Paul Raso’s father served as a company commander in the 97th Engineering Regiment—appears several times in our new book, A Different Race. And I posted a story about him and a pack mule here just a few days ago. Captain Paul Raso commanded a company of black soldiers who played a major part in constructing the northern end of the Alaska Highway in 1942.
Link to the story of Raso and the Mule
His son, Paul, helped us research our book. And a few days ago, we received this email.
Dear Christine and Dennis,
As soon as I received a letter regarding your book my wife Peg ordered it from Amazon. Once I started reading I had a hard time putting the book down and once I did I couldn’t wait to get back to it.
The story of the 97th Engineers in Alaska during the early part of the 1940s is very informative and interesting. Much of the hardships I was unaware of, my father did not talk about it often. He did say the men under his command worked hard and long to get the road built.
There is one story he told me in his later years, his men in company B were the best and fastest bridge builders in the entire 97th and this includes the civilian contractors. The company had limited tools and equipment to erect a new or repair a damaged bridge but the men got the job done. My father did say the unit never got its just due and that annoyed him to no end, even later on in his life it bothered him.
After Alaska I am not sure if my father remained with the 97th, you remarked in the book the regiment was shipped to Australia. I remember my father said he was there, also New Guinea, Leyte Gulf and the Philippines. The command he served with mostly built air fields cleared beach obstacles and unexploded munitions.
I was stationed in Alaska at Fort Greely just south of Big Delta on the Richardson Hwy. and at Black Rapids Alpine Training facility and am aware of the conditions found. My wife and I vacationed in Alaska and she could not get over the beauty and the grandeur of the place. Its hard to see it when the temperature is minus 35 degrees with a wind of 20 mph gusting to 55 mph. or the mosquitos eating you alive in 90-degree heat and mud up to your knees as did the 97th Engineers. Fort Greely
Thank you for including my father in your book, we both enjoyed the book immensely.
Paul Raso