foreman was in

charge of each station and he reported to the officer in charge at the Fort Richardson headquarters.

Two jobs central to pipeline functions were pump

operator and tank gauger. Pump operators were

based in the mainline pump building office. They

managed pumping duties in conjunction with orders received from the headquarters dispatch office at Fort Richardson. Pump operators monitored

the pumps and the diesel engines that ran the

pumps. They tracked the fuel interface with

gravitometers and took samples of fuel to double

check the gravitometer accuracy. Pump operators

kept detailed, hourly records of the pumping pressure, barrels received, tank gauge levels and air

temperatures, and they relayed this information to

the dispatch office via teletype. Operators also frequently assisted with other station work such as building and equipment maintenance.

Tank gaugers controlled fuel storage. They worked in the manifold building and

the tank farms. Gaugers operated the manifold equipment to control fuel flow to

and from the storage tanks. They also manually checked the fuel levels in the tanks

and recalibrated this information to account for temperature influence on the fuel

level. Gaugers operated the swing lines that filled and drained fuel from the tanks.

Gaugers were also involved in routine station maintenance and tank cleaning operations.

PRANKS

Operating the pipeline wasn’t all work as Frank Haas

recalled:

“....some of the pranks that were played, one that I

always loved, they had a new dispatcher. Now he was

up in Anchorage, and he’s connected by teletype and

by P.O.L. phone. But he didn’t know the ins and outs

of the system...And they decided to do a little hufurah

on this new dispatcher. So they called each other on

the local telephone system and set this up. And then

Thompson came on the line with the teletype. ‘Attention dispatch, Haines station, ready to go on line with

paint tender number blah, blah, blah.’ A tender was a

shipment of fuel. But this was a paint tender. Then

the fellow up at 48-mile came on the line, “48-mile

ready to receive tender such and such of paint.” And

this guy is going nuts. Now this is like two in the

morning. So, you know, you don’t want to call your

boss at two o’clock in the morning. Well, he got on

the P.O.L. phone and he called. And he said, “Thompson, what’s this about the paint tender?” Thompson says, “I got it right here on my dispatch log. I’m

supposed to start pumping about two o’clock in the

morning with this, this paint” And then Buskirk picked

up the phone and he says, ‘Yeah” he says ‘Hey, listen

dispatcher.” He says, “It’s on my log too.’ He says,

‘We’re supposed to receive 5,000 barrels of yellow

paint.’ This guy, as I said, this dispatch was as green

as grass, and they had him going. And he was finally

going to call the Chief Dispatcher. At two o’clock in

the morning, he would not have been a happy man,

really and truthfully. We always had things like that

going on.”

— Excerpted from Frank Haas interview.

77 First Report, Alaskan Command Natural Resource Information Exchange. 11 Jan 1971. On file at UAA Archives & Manuscripts

Dept, U.S. Army Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline collection.
The Haines-Fairbanks 37

Pipeline

5.11 Maintenance

Besides the day-to-day pumping functions of the pipeline, there was also regular

maintenance work taking place. Maintenance was an ongoing concern to prevent

problems before they occurred. Potential environmental impacts, the loss of product, and scheduling delays were to be avoided if at all possible.

There were four main areas of maintenance: station, pipeline and right-of-way repairs and tank cleaning. Station work involved repairing and painting buildings and

equipment, and cleaning and oiling machinery. As Ray Carder said, “You kept the

place spick and span. You could eat off the floor.”78 During the first years of pipeline operations the staff was still limited, so everyone helped out with these jobs.

Gradually full-time maintenance crews were added to the team. They were stationed at the Tok and Haines terminals.

Maintaining the pipeline right-of-way was critical to the smooth operation of the

system. The majority of the line was surface laid and flash floods occasionally

washed out the soil supporting the pipeline. Or the permafrost underneath the pipe

might collapse, leaving the line hanging in the air. The soil had to be carefully

replaced without damaging the pipe.

Controlling vegetation encroachment along the corridor was the other big issue.

The right-of-way needed to be kept clear of trees and brush so repair crews had

easy access to the pipeline. Vegetation could also compromise the pipeline metal

and had to be cleared often before it grew out of control. Brush control work occurred in winter and summer. In the winter, the frozen ground sometimes facilitated

easier removal of vegetation. Cats on both sides of the pipeline plowed brush and

snow to the right-of-way edges. To prevent the tractors from running over the pipeline that was under the winter’s snow, a man walked the corridor in snowshoes and

located the pipe with a rod. For several years, starting in 1968, chemical defoliants

were used to control vegetation growth. The defoliants were sprayed aerially. (See

Chapter 9 for more information.)

Pipeline repairs involved welding failing seams, replacing valves, and cleaning

valve boxes. Fixing holes caused by corrosion or bullet holes required replacing

sections of pipe or welding patches to the breaks.

Cleaning the fuel storage tanks periodically was necessary so that the water settling

in the tank bottoms did not rust the tank. The slow buildup of sediment in the tank

bottoms could also compromise fuel purity. Tank cleaning was a hazardous operation and required strict safety precautions. Tanks at Fairbanks, Fort Greely, Tok,

Haines and Eielson were cleaned every three to five years. Pipeline tank guagers

and maintenance personnel were usually recruited for the work.

Tank cleaning began with the removal of all fuel. Even when all visible traces of

fuel were eliminated, there were still residual toxic fumes in the tank. The tanks

were covered, so it was almost pitch black inside and there was no air ventilation.

Personnel in protective suits entered the tanks from a side door, known as the “dead

man’s hatch.” Lighting equipment was brought inside with the workers. Initially,

fans were used to blow fresh air inside the tanks during cleaning. Later Ventura air

movers were used to draw out the fumes. Personnel were connected to fresh air

78 Ray Carder interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 8 April 2002. p. 3.
38 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

equipment. Sediment was shoveled, swept and mopped up, and then the tank was

pressure washed with water and detergent. Sometimes the tank bottoms were sprayed

with a tar coating to seal the bottom and protect it from rusting. After the cleaning

operation, the tanks were mopped dry and resealed. Sludge removed from the tanks

was usually put in barrels and buried near the tank.79

5.12 Safety

Fuel is a highly volatile product with explosive potential. Fire was a very serious

concern at the tank farms, and each tank was hooked to a central foam fire protection system. Fortunately there was never a fire at the tank farms, and the fire foam

system was not used. Pipeline employees observed strict safety precautions. Absolutely no smoking was permitted in the pump stations or tank farms. Lighters and

matches were not allowed in working areas and nylon clothing was prohibited since

it is spark conducive.

