This U.S. Army film documents the mission and challenges faced by “Task Force Frigid” in 1947. Task Force Frigid was conducted around the Tanana River near Fairbanks, Alaska during the sub-zero temperature winter. This Cold War exercise was intended to learn about how the Army could fight in the frigid north, with the implicit threat being the Soviet Union. The commander in charge was Col. Paul V. Kane. Frigid pushed men and machines to their limits, and it was discovered during the tests that some forms of ammunition were unreliable at low temperature, vehicles could not be restarted, and even that weapon triggers might have to be modified due to the fact that firing with mittens was difficult.

Main title (00:14). A flag that reads “FRIGID” is centered on a map. Clips of the Tanana River and the task force members (00:47). Bulldozers clear out snow and trees to prepare for an ice bridge (1:07). Crewmembers saw lodges carried by cranes as they built the bridge (01:38). Pershing tanks cross the ice using the bridge (02:14). Tanks tow heavy weapons for the task force (03:24). The crewmembers are shown dressed in heavy outerwear to protect them from the cold (03:32). They enter an airplane for a parachute drop (03:52). They jump from the plane and land on the snow-filled grounds (04:10). With “Bear Claw” snowshoes, they walk through the deep snow (04:49). A Fairchild C-82 Packet is used by the task force for an artillery drop (05:17). The men struggle with walking through the snow (05:49). They test-fire weapons (05:57). A C-82 delivers a Bell 47 helicopter, tail 6229, to be unloaded by crewmembers (06:06). Two men fly the aircraft (06:43). A test of mobility is executed by the crew marching wearing snowshoes (07:12). They switch to skies to improve mobility (07:24). By dragging heavy-loaded sleds, they test crewmembers’ endurance (08:21). The tents in the basecamp are almost concealed after a snowfall (09:03). A line of heavy weapons is operated (09:12). Two men activate a hand-grind generator (09:29). A crewmember tests a rifle using a snow-stand (09:46). A cargo plane and a tractor unload weapons and supplies (10:52). Spacer boxes are loaded into the C82 plane and are connected to wired (11:09) and the wires are dropped from the sky (11:22). A recovery team locates the wire and connects it with a field telephone (11:39). The telephone is connected from the plane (12:01) and the phone is in use (12:04). “Detonation snakes” are placed and towed by tanks to be positioned over a minefield (12:16). They explode on the tundra (13:00), and tanks arrive to inspect the aftermath (13:18). Military vehicles drive on engineer-constructed roads transporting weapons (13:26). A 90 mm AA gun M1/M1 is fired (14:06), followed by a 40 mm gun (14:44). A sign reads “Frigidette CP” or command post (15:24). Vehicles driving through the snow (15:41). A helicopter flies above the vehicles (16:26). Wild moose and bears are filmed (16:50). Tanks and bulldozers make way for the vehicles towing loaded sleds to the task force base (17:01). Logs are dragged over the snow to even out the terrain on a bombing range (18:01). Two Waco CG-4 gliders arrive (18:11) and supplies, such as gasoline, are unloaded (19:00). Tractors pull the gliders to a pick-up location (19:17), and the gliders are picked up by flying planes (19:35). A helicopter flies above trees and then lands (20:08). Different tanks, among here; M24, M4A3E8, and M16, test their driving abilities in deep snow and heavily wooded terrain (20:23). Three tank-versions drive across the tundra to test their fire (21:13). The weapons are challenged by occurring icy fog blurring visibility (22:16). The tanks perform a hill exercise to test incline-driving abilities, to which they fail (22:48). A Canadian snowmobile performs a similar test and fails (23:42). Weasels are used to tow more weapons through the snow (24:06). M37 Motor Carriage is fired (24:46). The crewmembers test different weapons to report on challenges due to heavy outerwear (25:22). More weapons are transported into position to be tested for functionality in sub-zero temperatures (25:47). In April 1947 the task force moves location (26:35), and board a train for the journey home (26:47). The men exit the train and board a ship (27:19). The development board evaluates the tests (27:29). “The End” (27:52).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com