John J. Greer

Description

The Army formed the Spruce Production Division (SPD) to increase the flow of airplane wood, by providing men to work in the forests and mills. Eventually, the use of Army men and equipment helped to greatly increase the production of spruce, fir, and cedar (all being used for airplane and ship production). A large contingent of Army men worked side-by-side with civilians in the forests and mills. (They were paid the same wages as the civilians, minus their Army pay.)

In addition, Army men built and worked in a special wood production plant at Vancouver Barracks. This "cut-up" plant provided wood ready for the airplane manufacturers, since most mills in the Pacific Northwest were not equipped to meet airplane specifications.

Finally, many Army men in the field built roads and railroads to reach the spruce stands along the Pacific coast. They even operated the railroads, and drove the log transport trucks. In the past, commercial loggers had paid little attention to these trees, and the stands were not accessible to existing roads.

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