The story of the 1956 Mack Trucks Arctic Expedition to build the DEW Line

11 Mack trucks, each with a 28-liter V12 Cummins diesel engine under the hood, hauling over three million pounds of cement and steel into the freezing Arctic Circle, 1,500 miles away from civilization.
Sounds a bit crazy, doesn’t it? But amid the bleak 1950s, when North America was under the threat of a nuclear showdown with the Soviet Union, the West’s solution was the so-called Distant Early Warning Line, or DEW Line, which consisted of 63 manned radar stations about 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
And, well, construction material had to be hauled into the freezing terrain somehow.
So stick around until the end of this video to find out the story of the amazing 1956 Bulldog Convoy in the Arctic, which involved 11 Mack trucks filled to the brim, a couple of bulldozers and a team of unbreakable men.
Thanks for watching & don't forget to subscribe: bit.ly/Subscrib...

[@robertstanley980]

The men that built and operated these machines don’t exist anymore

[@Office_De_Receiver_Complaints]

More than likely they were scrapped and built MANY new things.

[@jasonrackawack9369]

I live in Allentown PA, headquarters of Mack for many years, years ago My grandfather worked there for a few years in the offices, I worked for a guy who's father was a Mack engineer and prototype mechanic who built the test trucks and did evaluations on new ideas at the test track facility here. I remember his dad describing the crazy custom overbuilt trucks they made for the Artic, Australia, Logging, Oil exploration, Evel Knievel's hauler. I got to see the Mack R&D place a few times installing signs there (I worked at a sign shop who did alot of work for mack). It was funny as a visitor they would worry about covering up the new models dash board or seat upholstery patterns to prevent photos being taken, but if you asked somebody what something was the employees would explain in detail an expetimental turbo or transmission they were working on LOL. There are alot of retired Mack employees are still arround, its the factory and headquarters that are gone from here....the specialty truck plant where they make the trash truck chassis etc.is still in Macungie PA, and a small museum is now at the old test facility, but everything else here is gone.

[@jameswest673]

They are but not glorified on TV. There quite men that live out in rural areas that still have the guts to do stuff like this.

[@JustCalMeBozeman]

Men of grit.

[@tiko4621]

@@jameswest673 and foreigners. Those Eastern Europeans the move to the US are some of the craziest truckers I’ve met

[@Office_De_Receiver_Complaints]

The OG Ice road truckers.

[@jblob5764]

Ice no road truckers

[@4rboergoats673]

Ice truckers

[@casey8496]

I've lived in AK since '79, I was journeyman heavy equipment operator and experience all the beauty of AK working remote areas few got to see. My grandfather worked the DEW line, as a Powerhouse operator & heavy equipment operator on Amchitka Island out on the chain. He did work other areas too. After the government set off a Nuke, grandfather would be the first one in the area to turn power back on. The government didn't share info about the harm from the Nukes. Grandfather ended up getting quite sick from bone cancer and didn't take long for him to pass away.

[@herzogsbuick]

Thank you for your story. Did they do detonations up here?? I've been in Anchorage about 10 years, but I had never heard that. I know Project Plowshare had a proposal called Project Chariot (that's never been taken completely off the table, btw), that would've used several nukes to dig an artificial harbor by Point Hope. But I can't remember ever hearing about actually detonations up here.

[@ZeroFucksGiven619]

RIP GrandFather

[@k-osmonaut8807]

snowrunner players must worship these men

[@elizabethridenbaugh7731]

we do alot

[@k-osmonaut8807]

@@elizabethridenbaugh7731 yup

[@adamzaidi1748]

There is a mod created by CCM that is very similar to these 1956 Mack Antarctic trucks. The major differences are that it is made into a dump truck, the headlights are square and the cab is not offset. The name of the mod is called M-56 bulldog. Really cool looking.

[@k-osmonaut8807]

@@adamzaidi1748 thanks mate, gonna look into it!

[@elizabethridenbaugh7731]

@@adamzaidi1748 man ccm has done a lot of stuff

[@darrylpaulhus3069]

Not much comes back out of the Arctic i helped build the DEW line replacement in the early 90's called the North Warning System

[@kevinvoyer5053]

Brings a whole new meaning to the saying,”built like a Mack Truck”!

[@planetwisconsin9901]

The 1950's were bleak? Now is bleak.

[@Beandiptheredneck]

Ran 24 hours a day.. I was thinking no kidding, a big diesel like that would never restart in that cold if it was let to cool off

[@Draxindustries1]

It's good video. Good men work very hard, keep Russia at bay. Greeting from Russia (Cherkasy)... ♥️ .

