The 95th Colored Engineer Regiment is a fictional account of a little-known historical fact; a third of the 10,000 plus US Army troops who built the Alaska-Canada Highway, also known as the Alcan, during WW II were African-Americans from the South. The bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, set in motion a project to connect the territory of Alaska to the lower 48 states. The project had been on the drawing board for many years but had been on hold over budget concerns and the route. All of those issues became mute on December 7, 1941. The War Department ordered the Army to begin a road construction project from Dawson Creek, BC Canada to Fairbanks, Alaska. The project began in early 1942 when over 10,000 troops arrived in various locations to commence the 1500 mile road project. A little-known fact is that over a third of the workforce were African-Americans from the rural South. These former tenant farmers would demonstrate to the War Department they could use construction equipment, supervise the workforce and on one important project, the Sikanna Chief River Bridge, outperform the white units. The three Colored Regiments despite having been issued all the hand-me-downs from the white regiments, the worst sections of roads to be built and the least amount of support from the Alaskan Command, performed beyond expectations. The Colored Engineer Regiments were commanded by white officers, and NCOs and exposed to the same racial discrimination they had to endure in the South. But through hard work and dedication, these young men impressed the military leaders. Some historians believe the work of the Colored Engineer Regiments, the Tuskegee Airmen and the 761st Tank Regiment (Black Panthers) were the beginning of the drive to desegregate the Armed Forces by President Harry Truman in 1948. The 95th Colored Engineer Regiment The African-Americans who built the road to Alaska during WWII By Mike Dryden AuthorHouse Copyright © 2016 Mike Dryden All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-5246-2793-5 Contents Chapter 1 Chicago In The Winter Of 1942, 1, Chapter 2 The Journey To Alaska, 7, Chapter 3 The Mission In Alaska, 17, Chapter 4 The Adventure Continues, 41, Chapter 5 Construction Begins, 53, Chapter 6 Tragedy Strikes The 95th, 59, Chapter 7 General Jefferson's Revenge, 69, Chapter 8 1st Causality Of The Alaska Invasion, 77, Chapter 9 Not All Threats Have Two Legs, 85, Chapter 10 Revenge For Private Willie Wilson, 95, Chapter 11 The Kill Shot, 105, Chapter 12 Winter Arrives In The Yukon, 121, Chapter 13 The Awakening, 145, Chapter 14 Homecoming And Wedding Bells, 159, Chapter 15 Union Train Station Chi-Town, 163, Chapter 16 Okinawa, Japan In April 1945, 175, Chapter 17 The End Is In Sight, 179, About the Author, 185, CHAPTER 1 CHICAGO IN THE WINTER OF 1942 Scooter had been taking his evening meal down at the diner where Rose worked. He used to call the evening meal supper and called the midday meal dinner. But up here they say lunch at noon and dinner at night. Scooter was working hard to shed the Mississippi slave "n....r" skin he inherited so he could become a respectable Colored man in the Windy City. He had been watching and listening how everybody acted and spoke. Colored folks had respect up here in Chi-Town. None of that "yes Sir Mister John and thanks you Sir for that fried chicken back" jive-ass talk Colored folks had to use to get by in Mississippi. Scooter sudddenly realized," Hell, I ain't even seen a fried chicken back or a gizzard up here. Down home for breakfast, you would be lucky to have biscuits and red eye gravy with grits. A piece of fried fatback was only for special occasions. Damn them grits. I ain't never eating no more grits ever again. I am going come back up here after the war and go to work hard so I can serve my family white folk's food like the boss man, and the house "n....rs" eat down home." Scooter was taking a crash course in Colored Yankee city life. He had worked up the courage to ask Rose out after a couple of weeks. He knew the unit was preparing to move out soon, and he had to court Rose proper like. Scooter had almost waited too long. Rose was being to wonder if he was interested at all. On their first date, Scooter was about as nervous as he could ever recall. He started two or three times to hold Rose's hand but chickened out at the very last minute. Rose had seen his attempts and was flattered Scooter was such a gentleman. City Colored men would take you out to a juke joint and fill you up with cheap gin. Then they would be all over you touching your private parts through your dress and trying to make out with you on your first date. If you attempted to resist, he would make a big scene talking about you being a tease and all. Yes, Rose Porter had found the man who would be her children's father. He was a little rough around the edges but inside he was gold plated. Although he had an unfortunate beginning, his Mamma h