The collection mainly contains WWII era correspondence between Frederick Rust, his wife Celia Adams Rust, and his mother Mariette Rust, as well as histories of units in the 18th Engineers, detailing their efforts to construct the Alaskan Highway under very difficult wartime and physical conditions, 1942-1943.

Frederick [Fred] E. Rust was born in Michigan ca. 1906 and moved to California in 1918, settling in Los Angeles. During World War II he served with the 18th Engineers Regiment (Combat) and worked on the Alaskan Highway where, as regimental historian, he wrote the histories of the units of the Regiment during the time, April 1942 to January 1943, that they were constructing the highway. Rust married Celia Adams in December 1944 and, after the war, they moved to Santa Barbara. He died in Santa Barbara, July 1969.

2 linear feet (5 document boxes)

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

None.