ransportatson
Vital
Function
of
U.S.
Army
at
Rupert
OASTIES"
SIGNMENT
UNUSUAL
..
A
COAST
GUARDSMAN
of
the
rst
Coast
,rprvise
the
loading
of
ww;
.
..
rto
...iHnn
sniDS
at
UJC
iiout
d
back-uP
storage
dump
ar-
d
in
Prince
Kupen.
juii
a
.
nr.
than
a
year
ago.
It
ja
unusual
assignment,
ior
sailors
were
to
work
for
and
....
,mu
live
In
armv
eat
In
army
mess-
It
was
soon
discovered
that
50
men
were
not
enough
to
handle
the
24-hour
Job
assigned
to
them
and
more
were
requisitioned
until
the
strength
of
the
Coast
Guard
Explosive
Loading
Detachment
reached
the
100
mark.
The
fine
worx
displayed
at
this
loading
depot
and
co-operation
of
the
services
Is
evident
In
that
no
serious
accidents
occurred
during
the
time
they
worked
together.
During
their
opera
tlon
here,
the
Coast
Guardsmen
and
their
commander,
Lt.
Jg
W.
C.
Greer,
have
re-,
ctlved
many
commendations
from
the
Army
and
from
units
Let
Th
ere
Be
Light
.
.
operating
In
the
South
Pacific
for
the
orderly
manner
In.
which
the
ammunition
ships
were
In
January
of
this
year,
a
box
car
oi
ammunition
caught
fire,
and,
without
a
moment's
hesitation,
two
Coasties
and
a
soldier
leaped
Into
the
car
and
with
great
danger
to
themselves,
extinguished
the
blaze
and
prevented
what
might
have
been
a
major
catostrophe.
For
this,
Henry
Buxton,
Spic,
and
Jack
Rediger,
Sic,
were
awarded
the
Navy
and
Marine
Corps
Medal,
and
Sgt.
David
Nevins,
the
Soldiers'
Medal.
Near
Acropolis
Hill
9
During
the
past
three
years
SUNRISE
COMPANY
has
had
opportunity
to
be
of
service
to
hundreds
of
AMERICAN
servicemen.
We
have
enjoyed
that
privilege
and
hope
that
in
the
years
to
come
we
will
have
6ppor-tunity
to
renew
those
friendships.
SUNRISE
COMPANY
Ltd.
Fulton
Street
Prince
Rupert
International
understanding
is
a
form
of
spiritual
brightness
which
must
shine
on
the
oaths
of
nations
m
in
the
coming
years
of
peace,
It
is
only
by
"knowing
the
other
fellow"
that
this
understanding
can
be
achieved.
In
Prince
Rupert
these
last
three
years
we
have
had
the
opportunity
to
form
those
personal
friendships
with
the
Americans
which
are
the
basis
of
international
good
will.
These,
we
are
sure,
will
be
cherished
both
by
Prince
Rupert
people
and
their
American
friends.
.
"Come
Again,
Americans'
This
message
sponsored
by
Northern
B.C.
Power
Co.
Prince
Rupert
Stewart,
II.g.
GOOD-BYE,
AMERICANS
...
AND
THANKS
!
Jthas
been
a
pleasure
to
have
had
you
in
the
city
these
last
three
years
and
we
hope
that
when
you
return
to
your
-homes
the
things
you
fought
to
uphold
will
be
yours
for
keeps.
Th,r4
Avtnue
Visit
Us
in
Prince
Rupert!
RUPERT
BAKERY
LTD.
Prince
Rupert,
H.
C.
Million-and-Haif
Tons
Of
Freight
Handled
Here
How
Port
Was
Utilized
to
Move
War
Sup
plies
to
North
and
West
By
Major
Marion
G.
Stewart
Jr.
Port
Transportation
Officer
The
Transportation
Division
of
the
Prince
RuDert
Sub-Port
of
Embarkation
came
into
being
the
morn
ing
ot
iUarch
2b,
llJ42,
with
the
docking
of
the
good
ship
Eli
DOG
Hoyle.
