. ▁For ▁his ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁campaign ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Army ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Medal . ▁ ▁In ▁Australia , ▁Case y ▁became ▁Chief ▁Engine er ▁at ▁Mac Ar thur ' s ▁General ▁Head quarters ▁( G H Q ), ▁South west ▁Pacific ▁Area ▁( SW PA ). ▁He ▁faced ▁enorm ous ▁engineering ▁challeng es . ▁Most ▁of ▁New ▁Guinea ▁consisted ▁of ▁mountains ▁and ▁j ung le , ▁with ▁very ▁few ▁a irst ri ps , ▁ports ▁or ▁roads . ▁All ▁of ▁these ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁developed ▁to ▁support ▁operations . ▁To ▁provide ▁additional ▁expert ise ▁in ▁construction , ▁Case y ▁had ▁Le if ▁Sver d rup ▁assigned ▁to ▁his ▁staff ▁as ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁Const ruction ▁Section , ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁colon el . ▁As ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁engine ers ▁were ▁few , ▁Case y ▁worked ▁closely ▁with ▁his ▁Australian ▁Army ▁counter part ▁at ▁General ▁Sir ▁Thomas ▁Bl ame y ' s ▁Al lied ▁Land ▁Forces ▁headquarters , ▁Major ▁General ▁C live ▁Ste ele . ▁Const ruction ▁activities ▁in ▁Australia ▁were ▁also ▁undert aken ▁by ▁civ ili ans ▁of ▁the ▁Al lied ▁Works ▁Council . ▁Case y ▁attempted ▁to ▁coordinate ▁the ▁activities ▁of ▁the ▁various ▁ag encies . ▁He ▁had ▁to ▁f end ▁off ▁attempts ▁by ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁to ▁gain ▁control ▁of ▁his ▁av iation ▁engineer ▁batt al ions . ▁The ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Air ▁Force ▁organized ▁its ▁own ▁air base ▁construction ▁squad