The Distant Early
Warning (DEW) Line
General Resources
For a list of articles, books, and archival collections
with materials related to the DEW Line, please consult P.W. Lackenbauer, Matthew
Farish, and Jennifer Arthur-Lackenbauer, The Distant Early Warning
(DEW) Line: A Bibliography and Document Resource List (Arctic Institute
of North America, 2005). This document
contains copies of the Exchange of Notes (May 5, 1955) Between Canada and
the United States Of America Governing the Establishment of a Distant Early
Warning System in Canadian Territory; a useful overview (The DEW Line Story in Brief) published by Western Electric Corporation
around 1960; and a list of DEW Line sites.
For a short overview, see Peter
Grier, "A
Line in the Ice," Air Force
Magazine (Feb. 2004), 65-69.
Published Primary Sources
Documents on Canadian External Relations contains a wealth of documentary evidence on Canadian-American
relations and the Canadian arctic for the period 1946-59.
You can either browse the subject heading for each volume (there is
usually a subject header for "Relations with the United States"
and subheadings that relate to themes such as "Sovereignty in the Arctic,"
"Defence Planning," "Continental Defence," "DEW Line,"
etc.) or you can do a general search by keyword. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/department/history/dcer/browse-en.asp
Joint Chiefs
of Staff Historical Division.
Chronology
of JCS Involvement in North American Air Defense, 1946-1975.
C.L. Grant, The
Development to Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954. USAF
Historical Studies No. 126.
Ralph Allen, Will
the DEWLine Cost Canada its Northland? Maclean's (1956).
Unpublished Primary Sources
J.D. Ferguson, "A Study of the
Effects of the Distant Early Warning Line upon the Eskimo of the Western Arctic
of Canada." A report submitted to Northern Research Coordination Centre,
Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources, April 1957.
Larry Wilson's DEW Line website also contains valuable testimonies from former
DEW Line employees, as well as technical details on operations. http://www.lswilson.ca/dewline.htm
Selected Archival Documents
J.L. to Minister (of External Affairs?), Canadian
Sovereignty and the DEW Line, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5928, file
50210-C-40 pt. 8
"Northern
Insurance," Winnipeg Free Press, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5928, file 50210-C-40 pt.
9.2
"Tender Pride Up North," Oregonian, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5928, file
50210-C-40 pt. 8
Department of Defense,
Office of Public Information, Specially Trained
U.S. Army Troops Land Radar Fence Supplies in Arctic, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5926,
file 50210-C-40 pt 5.1
G. Ignatieff,
Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs, to Ernest de Mayer, Counsellor
Embassy of the US, Eskimo Issues,
LAC, RG 25, vol. 5928, file 50210-C-40 pt 7.2
Secretary of State for External Affairs to Head of
Post, Washington, Canadian
Participation in the Distant Early Warning Line, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5926,
file 50210-C-40 pt 2.1
DEW Line Order 30-44
Personnel: Canadian Eskimo Plan, LAC, RG 24, acc. 1983-84/049, vol. 272,
file S-300-114-80/9 pt. 2
Department of Northern
Affairs and National Resources, Vocational Training
for Eskimos, LAC, RG 24, acc. 1983-84/049, vol. 272, file S-300-114-80/9
pt. 1
W.P. Farley, NSO, DEW Line, Eastern Region, to Chief, Arctic Division, Common Law Wives
of Eskimo Employees Working on DEW Line, LAC, RG 85, vol. 745, file A207-5
J.M. Needham to
Ted White, Eng. Branch, LAC, RG 24, vol. 632, file 207-3 pt. 4
C.M. Bolger, Chief of
the Arctic Division, to Jameson Bond, Cambridge Bay, Holidays for DEW
Line Eskimos in Southern Canada, LAC, RG 85, vol. 674, file A207-2 pt. 2
Minutes of a
Meeting Held Between the Federal Electric Corporation
and Departments of the Government of Canada, LAC, RG 29, vol. 2874, file
851-1-10 pt. 2
Joint Planning Committee
to Chiefs of Staff Committee, Report to the
Chiefs of Staff Committee by the Joint planning Committee, DHH 80/22
"Indignity In DEW Agreement," Toronto Telegram, LAC, RG 25, vol.