[@WalksInPortland]

Thanks for collecting these resources! My father drove for Alaska Freightlines on both convoys in the 50s. In case you have not seen...in the 11/9/1955 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, there was a multi-page (pp. 49-54) pull-out titled "Wheels to the North...Arctic Operations." My mom saved copies of the newspaper pages and had them laminated to preserve and later pass on to family members. There is an article in the pull-out on page 51 titled "Trucks Blaze New Winter Trails Northward to the Arctic" which is a good narrative about Ghezzi's 'Make or Break' Plan to supply the DEW Line. My dad, who was 30 years old when he drove on the first convoy, is mentioned a couple times in the article. He's first listed with some other men under a section titled "Part of a Hardy Breed." Later, he's mentioned under a section titled "Drivers Praised" as "...possibly one of the greatest feats of individual ruggedness was performed by Hart, Harris and McClure, who all but shoveled their way to the ocean." My dad, who was my hero growing up, always said he was born to be a trucker. In high school he drove a dump truck for the Alaska Road Commission. In his 20s he drove a truck for the US Army in Fairbanks. After drove for Alaska Freightlines, he drove for several other Alaska trucking companies. He eventually had a small fleet of trucks that he leased. Finally, I'd like to see the Alaska Museum of Transportation and Industry in Wasilla or even the University of Alaska in Fairbanks take steps to acquire and perhaps even restore the Sno-Freighter. It's an important part of Alaska's (and USA's) history that I think deserves to be preserved. When my wife and I were in Fairbanks recently, I took some photos of the Sno-Freighter. See my Flickr photos for more.

[@herzogsbuick]

Thank you so much for sharing this! Are those News-Miner articles online? Have you digitized them? UAF's got the film library, but I wonder if you're down the valley or Anchorage if UAA or the Anchorage Museum would file them.

[@herzogsbuick]

also, my band The Jephries once played a show at the Transportation Museum, heh, they built a stage outdoors and everything, it was awesome. Haven't been there since they redid the highway there, though. Would love to see the Sno-Freighter there!

[@WalksInPortland]

@@herzogsbuick I wasn’t able to locate copies of the articles online, but I haven’t searched academic (UAA, UAF, etc.) libraries yet. I also haven’t digitized the articles yet. I need to determine if there are still any copyright restrictions. I might contact the News-Miner folks and inquire about both. After my original post here, I learned about another video that you might enjoy (I did). kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGGaepykYqahp5o

[@WalksInPortland]

@@herzogsbuick A representative at the Transportation Museum told me last week that the Sno-Freighter was slated to be a discussion topic by their board. I’ve been encouraging my family members, who live in Alaska, to contact the museum and voice their support.

[@dontodd1016]

Mark, my name is don todd a Canadian retired aviation safety specialist. My interest in the Alaska Highway remains all these years. Its building was fascinating because of my father George Todd also drove trucks, bulldozers, and other heavy equipment during the 40's, 50's and 60's in North West Territories, Yukon, BC and Alberta. He was a Canadian metis Cree man from St Paul, Alberta and was about 30 years old (born 1912) when he joined the operator's building of the Alaska highway. He shared a few stories from that time with photos in our family album online. As well as when later he joined the Dew Line Convoy to take heavy equipment to the Arctic. He shared that at one point he was leading a caravan train of trucks over the frozen Mackenzie River mid-winter when his cat broke through the ice totally losing it under the ice. Naturally, he was able to get off the machine. He told stories of building the Alaska Highway, and later some of the Dew line sites, then the Yellowknife airport during that era. He once shared he was in a Single Otter air crash during those years, probably in the 50s. I was too young to have heard many stories from him but my older brother shared them secondhand. I am sure my bro would be happy to share his stories in writing one day with a historian or descendant of those hard-working men of the north in construction, road building, pipelines, and airports. I became attracted to the far north also and later became a bush pilot and flew all over the north on Twin Otters. That was from Inuvik and Fort Smith, then later in Resolute Bay) Search for Gary James todd in Nanaimo. He is a known metis artist and drove earth movers and other equipment in his earlier learning with my father. My dad passed away in 1972 due to heavy drinking and smoking shortened his life. Liver failure I recall among other ailments. God Rest his restless Soul, I am more religious now, I joined Baha'i Faith member hearing about it in Yellowknife in my teens going to HS. Nevertheless, that part of my dad's early life history became a part of my life and imagination. I too admired and was proud of him. I am sure you will resonate with some of these few notes. It's a brief memory after viewing these excellent documentaries on KZbin as videos. I have 70 years old living in Southern Africa. kind regards dtodd

[@CB-jk3ue]

You always do a fantastic job! Thank you for another motor memory

[@motorheadscom]

Thanks again!

[@mejestic124]

I remember watching this documentary in KZbin 👍

[@paulstorey7104]

You deserve a million subs man keep it up 👍

[@motorheadscom]

I appreciate that!

[@jblob5764]

Those trucks probably ended up working for logging operations

[@aaronmcconnell7358]

The land train vehicles tires are the same tires used on the super big foot truck from the 80's

[@goat4298]

Bigfoot 5.

[@williamcantalamessa5231]

We won't be here today if that would have happened. We all live on the same block (planet) we are all humans weather Black, White, Red or Yellow !!!

[@ТамерланБюльБюльОглы]

Прекрасная техника и очень надёжная техника!!! только Задорнов говорил что американцы тупые). Мы на подобной технике ездим в Магаданской области и на Чукотке всё великолепно👍

[@risinbison1106]

Somewhere out there, there's a few orange Mack trucks rusting in a Canadian field.

