At Ease

At Ease. Denali National Park and Preserve. , During World War II, thousands of servicemen left the war behind and spent a week in the park., When Japanese forces attacked the Aleutian Islands in June 1942, vacation travel to Alaska ground to a halt. In the absence of full staff and travelers from "Outside" park operations were reduced to basic maintenance. Only locals who were willing to fend for themselves continued to visit the park. , Tens of thousands of military personnel were stationed in Alaska In short order, the Army took over the operation of the park hotel and turned the hotel into a recreation center. Now, when a train arrived at the depot, it brought hundreds of servicemen on a week's leave, looking to forget the perils of war , In summer, enlisted men and officers hiked, fished, and explored the park on horseback. In winter they skied, skated and took a turn on the back of a dog sled. Park ranges continued to present slide shows and demonstrated the park's "four-footed fleet. Acting Pek Superintendent Grant Pearson later wrote, "I discovered that soldiers behave exactly the same as tourist only more so." , Keeping the Trains Running , Military personnel not only rode the rail, they helped to run the railroad with manpower in short supply in Alaska the War Department sent more than a thousand servicemen to work side by side with civilian railroaders.