5928, file 50210-C-40 pt. 8
William H. Dumsday, Director of Public Relations, to Mr. Kreutzweiser for the Minister, DEW Line - Security clearance, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5928, file
50210-C-40 pt. 8
Secretary of State for
External Affairs to Cabinet Defence Committee, Distant Early
Warning System, DHH 90/2
Statement of
Conditions to Govern the Establishment of a Distant Early Warning System in
Canadian Territory, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5926, file 50210-C-40 pt 4.1
R.G. Robertson, Deputy
Minister, Department of Northern Affairs, to Jules Leger, Under-Secretary of
State for External Affairs, DEW Line
Publicity, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5926, file 50210-C-40 pt 5.2
R.G. Robertson, Deputy
Minister, Department of Northern Affairs, to A.G.L. McNaughton,
Chairman, Canadian Section, PJBD, DEW Line
Publicity, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5926, file 50210-C-40 pt 5.2
Visitor's Guide,
LAC, RG 29, vol. 2873, file 851-1-10 pt. 1
J.L.
to the Minister, Canadian
Participation in the Distant Early Warning Line, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5926,
file 50210-C-40 pt. 2.1
Memorandum
to the Minister, Operation and
Maintenance of the DEW Line, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5926, file 50210-C-40 pt. 4.1
Lt. Col. W.A. Todd,
Executive Secretary, Joint Security Committee, to Secretary, Chiefs of Staff
Committee, Application
of US Security Regulations to Canadians in Canada, DHH 80/21
J.A. Hildes,
Director Arctic Medical Research Unit, Defence Research Board, Report on Visit
to DEW-Line Sites, LAC, RG 24, acc. 1983-84/049, box 1126, file 700-80/9
John S. Willis, M.D.,
D.P.H., Chief, Northern Health Division, Indian & Northern Health Services,
to G.Y. Loughead, Coordinator of the DEW Line, Office
of the Deputy Minister, DND, Medical
Arrangements - DEW Line, LAC, RG 24, acc. 1983-84/049, box 1126, file
700-80/9
P.E. Moore, M.D.,
D.P.H., Director, Indian and Northern Health Services, to G.Y. Loughead, Chairman, DEW Line Co-ordination Committee, DND, DEW Line Medical
Emergencies, LAC, RG 29 vol 2873 File 851-1-10 pt
1
Commander, Millitary Sea Transportation Service, Pacific area and
Commander Task Force Five, to Commander, Military Sea Transportation Service, MSTS Arctic
Operations 1955, Post-Operation Report, LAC, RG 24 Acc 1983-84/049 Box 943
520-100-80/9 Pt. 4
Jean Lesage, Minister of
Northern Affairs and National Resources, The Distant Early Warning Line Sealift 1955, LAC RG 24
Acc 1983-84/049 Box 943 520-100-80/9 Pt. 4
Estimated Costs
(Untitled document), LAC, RG 24 Acc 1983-84/049 Vol 105 File 096-100-80/9 Pt. 4
A.J. Boxer, NSO, report, LAC, RG
85 Vol 2271 File A1009-11 pt. 7
Report on
Observations Made While Accompanying the D.E.W. Line Sealift – 1955, LAC, RG
85 Vol 2271 File A1009-11 pt. 7
Vincent W. Farley,
Attorney, to R.G. Robertson, Honourable, Deputy Minister, Department of
Northern Affairs and National Resources, Project 572
(D.E.W. Line), LAC, RG 25, vol. 5928 50210-C-40 pt 6.2
Director to Administrator of the
Mackenzie, DEW
Line Housing, LAC, RG 85 Acc. 1985-86 Vol 3 File A207-3 Pt 8
Federal Electric Corporation, Plan for the
Employment of Eskimos in Canada, LAC, RG 29 vol
2873 File 851-1-10 pt 1
Meeting in
Connection with Construction of Permanent Eskimo Housing in the Canadian Arctic
Coastal Area and Related Eskimo Subjects, LAC, RG 29 vol
2873 File 851-1-10 pt 1
Various documents,
LAC, RG 24, acc. 1983-84/049, Box 271, file 300-100-80/9 pt. 2
F.R. Miller, Deputy Minister,
Department of National Defence, Security Policy
Statement: Distant Early Warning Line, LAC, RG 25, vol. 5928, file
50210-C-40 pt. 6
R.D. Van Norman, NSO, Report on the
Distant Early Warning Line: Eastern Section, LAC, RG 85, vol. 2271, file
A1009-11 pt. 3
DEW Line
Coordinating Committee Progress Reports
Progress
Report No. 1
Progress
Report No. 3
Progress
Report No. 7
Progress
Report No. 8
Progress
Report No. 9
Progress
Report No. 10
Progress
Report No. 11
Progress
Report No. 23
Progress
Report No. 25
Website
created by Dan Heidt and P.W. Lackenbauer, September
2007