Special tools were provided to prevent sparks from igniting fumes, but as one employee remembered, the tools did not work very well:

They had what they called safety non-spark tools, which was beryllium. And everybody called them rubber wrenches because if

you put a good strain on them they would strain and break and

somebody would get hurt. So they said the best way to do those,

you take and drill a hole in each one, put a display board on a wall,

bolt them to a wall so nobody can get them off – say “There’s your

safety tools up there, but don’t use them.”80

Pipeline maintenance was also potentially hazardous. John Koehler worked on

maintenance crews at Haines and Tok from 1955 to 1970. He remembers visiting

every pump station from Haines to Fairbanks and walking almost the entire pipeline at one time or another. He said,

I tried my best to be careful and not get any of the other fellas

burned up. It was dangerous. With welding on the pipe, there’s

residue inside the pipe. You put heat to it and fumes come and

you never know if there’s an explosive mixture there or not. If

there are a certain percentage of fumes, it will blow, it’s explosive. It’ll tear things apart.81

Daily routine exposure to volatile products could be taxing, particularly when combined with Alaska’s treacherous weather. The working conditions for fuel distribution officers were explained in a job description:

Approximately 50% of work is performed outside where winter

temperatures to -70q F and summer temperatures to +90q F are encountered. Inside work is in well heated and ventilated buildings.

Subject to fumes peculiar to petroleum products, to injury from

climbing about large storage tanks and tank cars under snow and

79 Harding Lawson Association, Engineering and Environmental Services. “Work Plan: Fuel Terminal Investigation: Haines, AK.” HLA

Project No. 20801. 10 Nov. 1992. 80 George Lyle, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 12 July 2002. p. 7.

81 John Koehler, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 10 April 2002. p. 2.
The Haines-Fairbanks 39

Pipeline

ice conditions, and to danger of explosions or fires of highly volatile petroleum products handled.82

5.13 Security

Pipeline security was an important issue because fuel distribution was a vital link

to the defense missions of interior Alaska, especially for the Air Force. Interrupting

the flow of fuel could directly affect the military’s ability to function. This, combined with volatile nature of fuel and the large quantities being transported and

stored, made it essential that no one inadvertently or purposefully damaged the

pipeline or pump stations. The pump stations were posted with signs warning against

trespass. All were fenced off with gate-controlled admittance. Employees kept in

close contact with local authorities. Security generally “came down to individual

vigilance.”83 As an added precaution, employees were subject to background checks

before they were hired.

Security breeches at the pump stations were rare according to former employees.

Vern McConnell recalled one incident when someone wrote an explosive chemical

formula on the side of a tank. Guards were temporarily stationed at the terminal to

protect the facilities.

5.13.1 Aerial Surveillance

Pipeline security was also maintained by weekly aerial surveillance flights. The

pilot inspected the pipeline for sabotage and right-of-way encroachments. The flights

were also used to scout pipeline leaks that were too small to show up on the pump

station pressure gauges.

A civilian contractor conducted the surveillance

flights.84 The pilot had a special permit from

the Federal Aviation Administration to fly 200

feet or lower. The pilot was based in Haines

and flew to Tok one week and to Fairbanks the

next. The flight to Tok took four hours each way

and the Fairbanks trip took about six and a half

hours. The flights included a fuel stop in

Northway. The journey usually required an

overnight stay somewhere along the line, except during the summer when extended daylight

hours might enable the pilot to complete a trip

before sunset. Overnight stays were kept to a

minimum because the contractor had to pay for

his own room and board.

Layton Bennett won the surveillance contracts for all but two years between 1958

and 1974. In the 14 years that he flew the pipeline, Bennett failed to complete the

Figure 31. Pipeline marker for aerial surveillance. From collection

of USARAK.

82 Department of the Army, Job Description, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Job No. 6984a, Fuel Distribution System Operator, Grade 11,

OCC Code 5413, 13 Feb. 1963. Courtesy of George Lyle. 83 Thomas Webster, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 29 October 2002. p. 13.

84 Others sources state that the Army conducted pipeline surveillance with Huey helicopters in 1971, 1972 and 1973. The frequency and

extent of this surveillance is unknown.

(http://www.t-6.com/Twelfthaviation/Support/History.html)
40 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

weekly trip just twice. He always pushed to finish the job because he was only paid

for completed missions. The most common problem Bennett identified on the flights

was that of people working close to the right-of-way with heavy equipment. Stopping people before they tried to cross the pipe with their tractors was extremely

helpful in preventing pipeline damage. When Bennett saw someone working too

close to the pipe, he radioed the location to the nearest pump station and a man was

sent out to warn the person against crossing the line. The line locations were identified by large yellow milepost markers placed every mile along the route.

During his first few years on the job, Bennett’s biggest problem was making the

trip through Canada without stopping for fuel. Landing in Canada meant the

Mounties had to drive to the airport to clear Bennett through customs. This caused

a lengthy delay and quickly upped the cost of the trip and decreased the profit for

Bennett. The flights were made year-round, and Bennett never canceled trips due

to cold weather or poor conditions. He had occasional forced landings, but only

two incidents caused minor damage to the plane.

The pipeline route mostly traversed unpopulated areas. Forced landings were made

on the highway, which was not as busy as it is today. Weather in southeast Alaska

can be treacherous. Bennett said he stayed safe during his long flying career by

setting limits that he did not cross – no matter what. “I never push beyond a certain

point,” he said. “You have to give yourself that leeway. And you know somebody

else goes through and he might make it, but you’re doing this EVERY DAY. You’ve

got to make it every time, not just a dozen times. And that’s what brought me

through. I always had this minimum.” Despite the occasional danger Bennett said

the flights were “just plain fun” and “exciting.”85

85 Layton Bennett, interview with Kristy Hollinger.
The Haines-Fairbanks 41

Pipeline

Military fuel needs increased significantly in 1961, six years after the pipeline was

built. Fortunately, growing fuel needs were anticipated when the pipeline was designed and allowed for relatively easy modifications to expand the system.

Six new pump stations were needed to boost pressure and move fuel through the

pipeline at a faster rate. The new stations, from south to north, were: Blanchard

River, Destruction Bay, Beaver Creek, Lakeview, Sears Creek and Timber. Three

of the stations were in Canada and three were in the United States.

The United States asked Canada on April 19, 1962, to amend the June 30, 1953

Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline agreement to allow construction of the new stations. It

was suggested that the same terms and conditions authorized in the original agreement be employed. In particular, Canadian supplies and labor were to be used in the

construction and operation of the new stations.

