00HOUSE BILL NO. 98                                                                                                       
01 "An Act naming the Black Veterans Recognition Bridge on the Alaska Highway                                              
02 over the Gerstle River."                                                                                                
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1.  PURPOSE.  The Gerstle River Bridge on the Alaska Highway is named Black                                
05 Veterans Recognition Bridge to recognize and commemorate the black soldiers of the U.S.                                 
06 Army Corps of Engineers for their contribution in constructing the Alcan Highway, now                                   
07 known as the Alaska Highway, during World War II.  The construction of the 1,522 miles of                               
08 road from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada, to Fairbanks, Alaska, through rugged,                                 
09 unmapped wilderness was heralded as an almost impossible feat.  Despite incredible odds                                 
10 through a cold and punishing winter, the Alcan Highway was completed in a record time of                                
11 8 months and 12 days.  The black soldiers of the 93rd, 94th, 95th, 97th, and 388th engineer                             
12 general service regiments, numbering 3,695 soldiers of a total troop strength of 10,607, were                           
13 rarely mentioned or praised for their important contribution to the construction of the Alcan                           
14 Highway.                                                                                                                

01    * Sec. 2.  AS 35.40 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                      
02  Sec. 35.40.085.  BLACK VETERANS RECOGNITION BRIDGE.  Bridge                                                           
03 number 503 on the Alaska Highway over the Gerstle River at milepost 1392 is named                                       
04 Black Veterans Recognition Bridge.