after world war ii, the war department decided that an american soldier must be able to live and operate in any degree of cold. this decision was based on experience gained in combat and predictions of future possibilities for international obligations. a group of task forces was therefore organized to test u.s. army equipment in the cold. task force frigid and task force williwaw were dispatched to alaska during the winters of 1946 and 1947. a related trial unit, task force frost, incorporated elements of the 66th armor regiment and underwent tests in camp mccoy, wisconsin at roughly the same time.