A Land Where Man is Closer to His God

The Distant Early Warning Line, or DEW Line was a system of radar and military installations constructed in the far reaches of the Arctic to provide early detection of invading Soviet Union bombers. Construction began in the mid 50’s and required an veritable army of men and machines to construct the necessary infrastructure in a part of the world that is less than forgiving. Dan sent me this great video detailing the odyssey of 11 Mack Model LRVSW trucks that were used to haul materials and manpower in what was the first of the ice road truckers. The video is 23 minutes in length but well worth every moment. Coverage begins with the trucks leaving the Allentown factory on their way to Seattle for the eventual trip north. A narrator is present for the majority of the film but he does fall silent for a moment so we can hear the massive 600HP diesels roar to life with the help of an air starter.

The only question I have after this film is what happened to this trucks? Read more about the DEW Line here. Thanks to Dan for bringing this jewel to my attention.