As
the
ship
hove
to
the
ocean
dock,
the
lines
were
thrown
out,
one
being
caught
by
Colonel
Fred
W.
Adams
and
the
other
by
Lt.
George
E.
Mack
II,
who
were
the
only
persons
to
greet
three
civilians,
Ray
Nickelson,
Bob
Devlin,
Ed
Writer,
and
one
very
down-hearted
second
lieuten
ant,
myself.
Our
little
group
was
given
a
corner
In
the
hanging
office
on
the
Ocean
Dock
and
we
set
about
to
requisition
everything
necessary
to
set
up
a
Port
of
Embarkation.
This
was
promptly
done
by
MSgt.
McCurdy
and
MSgt
Bequette.
Between
the
two
of
them
my
first
month
was
spent
continually
signing
requisitions.
At
this
time
the
Transportation
Largest
Single
Operation
Division
was
part
of
the
Quart
ermaster
Corps.
It
was
not
long
after
our
arrival
that
things
really
started
to
move,
as
the
Engineers
were
busy
building
the
Alaska
Highway,
Canol
Project,
Port
Edward
Staging
Area
and
our
own
installation.
We
also
assumed
the
duties
of
the
Troop
Movement
Division.
It
was
my
pleasure
to
meet
all
trains
and
boats
and
welcome
the
fellows
upon
their
arrival.
One
incident
that
remains
WATER
DIVISION
PUT
3ooo
SHIPS
THRU
PORT
Thirty-five
days
after
the
Japanese
struck
at
Pearl
Harbor,
the
first
Army
Transport
vessel
sailed
from
Prince
Rupert.
Aboard
her
were
men
and
materials
to
bolster
the
practically
non-existent
northern
defences
of
the
continent.
Since
that
day
in
January
1942,
more
than
3,000
vessels
have
put
out
Nerve
Cent
re
SIGNALS
DID
GREAT
WORK
Most
Specialized
Branch
of
Service
at
Sub-Port
of
Embarkation
Here
Highly
technical,
the
Port
Signal
Office,
under
the
super-
vision
of
Captain
Leonard
E.
Nosser
of
Rockford,
Illinois,
formerly
connected
with
Bell
Telephone,
is
the
most
specialized
branch
of
the
Prince
Rupert
Sub-Port
of
Embarkation.
The
unit
Is
composed
of
telephone,
teletype,
crypto,
radio,
photo
and
film
technicians
and
has
played
an
Important
part
in
the
suc
cessful
completion
of
the
mission
of
the
port.
From
a
half-dozen
old,
wooden
box
telephones
of
ancient
vintage,
a
1918-model
"applebox"
switchboard
and
20
hastily-strung
wires
to
Acropolis
Hill,
the
telephone
exchange
has
been
developed
into
a
vital
nerve
centre
of
the
port.
Co-operation
of
the-
city
telephone
exchange
was
largely
responsible
for
efficient
operation
of
port
communications
until
equipment
and
materials
could
be
procured
to
lnstal
an
army,
network
of
250
miles
of
wire
and
more
than
50,000
feet
of
cable.
Two
years
after
the
arrival
of
the
first
troops,
in
Prince
Rupert
there
were
more
than
650
telephones
on
Army
lines
as
well
as
direct
lines
to
the
Canadian
Army,
Navy
and
city
exchanges.
Telephone
operators
were
hand
ling
more
than
1,000
calls
an
hour.
With
this
rapid
growth
of
the
exchange,
the
staff
of
five
original
operators
Mrs.
Rhea
Morris,
Miss
Joan
Watt,
Miss
Ruby
Lindsay,
Miss
Bea
Dldrlckson
and
Mrs.
Elsie
Husoy
soon
reached
a
total
of
twenty
from-
the
Prince
Rupert
Sub-Port
of
Embarkation.