The Canadian Secretary of State for External

Affairs approved the request on April 19,

1962.86

A $1,609,713 contract was awarded to Premier

- H & K Construction Co. of Portland, Oregon,

for the three Alaskan stations. Yukon Construction Co. of Edmonton had the $1,396,858 contract for Canadian work. Six 50-foot trailers

were provided at each station for worker housing. The main concern was ensuring that all

work was completed on time. Construction was

carried out simultaneously at all sites. Delay at

one station could hold up the entire project. Fort

Greely’s resident engineer at the time, Carl

Eilertson, consulted with the Alaskan crews to

make sure the schedule was adhered to.

Eilerston’s assistant, Ellis Morgan, took charge

of the Canadian construction sites. He put in 1,200 to 1,500 miles a week traveling

back and forth to the sites. Contractors had approximately six months to complete

the job.87

The six new stations were nearly identical in design, with the exception of Blanchard

River. Blanchard River was to have three pumps while the other stations would

have two. The extra pump meant the composite building had to be larger and more

fuel was required to keep the station running.

The addition of the six pump stations nearly doubled maximum daily fuel outputs.

Previously, operating at the highest pumping capacity put 16,500 barrels a day

through the system. This was increased to 27,500 barrels a day. According to former

Chapter Chapter 6.0

System Expansions:

1961

Figure 32. Destruction Bay under construction. NARA.

86 Department of External Affairs Canada, Note No. 63, Ottawa, April 19, 1962.

87 Ross, F.K. “Alaska Pipeline Face-Lifting.” Pacific Builder and Engineer. Vol. 68, No. 9. 1962. pp. 82-83.
42 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

employees, the new booster stations were only used to full capacity for several

years before military fuel needs decreased again. The stations were put on caretaker status with fewer operating personnel. They were used intermittently when

fuel needs escalated.

Figure 33. Blanchard River Pump Station. NARA.

Figure 34. Destruction Bay Pump Station. NARA.
The Haines-Fairbanks 43

Pipeline

Map 3. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline: New Pump Stations, 1961–1973.
44 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline
The Haines-Fairbanks 45

Pipeline

Since the majority of the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was in remote rural areas, housing was provided on site for pipeline employees and their families. Life at a pump

station is an interesting and unique part of the pipeline story. The stations were selfcontained communities and as the Tok Terminal foreman described it, “Operating

Tok was the same as operating a little city. You had everything. You generated your

own power, you made your own heat. You were you own policeman and dogcatcher.”88 The following chapter looks at the lives of employees and family members at the Haines and Tok Terminals. Haines and Tok had the most employees

because, in addition to pumping operations, they were also receiving and storing

fuel. It was difficult to track down people from the smaller booster stations to record

their memories for this document.

7.1 Haines Terminal

Employees at the Haines Terminal lived in town or on the station site. Most people

referred to the station as the “tank farm.” There were two housing complexes with

16 apartments, located between the tank farm and pumping area. One complex had

eight three-bedroom apartments and one had eight two-bedroom apartments. They

were two-story units with wood flooring, a kitchen, bathroom, living room and full

basement. Former residents recall that the apartments were quite pleasant. There

were also bachelor’s quarters – more commonly

known as the BOQ (Bachelor Officer Quarters).

The BOQ had space for ten men and included a

dining room, kitchen, living room, shower room

and two toilets.

The housing complex was fenced off from the

tank farm and pumping area. The fencing was

for the residents’ safety and security. Family

members rarely ventured into the terminal’s

working areas. Children could grow up at the

station without ever going into the tank farm.

There was a concrete freezer building in front

of the apartments, which everyone shared. To

save money, families teamed up and ordered

groceries wholesale from Seattle. Alaska Steam

Ship delivered the food twice a year. Basics such

as lemons, apples, oranges and eggs were purchased in bulk.

Haines was unique among the pump stations

because it was in a community of around 1,000

Chapter Chapter 7.0 Pipeline Life

Figure 35. Bill Kelm in back of Haines apartments. Ca. 1959/60.

Courtesy Jeannette Menaker.

88 Johnny Burnham, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 7 May 2002. p 7.
46 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

people. Pipeline families had more recreational

and social opportunities. At other stations families were limited to socializing with each other.

One-half to one-third of the Haines Terminal

employees did not live in station housing. Yet

even those living in town frequently maintained

close ties with other pipeline families. There

were holiday parties in the BOQ and the women

often met for coffee klatches. June Haas remembers, “We had fun, and most of the people at

the tank farm were friends. In town we used to

go out to the Chilkat Lake when it really froze

well and we’d have a fire out there and some of

the guys would fix up a generator so we could

have lights and music and cook moose

steaks.”89

The Haines Terminal was three and a half miles

from the town center. During peak operations

there were about 26 children living at the station. A school bus drove to the terminal to take

them to school. Jeannette Menaker recalled that

they never missed a day of school because of

deep snow – a plow drove to the terminal especially to clear the road for their bus.

The arrival of tankers was always a special occasion. Joyce Thomas recalls, “That was a big

time out at the tank farm when those ships came

in. We would all go out and watch it dock. It

was the entertainment.”90

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was a tool of

the Cold War. It was thought that the facilities

would be a second strike target by the Soviets

if the war ever turned “hot.” Most people interviewed did not think they were in danger by

living in close proximity to the pipeline. Attack

was, however, considered in the design of the

project. All apartments had full basements that

also served as air raid shelters.

There were pros and cons to living at the station. Living on site eliminated a commute, of

course. Since employees were working shift

schedules around the clock, it was a nice to have

a short walk home at the end of the night. The

89 June Haas, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 12 April 2002. p.7.

90 Joyce Thomas and Jeannette Menaker, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 10 April 2002. p. 6.

Figure 37. Jeanette, Joyce & Douglas Kelley in the dining room

at their Haines Terminal apartment. Courtesy Jeanette (Kelley)

Menaker.

Figure 36. Byrd Kelley at the Haines Terminal front gate, ca.

1957. Courtesy Jeannette Menaker.
The Haines-Fairbanks 47

Pipeline

housing was pleasant, and the rent was affordable. On the reverse side, living and working in

the same place with the same people could be

overwhelming. And because some men worked

through the night, they were trying to sleep during the day. Keeping the noise down was an issue.

