Spruce Soldiers on Logging Truck, 1918

Purchased real-photo picture postcard of some Spruce Soldiers on a logging truck. The huge log being carried is a spruce tree. The wood was used to make airplane wings and parts in 1918 during the First World War.

Note the license place indicates "Signal Corps", the Army department that oversaw airplanes.

Some of the men appear to be civilians, but it turns out that the soldiers often wore logging work clothes, rather than military uniforms.

The spruce stands were very isolated, and part of the Army men's job was to build the roads needed to access the tree stands. This is probably one of their roads. Other soldiers built railroads to gain access to the stands of trees.

See:

swansongrp.com/spruce.html