| | Task Force Frigid
Art Grau Jr. | | | 
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In early 1946 the US Army announced that three special task forces would be organized to conduct winter exercises. TASK FORCE WILLIWAW was destined for Adak (in the Aleutian Islands); TASK FORCE FROST was destined for Camp (now Fort) McCoy, WI; and the largest being TASK FORCE FRIGID with 1500 military personnel, also sent to Alaska. Both FRIGID and WILLIWAW formed at Ft. Ord, CA while FROST assembled at Camp McCoy.
TF FRIGID sailed from San Francisco, CA on 7 September 46, arriving at Whittier, AK on 11 September, and arriving at its home for the winter – Ladd Field (now Ft. Wainwright) on 12 September.
Threat of Another War Spurred Tests
In September 1945 relations between the US and the Soviet Union worsened and the possibility of armed conflict played an important role in the Army’s plans to conduct winter operations in the arctic. These operations were to test the endurance of soldiers exposed to harsh winter conditions and also test clothing, weapons, vehicles, and other equipment that would be used in combat. The Soviet had much experience fighting in severe cold weather whereas the US had little such experience.
A Unique Outfit
TF FRIGID was termed a unique outfit comprising “one of everything” in the Army ground forces..... This is only partial text and a limited number of graphics from the original article. The original article, which contains much more detailed information than here, and additional graphics, is contained in the April -June 2001 issue of The Trading Post. |
