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Francis Champion Longworth Photograph Collection, 1942-1943

 Collection
Identifier: PCA 531

Scope and Contents

Collection documents the activities of the Army Corps of Engineers survey party whose assignment was to survey a possible railroad location between Dunbar and Teller, Alaska during the winter of 1942-43.

Dates

  • 1942-1943

EAD

PCA0531

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is unrestricted.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the collection must be discussed with the Librarian. Photocopying does not constitute permission to publish.

Biographical / Historical

Francis Champion Longworth was in Alaska with his brother Richard Doughty Longworth in the mid 1920s. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Francis was living in Moon Creek, Custer County, Montana. At 40, he was “too old for the military” so joined the Army Engineers. Their project was to cut the survey line from Dunbar, 33 miles southwest of Fairbanks, to Teller for the construction of a railroad. Said railroad would permit protection from invasion by the Axis onto North America. Dated April 20, 1943, the War Department issued a Citation for Merit for the extraordinary work done in temperatures as low as -70 degrees F. in the winter of 1942-1943.

Francis Longworth was an amateur photographer who shot motion picture and still film during the course of this work.

A Citation for Merit was issued to Francis Longworth:

WAR DEPARTMENT UNITED STATES ENGINEER-OFFICE SEATTLE WASHINGTON April 20, 1943 Subject: Citation for Merit To: Francis C. Longworth

1. I wish to express the appreciation of the Engineer Department to you and the other field employees engaged on the railroad location survey, Dunbar to Teller, Alaska, for the successful completion of a difficult and hazardous task.

2. The work was carried on during the winter months, 1942-43, in the most severe, weather in many years. Much of the work was done in temperatures of 40 and 50 degrees below zero in order to push the job through. Temperatures as low as 70 degrees, blizzards, and other extremes of weather were endured.

3. The successful accomplishment of this survey, in spite of the constant dangers of traveling over unknown ground, over treacherous river ice and overflows, with the possibility of entire parties being cut off from camp by sudden blizzards, must be attributed to the-alertness, courage and tenacity of all party members, as well as to the leadership furnished by the party chiefs.

4. It is my opinion that the difficulties and hardships experienced in carrying on this work were beyond the ordinary call of duty, and that you and your fellow employees deserve the highest commendation for seeing the-job through.

(s) R. Park R. Park, Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer

Extent

1 folders : 72 black and white

Language of Materials

English

Acquisition

The collection is the donation of Aline Longworth Dix of Mays Landing, NJ. Ms Dix is the daughter of Francis Champion Longworth. Acc.# 2009-030.

Existence and Location of Originals

INVENTORY OF ORIGINAL NEGATIVES

Negatives stored in freezer in Vault

Box 1 of 1:

Negatives available for numbers: 2-7, 13, 15, 22-23, 25-29, 32, 34, 36-41, 43, 45, 46, 48-65, 67-69

Existence and Location of Copies

Scans by donor were given to the Alaska Historical Collections.

Related Materials

AV 006: Francis Champion Longworth Motion Picture Collection, 1942-1943

Processing Information

Photographs were organized and digitized by donor. The photographs were unnumbered. The processor numbered the photographs by matching each of the donors numbered, written descriptions with a photograph.

Title
Finding Aid for the Francis Champion Longworth Photograph Collection, 1942-1943
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by: James Simard, July 2009 ; Updated by: Jacki Swearingen, Nov 2012 ; ArchivesSpace Finding Aid by: Jacki Swearingen, July 2019 ; Inventory added by: Jacki Swearingen
Date
2022 January
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Alaska State Library - Historical Collections Finding Aids Repository

Contact:
PO Box 110571
Juneau AK 99811-0571 US
907-465-2920
907-465-2925
907-465-2151 (Fax)