The
million
or
so
tons
ot
equipment
and
supplies
and
the
thousands
of
passengers
these
vessels
transported
built
up
Arc
tic
defence,
aided
In
flinging
the
Japanese
from
their
hold
in
the
Aleutians
and
provided
the
punch,
in
the
way
of
bombs
and
bullets,
for
our
air
armadas
in
the
Pacific.
This
was
the
task
accomplished
by
the
Water
Division
of
this
U.
S.
Army
Port
of
Embarkation.
The
first
office
of
the
Water
Division
(then
Army
Transport
Service)
was
a
"two-by-four"
affair
staffed
with,
a
half
dozen
employees
and
located
on
one
small
corner
of
the
Ocean
Dock.
In
less
than
two
years
the
divlr
slon
was
the
largest
single
op
eratlon
of
the
port,
employing
almost
600
people.
Some
of
the
first
employees
still
with
the
Water
Division
are
Mrs.
Catherine
Fraser,
of
222
Fifth
Avenue
West,
and
Allan
E.
Crawford,
employed
as
assistant
port
stewr
ard.
Mrs.
Milllcent
Collins
of
201
Eighth
Avenue
East
was
honored
for
her
long
and
merir
torlous
service
by
the
port
comr
mander
last
June,
shortly
before
she
retired.
Under
the
guidance
of
Major
William
T.
Fisher
and
Major
Wlllfam
F.
Naumann,
the
Water
Division
embraces
a
.wide
field
of
activity.
Vessels
of
all
classes
are
serviced
and
repaired
by
the
marine
repair
section.
As
many
as
50
vessels
have
been
repaired
In
a
single
month.
It
also
Includes
the
operation
of
the
An-nette-Ketchlkan
shuttle
service,
the
seaplane
float,
ammunition
loading
at
Watson
Island,
cargo
operations
and
dock
operations.
Coastguard
Thanks
Port
Personnel
Lt.
Greer
and
his
officers
and
men
of
the
coastguard
are
grateful
to
Colonel
Mellom,
his
staff
and
the
personnel
attached
.
to
e
frnce
RuPert
Sub-Port
of
In
the
offices
at
Prince
Rupert
and
Port
Edward.
Miss
Phil
Mur-1
Embarkation
and
say
that
It
has
ray
of
Prince
Rupert
being
the
chief
operator.
The
Signal
Centre
and
Radio
Operations
expanded
rapidly
during
the
early
days
of
the
Sub-Port
until
traffic
reached
Its
peak
In
August
1944.
At
that
time
more
than
10,000
messages
were
going
through
the
teletypes
each
month.
Activities
in
radio
operation
have
steadily
decreased
but
ship
to
shore
radio
service
is
still
maintained.
An
extensive
training
film
library
is
maintained
by
the
Signal
Office.
These
films
are
used
extensively
by
Canadian
forces
In
this
area
as
well
as
Sub-Port
personnel
and
transient
personnel
clearing
through
Port
Edward.
At
one
time
attendance
figures
ran
as
high
as
ten
thousand
monthly.
The
photo-lab
was
established
In
April
1942
and
provided
a
pictorial
record
of
operations
of
the
Sub-Port.
Photographers
Sgt,
Audley
Allison
and
Sgt.
Alex
Steplck
were
largely
responsible
been
an
honor
to
work
with
them
through
the
final,
stages
of
the
war.
Especial
thanks
are
also
given
for
the
warm
hospitality
accorded
by
the
many
fine
citizens
of
Prince
Rupert.
Port
Edward
Theatre
Seats
1000
Persons
The
post
theatre
of
the
Prince
Rupert
staging,
area
at
Port
Edward
will
seat
more
than
1,000
people.
The
theatre'
Is
equipped
with
the
latest
sounds
projection
and
lighting
equipment.
for
the
processing
and
trinUng
of
some
30,000
photographs
and
20,000
identification
pictures
taken
during
the
past
three
years.
The
lab
has
worked
in
close
conjunction
with
various
branches
of
the
Canadian
Armed
Services.