7.2 Tok Terminal

The Tok Terminal housing complex originally

had 12 apartments in two buildings. One building had four three-bedroom units and the other

had eight two-bedroom units. There was also a

BOQ which accommodated ten men. Unlike at

Haines, most of the Tok Terminal employees

lived in station housing. As at Haines, the housing complex was enclosed in a fence for security and safety.

Tok was a very small community and there were

few houses available to buy or rent. As more

employees were hired, the station apartments

quickly filled up. Trailer homes were purchased

to accommodate new families. They were used

for about five years before more station housing was built.

While the station apartments were pleasant, everyone described trailer living as a

miserable experience. The walls were only two inches thick and the heating system

was totally inadequate. Anything that touched the sides of the trailer in winter,

such as bedding or clothes hanging in the closets, would freeze to the walls. As

John Koehler said of the trailers, “you could exist in them but they weren’t too

warm.”91

Tok was established as an Alaska Road Commission Camp during construction of

the ALCAN and Glenn highways from 1942 to 1946. The 1960 Census recorded a

population of 129 people, with another 186 people living nearby in “unspecified”

locations.92 This meant that pipeline employees mostly socialized with each other.

Recreational activities available at Tok were mainly hunting and fishing. The BOQ

was equipped with a bar for holiday parties. Movies were a popular diversion. The

pump stations were on the Army movie circuit for many years, and a film was

shown in the BOQ five times a week.

Some residents got cabin fever in the winter, finding the living conditions too stressful. As Johnny Burnham recalled, “Some people didn’t stay over a year. One winter

Figure 38. Residents had gardens at the station. Here Betty

Kelley sits on her front porch with prize turnips. Courtesy

Jeanette Menaker.

91 John Koehler, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 10 April 2002. p. 4.

92 Socioeconomic Community profiles: A Background for Planning. Delta Junction, Dot Lake, Norhtway, Tanacross, Tetlin, Tok. Northwest Alaskan Pipeline Company, 1980.
48 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

would be enough. And then there was others that it didn’t seem to bother.” Burnham

combated the winter blues with physical activity. He became an avid trapper.

Until the mid-1960s, Tok pipeline employees had commissary privileges at Fort

Greely. Most families took advantage of the option and drove to Big Delta once a

month to stock up. After commissary privileges were revoked in the mid-1960s,

residents drove to Anchorage or Fairbanks to buy food.

There was a small school in Tok that served students in grades one through eight. In

the mid- 1950s, the school had seven pupils and one teacher. Carly Hanson, pump

operator Dwight Hanson’s wife, drove the children to school. As the pump station

grew, there were about 52 children living at the terminal and a bus was purchased

for them. In 1958 a high school was built in Tok. Before 1958 some employees

were forced to transfer to another station so their children could have access to

education. The Hansons moved to the Fairbanks Terminal when their children

reached high school age.93

7.3 Booster Stations

Living at the smaller pump stations was quite different than living at Tok or Haines.

Most of the booster stations were in isolated, remote areas. The stations had a

maximum of about six employees. The six pump stations added to the pipeline in

1961 were architecturally distinct from the original five stations. Instead of apartment housing there were detached 10’ x 50’, two- bedroom trailers for the station

employees and some dorm-type accommodations. According to Richard Duke, who

worked at the Lakeview Station, the trailers were not particularly nice. The windows were positioned so high that one had to stand to see outside.94

Often the smaller pump station residents had limited education access for their

children. In the mid-1950s there were five or six children at the Border Station.

They had school lessons with a teacher in the dormitory building. As children grew,

families often moved to have access to better education. Residents at these pump

stations also had limited access to social activities. Recreation often centered on

outdoor pastimes such as hunting, fishing and camping.

Border Station, sometimes known as 48-mile or Rainy Hollow, was not accessible

by road during the winter. Station residents kept mobile by airplane. Border experienced heavy snow in the winter months. Elizabeth Karmen remembered the winter

of 1956 when “the snow was so high, you wouldn’t believe this – we had to go up

the upstairs window to look out. And he (Ed Karmen) had to go...change a light

bulb in the streets, and ...he’s on a snow bank and bends down to change the light.”95

Haines Terminal families often visited Border in the winter for sledding, skiing and

curling parties. Ed Karmen flew people to the top of the ski hill in his ski equipped

plane. Haines families usually spent the night during these get-togethers. Elizabeth

Karmen said, “once a week we’d put on a dinner or supper for the people from

Haines that would come up...And we’d feed them...And then somebody else next

week would take it over.”96 In the summer Border families visited Haines.

93 Dwight Hanson and Carley Hanson, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 7 May 2002.

94 Richard Duke, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 15 April 2002.

95 Ed and Elizabeth Karmen, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 11 April 2002. p 5.

96 Ibid. p.7.
The Haines-Fairbanks 49

Pipeline

7.4 Economic Impact

Approximately 250 employees supported the 626-mile-long Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline during peak operations. The number of employees varied as fuel demands

changed. Peak demand occurred in the early 1960s when six pump stations were

added to the line. Though the number of workers may seem small overall, the impact they had on nearby communities was important—particularly at Tok and Haines

where the largest number of workers were stationed. Jeannie Menaker thought the

impact of the pipeline on Haines was significant:

As far as the impact on the community, I’d say it was huge. It

brought in a lot of people from different places with different...

ideas. It put a lot of money into the community. Both in the

construction...and operation. Then it stayed there as a viable economic entity.97

The pipeline pump stations, with the exception of the Fairbanks Terminal, were

located in small, remote communities. Some booster stations were in totally

unpopulated areas. Haines was the largest town on the pipeline corridor, and even

there the addition of between 40 and 50 men with steady, good paying work made

an important contribution to the local economy. Many employees were married

with children and this increased the population. More goods and services were

needed to support the growing community.

The towns further benefited by the provision of 874-money for schools. Since station housing was government owned, occupants were not required to pay property

taxes. This 874-money compensated schools for this loss of revenue in accordance

with the number of students living at the station. This money was extremely important to local schools and aided in the expansion and maintenance of services.

The pipeline probably affected Tok more than anywhere else along the pipeline

corridor. Tok was a small community of 315 in 1960. The presence of pipeline

employees played a role in stabilizing the Tok economy. Also, 874-money directly

contributed to the construction of a new school in 1958 when the number of children at the station was increasing significantly.

97 Jeannette Menaker, David Menaker and Joyce Thomas, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 10 April 2002. p. 19.
50 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline
The Haines-Fairbanks 51

Pipeline

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline did not close suddenly, unexpectedly, or even simultaneously. The northern half of the system, from Tok to Fairbanks, operated

longer than the southern half. Most former employees interviewed were not surprised by the shutdown. The workforce was gradually reduced in the late 1960s.

