THE DISTANT EARLY WARNING DEW LINE STORY COLD WAR ARCTIC DEFENSE SYSTEM 34114

The “Dew Line Story” is mostly based in the arctic (:20) where the majority of the year is cloaked in darkness and freezing temperatures. Yet the once impassable area was now, in the “air age”, another area from which opposing forces could strike from (1:12). A decision is made to build a radar early warning line north of the Arctic circle and sprouting from Alaska (2:12). This line is the Distant Early Warning Line, aka the “Dew Line” (2:23). The decision as to who would build the project went to the US Department of Defense (2:52). The Secretary of Defensive gives the contract to the Western Electric Company (3:27), under US Air Force supervision. An international head quarters is established (3:34) and the Dew Line’s projected completion was in 32 months (3:49). One thousand employees are enlisted for the job (5:00). Working closely with the project, the Air Force creates an office within the building (5:11). In February, the planners take off to begin building the 3,000 mile long strip (5:54). Advanced construction crews arrive and begin setting up camps and radio connections (7:10). A large plane is required to deliver a tractor (7:21), yet an even larger tractor will have to be dropped by parachute (7:37). These will be utilized to carve ice strips for the Air Force’s C124 Globe Master to bring essential materials and by doing so, it would make history (8:20). Back at the Bell Labs, electronic experimental work is conducted (9:34) and results are developed and assembled (9:41). Due to the massive order of supplies, transportation would require east and west coast sea lifts (10:25). Canadian and American air crafts began, in total, carrying 30,00 tons of supplies (11:05). As roadways are built (11:49), plans are carefully organized for cargo shipments to arrive at beach heads (12:22). West coast deliveries begin in June (12:38) and take about a month to complete. The rendezvous would be off Icy Cape in Alaska, 3,000 miles away (13:59). From the east coast, shipments will head for the Baffin Island coast, Fox Basin and into the Melvile peninsula (14:15). With Canadian ice breakers assisting (14:39), it took eight days for the convoy to reach it's destination (14:52). Another shipment from Edmonton Alberta, is sent through rail, trucks and barges (15:13). The process continued late into September (17:12). As winter approaches, ten months have passed and permanent homes are constructed for workers (18:19). Technicians begin work on the radar radio equipment and (19:12) helicopters bring in more supplies for areas without landing strips (19:46). The C124 delivers the antenna in seventeen crates (20:04). By June of the second year, the antenna is erected (20:49) and another sea lift has come and gone (21:31). Ranking Officers of the Air Force arrive and survey the project's progress (21:41). Aircraft alarm towers and permanent radio systems are completed (21:59) as well as roads for year round services (22:27). By December most sites are constructed and the project is ahead of schedule (22:50). Indoor work is continued as winter arrives again (23:33). Three shifts of workers ensures radar and communication systems are continuously manned (24:07). Tests and calibrations are conducted round the clock (25:10). The Dew Line is declared fully operational on July 31st, it's thirty second month (25:31). The film draws to conclusion as this new frontier had been opened up above the arctic circle (26:35). It has been produced by Audio Productions Inc (26:54).

The Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the far northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the North Coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska, in addition to the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland. It was set up to detect incoming Soviet bombers during the Cold War, and provide early warning of any sea-and-land invasion. The need was considered critical and the construction was given the highest national priorities. Advanced site preparation began in December 1954, and the construction was carried out in a massive logistical operation that took place mostly during the summer months when the sites could be reached by ships. The 63-base Line reached operational status in 1957.

In 1985, as part of the "Shamrock Summit", the US and Canada agreed to transition DEW to a new system known as the North Warning System (NWS). Beginning in 1988, most of the original DEW stations were deactivated, while a small number were upgraded with all-new equipment. The official handover from DEW to NWS took place on 15 July 1993.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com