The
Alaska
Department
maintains
a
liaison
office
in
Prince
Rupert
under
the
direction
of
Major
James
If,
Cowan.
clear
in
my
memory
was
the
arrival
of
the
139th
QM
Truck
Company.
I.
don't
know
which
I
was
more
glad
to
see,
the
personnel
or
their
trucks.
I
didn't
realize
then
that
Capt.
John
"Doe"
Hill,
Company
Commander,
would
later
on
assume
my
Troop
Movement
duties.
In
May,
1942,
the
Transportation
Corps
was
divorced
from
the
Quartermaster
and
we
moved
to
Boston
Cafe
Building
During
our
stay
In
the
Dominion
Building,
the
site
now
occupied
by
the
Administration
Building
was
being
cleared
of
solid
rock,
and
with
each
blast
of
dynamite
the
Dominion
Building
rocked
and
shuddered
and
then
settled
back
on
Its
Joists
practically
front
line
fire!
The
building
was
finally
,
completed
In
April
1943,
and
we,
moved
to
our
present
F'AR.EWEEE
TO
TANKS
Prince
Rupert
Daflp
r3ctos
Saturday,-
Septemf
r
15,
1945
The
history
of
the
Transportation
Division
would
not
be
complete
without
mentioning
the
railway
officials
who
played
a
major
part
in
accomplishing
anything
we
set
out
to
do.
It
was
through
the
efforts
of
George
A.
Glay,
superintendent,
and
C.
A.
Berner,
assistant
superintendent,
that
we
were
able
to
use
our
Army
locomotives
to
perform
the
necessary
switching.
They
also
secured
permission
for
us
to
erect
temporary
crossings
and
erect
buildings
on
railway
property
that
enabled
.us
to
do
the
Job
then
required.
At
times,
buildings
and
crossing
were
installed
at
night
and
permission
requested
later.
This
would
sometimes
draw
a
few
harsh-spoken
words
which
were
soon
forgotten
when
Mr.
Glay
was
reminded
that
he
was
born
In
the
States
and,
"what
could
you
expect
from
a
-
bunch.,
of
Yankees?"
The
Transportation
Division
at
this
time
was
expanding
so
rapidly
that
it
would
be
hard
to
recall
incidents:
of
Interest
without
excluding
someone
or
something.
For
those
who
have
an
eye
statistics,
the
Transportation
Division
unloaded
more
than
20,000
cars,
shipped
more
than
5,000
cars,
and
handled
a
total
of
almost
a
million
and
a
half
tons
of
freight
during
Its
stay
in
Prince
Rupert.
This
could
not
have
been
accomplished
without
the
cooperation
of
our
many
Canadian
and
American
civilian
employees,
military
personnel,
and
the
Canadian.
National
Railways.
i.
Commander
of
troops
on
Acropolis
Hill
Is
Lt.-Colonel
Eugene
J.
McNamara.
Salute
to
THE
AMERICANS
To
the
American
soldiers
and
civilians
who
served
during
the
war
in
this
strategic
city
goes
full
honor
for
their
share
in
their
country's
mighty
contribution
to
Victory.
.
3
nh
i.-i
mm.
We
in
Prince
Rupert
were
glad
of
your
presence
during
the
dark
days
of
the
Japanese
advance,
and
now,
in
Victory,
we
say:
"Thank
You,
Americans."
We
look
forward
to
seeing
you
again
as
visitors
during
the
coming
years
of
Peace.
You
will
always
be
welcome.
WATTS
&
NICKERS0N
5
3
2
THIRD
AVENUE
t
Men's
Fine
Clothing
'
Imported
Woollens
Hudson's
Ray
Blankets
Pioneer-Canadian
Laundries
.
takes
this
opportunity
to
acknowledge
the
greatness
of
the
American
contribution
to
victory,
and
to
say
"Thanks"
and
"Farewell"
to
those
who
served
in
the
Prince
Rupert
area.
PIONEER-CANADIAN
LAUNDRIES
Third
Avenue
PRINCE
RUPERT