Many employees retired or transferred to the Whittier-Anchorage Pipeline.

The main driver behind the pipeline closure was the increasing cost of maintenance. Investigations revealed significant corrosion problems on the southern half

of the pipeline. In 1968 there were five pipeline leaks attributed to weakened metal.

The maximum pumping pressure out of Haines was reduced from 1000 pounds per

square inch (psi) to 700 psi. This reduced stress on the pipe but also slowed the

flow of fuel. In 1970, a study by the U.S. Army Material Command concluded the

Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was no longer needed—providing more fuel storage tanks

were built at Eielson Air Force Base and railroad and tanker truck receiving facilities were upgraded.98

The Haines to Tok section of the pipeline was mothballed in July of 1971. Operators were instructed to leave the terminal in such condition that it could be reactivated within 30 days if necessary. Station equipment was carefully inventoried,

cleaned and left in the buildings. All fuel was pumped out of the pipeline. Then

propanol, water and air were successively displaced through the system to clean

residual fuel traces from the pipe. The Army permanently closed the southern section of the pipeline one year later, in the summer of 1972.99

Starting in the 1970s, the Birch Lake and Fort Greely fuel tanks were gradually

taken out of service and disassembled. The tanks were W.W.II type, bolted steel

structures similar to those at Fairbanks. As the tanks aged, the bottoms started corroding and they had to be removed. At Birch Lake the soil under and around the

tanks was excavated and replaced.100

After the southern half of the pipeline was closed in July of 1971, fuel was delivered from Anchorage to Tok by tanker truck or railroad and pumped north as needed.

Then in 1973 the Tok to Eielson section of the pipeline was deactivated. The pipeline was scrubbed clean before it was abandoned. Residual fuel left in the pipe

could vaporize and produce a combustible mixture. As Thomas Webster stated,

“We couldn’t guarantee 100% but we did, we did try to purge it (the pipeline) of all

fuel. Scrub it clean and wash it down and try to make it as inert as we could.” Only

27 miles of the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline continued operating, from Fairbanks to

Eielson Air Force Base.101

Though most of the pipeline was deactivated in 1973, the tank farms at Haines and

Tok remained in service. The Cold War demanded strategic fuel reserves in the

event of war. The Tok tank farm was used for standby storage until 1979 and Haines

Chapter Chapter 8.0

Pipeline Shutdown,

1971–1979

98 “Alaskan Command History 1970.” Prepared by the Historian, Office of the Secretary. Joint Staff Headquarters ALCOM. 71-73.

99 “Alaskan Command History 1972.” Prepared by the Historian Office of the Secretary, Joint Staff, Headquarters ALCOM.

100 Thomas Webster, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 29 October 2002. p.8. 101 Ibid. p.7.
52 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

was used until 1988. The fuel had to be rotated

out of storage every few years so it did not spoil.

All the fuel was transported by tanker truck.

Rotating such large quantities of fuel was a big

job, and as Earnest Kelly stated, “We used to

have a hell of a time juggling storage.”102 Thomas Webster said, “Sometimes we were having

to haul JP4, for example, from here (Anchorage) to Tok to rotate the product. And that was

not only expensive, but we just increased our exposure, our risk. Highway accidents, you know, what-have-you.”103

In 1979 the Army decided to close the Tok tank farm. The Tok to Fairbanks section

of the pipeline was briefly reactivated to pump all remaining fuel out of the station.

The Army estimated reopening the line would save $500,000.00 in transportation

costs and closing the tank farm would save another $400,900.00 in annual operating costs.104

Reactivating the pipeline for this final service necessitated checking for corrosion

that may have developed during the five years the line lay dormant. A linalog survey was initiated in 1978. A linalog is an instrumented pig that measures pipe thickness, indicating where weakened metal is located. A pig is a scraper used to clean a pipeline. The linalog was pushed through the pipeline with water. The survey revealed that over

200 sections of pipe needed replacing. After the

line was repaired, it was discovered that water

had frozen in the pipeline in the Shaw Creek

Flats area, north of Fort Greely, during the

linalog survey. The pipeline was underground

in that location. Repair crews dug up the line

and located ice by shooting holes in the pipe

with a 30-06 rifle. Patches were welded over

the bullet holes. Eventually the line was repaired

and all fuel was pumped out of Tok Terminal in

July of 1979.105

Several groups expressed interest in using the

pipeline for other purposes as the system was

phased out. The Canadian government considered using the line to transport fuel for civilian

use in the Yukon. After the Canadians conducted

a feasibility study, they concluded the repair and

maintenance costs did not justify using the system.106 There was also talk of using the pipeline to transport natural gas in the

opposite direction, from Fairbanks to Haines. A 1979 study explored the possibility

Figure 39. Example of a 3” pig used in the CANOL Pipeline.

Courtesy George Lyle.

Figure 40. Water shooting out of a bullet hole during pipeline

repairs.

102 Earnest & Laura Kelly, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger 11 April 2002. p. 26. 103 Thomas Webster, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger 29 October 2002. p. 6. 104 Press Release, 78-6-20-94. “Pipeline to Reopen.” Public Affairs, 172d Infantry Brigade. Fort Richardson, Alaska. 22 June 1978. 105 Vern McConnell, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 12 July 2002. p. 2,3. 106 Manders, P. An Evaluation of the Economics of Utilizing the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline for Civilian Purposes. Economic Staff

Group, Norther Development Branch, D.I.A.N.D. 29 April 1970.
The Haines-Fairbanks 53

Pipeline

of using the Haines Terminal for an Alaska Marine Highway base.107 None of the

projects were carried out. As early as 1970, U.S. Army Alaska considered and rejected commercial use of the pipeline “due to the lack of funds for rehabilitation

and the possible magnitude of pollution that could occur.”108

8.1 Impact on the Communities: Haines and Tok

The pipeline was shut down gradually over the years, cushioning the economic

impact of the closure on nearby communities. The booster stations in particular

only had a couple employees each by 1970. Haines and Tok, the major towns on the

pipeline corridor, had the largest staff and therefore would have felt the greatest

effects from the shutdown. Operating personnel were slowly cut back in the late

1960s and early 1970s. The tank farms continued to be used until 1979, so some

employees were kept on hand for tank maintenance. Tok still had seven employees

that final year.

As pipeline operations were winding down in the late 1960s and early 1970s, new

industries were emerging in Haines and Tok, moderating the impact of the pipeline

shutdown. Tourism was expanding in Tok and helped stabilize the town’s economy.