[@thomasglynn2282]

I have the full version of this promotional video, from my dads collection of old documentaries. Anything that had to do with old trucks or old construction projects he would record onto VHS tapes

[@richdiscoveries]

Always great history and stories, thank you

[@motorheadscom]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Vigo327]

Really enjoying the content so far, keep it up!!

[@motorheadscom]

Glad to hear it!

[@ronniestanley75]

I didn't know that Mack ever used Cummins engines.

[@rowanprice2304]

Back then you could order a Mack with just about any engine you wanted

[@mhmadgenious]

@@rowanprice2304 mack with a detroit

[@Fossillarson]

Heavy duty rigs ordered to suit your needs

[@blackscotydog]

@@rowanprice2304 A friend has an R model with a 413 Chrysler V8

[@rowanprice2304]

blackscotydog neat! I’m guessing it’s not a tandem?

[@jokerman213]

These Mack trucks remind me of the old Sugar Cane trucks that was ran in Hawaii for decades.

[@nowaysam6349]

when stuff needs to get done. AMERICA can do it !!!!

[@180Floridalife]

Just joined the channel. An amazing story they truly were tough to face those conditions, the artic is no joke in the cold 🥶 thanks for an excellent video. It was amazing to see the snow freighter in person to bad it’s not in a museum. Have a great one.

[@charolettebacon6740]

Me and the bois in Snowrunner.

[@scrapbmxrider16]

Why would you send open cab dozer up there

[@stevejake4316]

Because it's all there was then.

[@acersalman8258]

Very very beautiful trucks at less made from iron not like today made from blastic

[@benwelch4076]

Yikes, super cool video. Glad I found this channel.

[@mitchellwhiteman5022]

I believe we can do again given the right opportunity, that's just me though

[@roberthill3207]

Excellent video have a great day everyone.

[@motorheadscom]

Thanks, you too!

[@robertolson7304]

How did they pay for all that? Makes you think they cooked the books.

[@ronaldharris6569]

My only seriously dude moment was talking about open cab bulldozers while the camera clearly shows enclosed cabs

[@motorheadscom]

One was open, one was enclosed, at least what can be seen from the footage

[@ronaldharris6569]

@@motorheadscom I'm subscribed and I dig your videos I only comment on good work.

[@chrisoconnell5143]

Man , they look like strong trucks

[@specialopsdave]

SnowRunner IRL

[@davestark2015]

They could definitely do it again

[@BugoHossBH]

I saw the buldozers with closed cab

[@soillife1]

A great video Great history Brave Men

[@oscarprendergast7295]

You forgot to mention the fuel they were hauling- they packed 600 hp - Mack contacted Cummins formerly Chrysler and asked what they had- Mack said we Will build the strongest truck in the world what kind of engine do u have ?

[@jadams736]

I'm surprised Mack didn't put drivable steer axles under those off road trucks for that everything still gets done the hard way when you trucking in -50

[@deadfishparty]

Back when men were men and you just did it. Now we would have 7 different committees looking at cost/impact/reward/social outlook and 3 years later 7 new committees would be brought in to review it all over again.

[@NatureRecycleFlorida]

cool trucks

[@chrisoconnell5143]

A DM 800 big brother

[@eun5oo280]

Underrated channel.

[@eddieweigel9490]

Mack LRSW

[@alfulton5946]

Because I am Canadian I took this in school (some of the details weren't told to us) in the 80s and when I joined the army we got a more indepth account as I was learning to drive the largest vehicle we have in the Canadian army.

[@stephenbrown571]

The duplex was a 10 speed not a 8 speed.

[@duanebolen8359]

They could use some little drums and you would never know what happened

[@ChrisSmith-ig9jq]

bUt tHe iLinE 6 cUmMinS iS tHe bEsT eNgInE

[@roywhitman7109]

Incredible story!!👍

[@jimFcooper]

I have no words other than thank you for your time

[@sirtnfol8476]

And here we are again

[@jhomrich89]

Honestly surprised they didn't choose detroit diesels with as cold blooded as those engines are under those types of conditions, amazing rigs I hope at least one made it into a museum

[@tracyrenko4171]

Those old Detroit diesels leaked a lot of oil

[@camclarke9527]

Loving your channel, keep it up and you should have a ton of subscribers in no time

[@motorheadscom]

I appreciate that!

[@tatemethvin2503]

Where are you from.

[@sawfather06]

There's a lot more up there than you think there is where you think John Kerry went

[@jameskiceiii6856]

Those trucks are 6x6 not 6x4. You can see the front wheels spinning.

[@motorheadscom]

That's what I thought at first, but a quick look at the official Mack advertisement at minute 4:05 shows the front axles don't have any sort of differential. Also, after a bit of digging around, I found out the LRVSW was only offered as a 6x4.

[@yuvula6394]

Is Eskimo a slur? Sorry for being that guy,

[@motorheadscom]

I never intended to use it as such. I'm sorry if that's what happened here.

[@albundy8139]

Here comes the PC crowd, Eskimo is fine, don't ruin everything.

[@TheJessfletcher17]

They prefer chug