IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 67 
Honoring the soldiers of the Army’s Black Corps of Engineers for their 
contributions in constructing the Alaska-Canada highway during World 
War II and recognizing the importance of these contributions to the 
subsequent integration of the military. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2005 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, 
and Mr. OBERSTAR) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Honoring the soldiers of the Army’s Black Corps of Engi-
neers for their contributions in constructing the Alaska- 
Canada highway during World War II and recognizing 
the importance of these contributions to the subsequent 
integration of the military. 
Whereas the bombing of Pearl Harbor necessitated con-
structing an overland route between Alaska and the lower 
48 States for military purposes; 
Whereas on February 11, 1942, President Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt authorized the construction of the Alaska-Can-
ada Highway (also known as the ‘‘Alcan Highway’’);
•HCON 67 IH 
Whereas construction of the Alcan Highway, a 1,522-mile 
long road from Dawson Creek, Canada, to Fairbanks, 
Alaska, was an engineering feat of enormous challenge; 
Whereas the Alcan Highway was constructed by approxi-
mately 10,000 United States troops through rugged, 
unmapped wilderness and extreme temperatures, ranging 
from 80-degrees-below to 90-degrees-above zero; 
Whereas the Corps of Engineers units assigned to construct 
the Alcan Highway were segregated by race; 
Whereas the 93rd, 95th, and 97th Regiments and 388th Bat-
talion of the Corps of Engineers, part of a group known 
as the ‘‘Black Corps of Engineers’’, were African Amer-
ican units assigned to the Alcan Highway project, and 
these units comprised one-third of the total engineering 
workforce on the project; 
Whereas despite severe discriminatory policies, and abomi-
nable living and social conditions, the soldiers of the 
Black Corps of Engineers performed notably and unself-
ishly on the project; 
Whereas on November 20, 1942, the Alcan Highway was 
completed in an astonishing 8 months and 12 days, be-
coming one of the Nation’s greatest public works projects 
in the 20th century; 
Whereas the Alcan Highway became the only land route that 
strategically linked the northern territory to the remain-
der of the continental United States and facilitated the 
construction of airstrips for refueling planes and vital 
supply routes during World War II; 
Whereas although considerable praise was bestowed upon sol-
diers for exemplary work in constructing the Alcan High-
•HCON 67 IH 
way, the soldiers of the Black Corps of Engineers were 
seldom recognized; and 
Whereas despite enduring indignities and double standards, 
the soldiers of the Black Corps of Engineers contributed 
unselfishly to the western defense in World War II and 
these contributions helped lead to the subsequent integra-
tion of the military: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress honors the soldiers of the 
Army’s Black Corps of Engineers for their contributions 
in constructing the Alaska-Canada highway during World 
War II and recognizes the importance of these contribu-
tions to the subsequent integration of the military. 
Æ