The town population increased from 577 people in 1970 to 696 people in 1980.109

The Bureau of Land Management used the pump station for several years for its

Fortymile Resource Area headquarters. The Haines population also remained stable.

Tourism and logging expanded, bringing more money and people to the community.

107 Human-McDowell Associates. “A Study of the Feasibility of Converting the Haines Tank Farm to a Maintenance, Refueling and

Watering Facility for the Alaska Marine Highway System.” For Legislative Affairs Agency, Research Division. Gregg K. Erickson, Director.

Juneau, AK. 30 April 1979. 108 “Alaskan Command Annual History 1970.” Prepared by the Historian, Office of the Secretary, Joint Staff Headquarters ALCOM. 109 Socioeconomic Community Profiles, A Background for Planning. Delta Junction, Dot Lake, Norhtway, Tanacross, Tetlin, Tok.

Northwest Alaskan
54 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline
The Haines-Fairbanks 55

Pipeline

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline operated for a number of years without significant

problems. Acidic soil conditions contributed to pipe corrosion, and leaks occasionally developed as the system aged.

From 1955 to 1972 there were 40 recorded spills on the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline.

Twenty-eight of these occurred in 1956 during the line freeze-up when the line was

deliberately cut to purge ice from the system. Of the other 12 recorded spills, four

were caused by bullet holes, six were from corrosion, one from a vehicle hitting a

valve, and one from a power pole auger accidentally punching through the pipeline.

Some of the bullet hole leaks were deliberate attempts to tap the line for fuel. Others may have been unintentional but were the result of a blatant disregard for safety.

One incident occurred when someone used the pipeline for a backstop while shooting cans for target practice. John Koehler recalls the power pole accident:

I remember up around Delta Junction, Harding Lake, where the

line was buried. Golden Valley Electric were down there in the

winter punching holes to set poles, and in one place they got right

on top of the pipe, and they thought they were on a rock. They

moved and punched through the pipe! I imagine they got a bath.

We repaired where they chewed the pipe up.110

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was buried or laid directly on the ground, without

any protection from the elements. Lengths of pipe were exposed to different soil

and surface conditions that changed seasonally and created the electrical conditions conducive to corrosion. The corrosion problems mostly occurred in the later

years of operations as the pipeline metal aged.

The largest pipeline leak prior to 1972 occurred in the Yukon Territory in May of

1968. Acidic soil caused pipe corrosion and 4,000 barrels of diesel fuel leaked from

the line. The fuel permeated down a slope into Dezadeash Lake. Cleanup crews set

up catch basins to collect fuel flowing down the slope and used straw to soak up the

fuel in the lake. The straw was collected and burned. The effects of the spills were

studied in 1972. The study concluded that many areas where fuel was spilled were

still devoid of vegetation.111

Pipeline corrosion control technology was limited when the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was designed. Before the invention of linalog technology in the late 1960s,

there was no way to inspect for corrosion except by visual survey. Visual inspection of buried pipe was difficult and time-consuming. It required digging a sample

of holes to get an idea of the pipe condition. The 1970s’ investigations revealed that

Chapter Chapter 9.0

Environmental

Impacts

110 John Koehler, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger 10 April 2002. p. 5.

111 Rickard, W.E. & Deneke, F. (April 1972) Preliminary Investigations of Petroleum Spillage, Haines-Fairbanks

Military Pipeline, Alaska. Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army: Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. Hanover,

New Hampshire.
56 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

112 Thomas Webster interviewed by Kristy Hollinger 29 October 2002.

113 Gray, Stan. “The Spraying of Herbicides and the Testing for Contaminants at the Klukshu Indian Village”.

Report to Lawrence Joe, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. March 1994. 114 Harding Lawson Associates ‘Work Plan Fuel Terminal Site Investigation, Haines, Alaska’ 10 Nov. 1992. p.

2-9. 115 Vern McConnell interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 12 July 2002. p. 7.

much of the pipeline would be subject to corrosion unless protective methods were

taken. Wrapping the entire pipeline to insulate it from contact with the ground was

too costly. Annual maintenance programs were implemented to identify and repair

the highest risk areas.112

Besides fuel spills along the pipeline corridor, the pump stations also had an impact

on the environment. Fuel and hazardous waste was burned, spilled and buried at

these stations. Diesel fuel mixed with chemical defoliants was sprayed on the Tok

and Haines tank farms to inhibit vegetation growth. Documentation of the contamination and subsequent restoration work is available at the Department of Public

Works, Environmental, U.S. Army Alaska. A full discussion of environmental investigations and cleanup efforts is beyond the scope of this report.

There also was contamination through the aerial spraying of chemical defoliants

along the corridor. There is concern that the defoliants polluted vegetation, which

was in turn consumed by people or wildlife. There are also two accounts of Klukshu

Indian Village residents in Canada being directly hit by the herbicide during the

spraying. The village was adjacent to the pipeline right-of-way. A 1994 study by

Stan Gray investigated the Klukshu Indian Village’s exposure to the defoliants.

The author concluded that there were hazardous levels of dioxin contamination in

the soil. The long-term, overall effects of the chemical defoliants along the entire

corridor are not fully known.113

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was built and operated according to the standards

of the day. As stated in an investigative report, “Environmental contamination at

the site is the result of routine past operations. Waste management practices at that

time were typical of those practiced at other military POL facilities.”114

9.1 Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline

The 1968 discovery of oil in northern Alaska set the stage for the Trans-Alaska

Pipeline System (TAPS) that would run 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez.

Pipeline technology had advanced significantly in the years since the HainesFairbanks Pipeline was designed and built. Corrosion control methods in particular

had come a long way. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline designers had the opportunity to

study 30 years of Alaskan pipeline operations and learn from past mistakes. Vern

McConnel recalled, “When they were in the design stage on the Alyeska line they’d

talk to us a lot...Yes they were very interested in our operation.”115 Tom Webster

remembers that some Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline employees transferred to work for

the TAPS operation. No doubt their experience and knowledge contributed to the

project. In this way the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline played some small role in facilitating better managed and designed Alaskan pipelines.
The Haines-Fairbanks 57

Pipeline

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline was an important logistical asset during the Cold

War. The entire pipeline system operated for 16 years while smaller segments of

the line continued working for another eight years. Even after major sections of the

pipeline were deactivated, the tank farms at Haines and Tok continued to be used

for fuel storage. The 27-mile section of pipeline between Eielson Air Force Base

and Fort Wainwright, known as the Fairbanks-Eielson Pipeline, operated until

1992.116

In 1961 it was estimated that the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline saved $5 million in

annual shipping costs. Unlike the incredibly expensive CANOL Pipeline, the project

paid for construction costs within the first six years of operation.117 The 1961 construction of six additional pump stations added $6 million to the project’s cost.

Again, the savings in expedient fuel deliveries balanced the cost.

Pipeline employees had an important job and they made a significant contribution

to supporting Alaska’s Cold War missions. As Frank Haas said, “They (Fairbanks)

always got the fuel when they needed it. So we felt real good about that.”118 Chief

of Petroleum, Thomas Webster said of the employees, “There’s not a man that I can

think of in that group that I wouldn’t take my hat off to any time. They were good

men.”119 Pipeline employees were paid well, and most said they enjoyed the work.

As Johnny Burnham said, “Overall it was a heck of a good job.”120 Conditions

could be difficult living in remote, isolated areas and working in extreme weather

conditions. The occupational hazards associated with handling volatile petroleum

products required that every employee operate to the highest professional standards.

Today the physical remains of the HainesFairbanks Pipeline are rapidly disappearing.

Though the right-of-way corridor can still be

seen in places, most pipe has been removed and

salvaged. The pipe in Canada was removed from

1989 to 1991. Part of Tok Terminal was demolished in the summer of 2002 and the demolition should be completed in the summer of

2003. Haines Terminal is also scheduled for

demolition in 2003. Environmental restoration

work has been occurring at Haines, Tok and

Fairbanks since the early 1990s. Some of the

other U.S. pump stations are still standing,

Chapter Chapter 10.0 Conclusions

Figure 41. Timber Pump Station, May 2002. From collection

of USARAK.

116 This section of the pipeline was subject to major rehabilitation in the 1980s when the pipe was coated to

protect against corrosion. 117 Ross, F.K. “Alaska Pipeline Facelifting” Pacific Builder and Engineer. Vol 68 No. 9. 1962. 118 Frank Haas, interviewed by Pam Moore 29 April 1992. On file at the Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center,

Haines. Tape # 92.210.01. 119 Thomas Webster, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 29 October 2002. p. 12.

120 Johnny Burnham, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger. 7 May 2002. p. 15.
58 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

though their condition is deteriorating. These stations are no longer under U.S.

Army Alaska control.

The Canadian pump stations were mothballed when the Haines to Tok section of

the line was deactivated. When the Tok to Eielson section of the line was closed,

the U.S. Army started clean up of the Canadian pump stations. This involved digging up garbage pits and transporting waste back to the United States. Tom Webster

said, “We backhauled just about everything out of Canada that they wouldn’t allow

us to dispose of there. And we worked closely with them (Canadian government)

on that.”121 The stations reverted to Canadian control when the pipeline was closed.

The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline impacted the environment in Canada and Alaska.

The pipeline right-of-way and pump stations altered the natural landscape and fuel

spills contaminated the environment. The long-term effects of these impacts on

subsistence resources, native Alaskan and Canadian traditional life-styles and health,

and the health of pipeline employees are important subjects that are beyond the

scope of this report. It is recommended that these topics be explored in future studies.

Today we look at the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline with the advantage of hindsight.

The lack of consultation with native groups for use of the land and the environmental damage resulting from the operations must be acknowledged – but it must also

be understood in the context which the system operated. Pollution control, cultural

resources management, and consideration for tribal sovereignty were not issues

addressed the way they are today. At the time of its operation, the Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline was considered the best means of conveying the vast quantities of fuel

needed in interior Alaska.122

Table 4. Current Status of Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline pump stations (2003).123

121 Ibid. p. 3. 122 For more information on pipeline impacts to cultural resources at Tok see Jim Simon’s (2002) ALCANGO

(Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline) Tok Terminal Traditional Cultural Property Evaluation Report. For information on pipeline impacts at Haines see Northern Land Use Research Inc. (1998) Cultural Resource Survey of the Haines Fuel

Terminal, Haines, Alaksa: Final Report on the Archaeology of Tanani Point. 123 Douglas Johnson, Chief Environmental, Department of Public Works. 2003. Personal Communication with

author.
The Haines-Fairbanks 59

Pipeline

INTERVIEWS:

Layton Bennett, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 12 April 2002.

Johnny Burnham, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 7 May 2002

Ray Carder, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 8 April 2002.

Richard Duke, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 25 April 2002.

June Hass, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 12 April 2002.

Frank Haas, interviewed by Pam Moore 29 April 1992. On file at the Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center,

Haines. Tape # 92.210.01.

Dwight and Carley Hanson, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 7 May 2002.

Edward and Elizabeth Karmen, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 11 April 2002.

Earnest and Laura Kelly, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 11 April 2002.

John Koehler, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 10 April 2002.

George Lyle, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 12 July 2002.

Vern McConnell, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 12 July 2002.

Jeannie Menaker, David Menaker and Joyce Thomas, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 10 April 2002.

Clarence Sparks, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 7 May 2002.

Thomas Webster, interviewed by Kristy Hollinger, 29 October 2002.

PERIODICALS:

Drapeau, Raoul. “Pipe Dream.” Invention & Technology (Winter 2002) 25- 35.

George, Warren. “The Alaska Pipeline.” The Military Engineer 47:320 (Dec 1955) 460-463.

Huttlinger, J. “Contract Awarded for Strategic Alaskan Line” World Petroleum 24:13 (Dec. 1953) 55, 96.

Judah, Melvin A. “Alaskan Products Line Completed.” Pipeline Industry. 3:4 (Oct 1955) 47-49.

Ross, F.K. “Alaska Pipeline Facelifting.” Pacific Builder and Engineer. 68:9. (1962). 82-83.

Woodman, B. “Alaska’s Other Pipelines.” Alaska Construction & Oil 12:3 (March 1971) 18-34.

“The Alcango Pipeline: Part 1 of 2.” Western Construction 30:2 (Feb. 1955): 37-38.

“Alacango Pipeline, Part 2 of 2 Construction 620 Miles of Trouble.” Western Construction 30:3 (March

1955) 29, 32, 35, 38.

Bibliogr Bibliography
60 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

 “Joint Defense Plans Served by Alaska Products Pipe Line.” Oil in Canada 7:48 (Sep. 1955) 62-72.

“Pipeline...Haines to Fairbanks.” Pacific Builder and Engineer 61:3 (March 1955) 60-62.

”Push Pipeline Across Alaska.” Construction Methods and Equipment 37 (March 1955): 60-62

“Tanker Arrives in Alaska...Delivers First Fuel for Line.” Oil and Gas Journal Vol. 54 (June 1955) 65, 66.

Woodman, Betzi. “Special Problems in underground....Pipe Corrosion Control.” University of Alaska Anchorage, Consortium Library Archives and Manuscripts Department. U.S. Army Alaska Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline collection. First Report, Alaskan Command Natural Resource Information Exchange. 11 Jan 1971.

NEWSPAPER:

Pipeline Edition: Anchorage Daily News. 11 October 1955. (various articles)

ELECTRONIC SOURCES:

http://www.msc.navy.mil/N00p/4959.htm (Military Sea Lift Command)

http://www.t-6.com/Twelfthaviation/support/History.html (12th Aviation Company, FWA, pipeline surveillance)

REPORTS:

Garfield, D.E., Ashline, C.E., Haines, F.D. and Ueda, H.T. Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline: Design, Construction

and Operation. SR 77-4 CRREL. February 1977.

Harding Lawson Associates, Work Plan Fuel Terminal Site Investigation, Haines, Alaska. 10 Nov. 1992.

Menders, Paul. Economic Staff Group, Northern Development Branch, D.I.A.N.D. First Draft Report: An

Evaluation of the Economics of Utilizing the Haines – Fairbanks Pipeline for Civilian Purposes. 29 April

1970.

Northern Land Use Research, Inc.: Bowers, Peter M., Higgs, Andrew S., Williams, Catherine M. Cultural

Resource Survey of the Haines Fuel Terminal, Haines, Alaska: Final Report on the Archaeology of Tanani

Point. Report prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Anchorage, AK. April 1998.

Northern Land Use Research, Inc: McIntosh, Stacie, J., Bowers, Peter M., Higgs, Andrew S., Williams,

Catherine M. Tanani Subsistence. Report prepared for: Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of

Alaska. March 2000.

Pamphlet 360-1. Description of Alaskan Military Petroleum Facilities. 172nd Infantry Brigade (Alaska) 15

January 1982.

Price, Kathy. Northern Defenders: Cold War Context of Ladd Air Force Base, Fairbanks, Alaska: 1947-

1961. CEMML TPS 01-2. January 2001.

Rickard, Warren E., and Deneke, Frederick. Preliminary Investigations of Petroleum Spillage, HainesFairbanks Military Pipeline, Alaska. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. Hanover: New Hamshire, April 1972.
The Haines-Fairbanks 61

Pipeline

Simon, Jim and Gelvin-Reymiller, Carol. ALCANGO (Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline) Tok Terminal Traditional Cultural Property Evaluation Report. Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc. Community and Natural Resources Department of Defense Office. Submitted to: US Army Corps of Engineers. 18 Jan 2002.

Socioeconomic Community Profiles, A Background for Planning. Delta Junction, Dot Lake, Norhtway,

Tanacross, Tetlin, Tok. Northwest Alaskan Pipeline Company, 1980.

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. “Summary of the Non-Native Activities in the Klukshu Reserve

Area and Their Impact on Traditional Life: A Response to the Federal Offer Respecting the Klukshu Specific Claim.” 27 September 1994.

Human-McDowell Associates. “A Study of the Feasibility of Converting the Haines Tank Farm to a Maintenance, Refueling and Watering Facility for the Alaska Marine Highway System.” For Legislative Affairs

Agency, Research Division. Gregg K. Erickson, Director. Juneau, AK. 30 April 1979.

CORRESPONDENCE:

Alaska State Archives, Record Group 101. Office of the Territorial Governor, Series 130, Governor’s Correspondence. Haines Business Council to the President of the United States. 25 June 1956.

Governor B. Frank Heintzlemen to Mr. Leonard King, Haines Business Council. 27 June 1956.

Keith H. Ewbank, Colonel, GS, Chief of Staff to B. Frank Heintzleman, Governor of Alaska. Headquarters,

United States Army, Alaska, Office of the Chief of Staff. 1 Aug 1956.

Department of External Affairs, Canada. Note No. 63. Ottawa, April 19, 1962.

Embassy of the United States of America, Note No. 227. Ottawa, April 19, 1962.

Department of External Affairs, Canada to Ambassador of the United States of America, His Excellency the

Honourable Stanley Woodward, Ottawa, August 10, 1950.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Determination of Eligibility for the Tok Terminal and Pump Station (TNX-0050) the Haines to Fairbanks

Pipeline, Tok, Alaska.

Defense Environmental Restoration Program, Formerly Used Defense Sites, Findings and Determination of

Eligibility. Alaskan Petroleum Pipeline System, Haines-Fairbanks Division, Alaska. Property No. F10AK1016.

“Pipeline to Reopen.” Press Release Number 78-6-20-94, Public Affairs, 172d Infantry Brigade, Fort

Richardson, Alaska. 22 June 1978.

Department of the Army, Job Description, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Job No. 6984a, Fuel Distribution System Operator, Grade 11, OCC Code 5413, 13 Feb. 1963. Courtesy of George Lyle.

Haas, Frank M. “The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline October, 1955 – October, 1971.” On file at the Sheldon

Museum & Cultural Center. Haines, AK.

Fluor Corp., Ltd. Los Angeles, California. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District: Products Pipeline: Haines to Fiarbanks Alaska, Operating Manual. May 1955.

Fradkin, Philip. “The First and Forgotten Pipeline.” Source unknown.
62 The Haines-Fairbanks

Pipeline

Woodman, Lyman L. (1997) Duty Station Northwest, The U.S. Army in Alaska and Western Canada, 1867-

1945, Volume Two 1918-1945. Anchorage: Alaska Historical Society

Harding Lawson Association, Engineering and Environmental Services “Work Plan: Fuel Terminal Investigation: Haines, AK.” HLA Project No. 20801. 10 Nov. 1992.

“History of the Alaskan Command, 1 July 1956 – 30 June 1957.” Prepared by the Office of Information

Services, Alaskan Command.

“Alaskan Command History 1969.” Prepared by the Historian, Office of the Secretary. Joint Staff Headquarters ALCOM.

“Alaskan Command History 1972.” Prepared by the Historian Office of the Secretary, Joint Staff, Headquarters ALCOM.

University of Alaska Anchorage, Consortium Library Archives and Manuscripts Department.U.S. Army

Alaska Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline collection. First Report, Alaskan Command Natural Resource Information Exchange. 11 Jan 1971.