According to the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Alaska has more veterans per capita than all but one other state and has more of its residents in the military on a per-capita basis than any other state. It should therefore comes as no surprise that the state also has a large number of veterans' memorials. Following are detailed descriptions of some of these memorials.
For a complete list, visit www.ak-prepared.com/vetaffairs/veteransmemorial.htm
USS Juneau Memorial, Archie Van Winkle Memorial, Juneau Veterans’ Memorial Highway, Juneau The USS Juneau Memorial, located at the cruise ship dock on the waterfront area, commemorates the sinking of the U.S.S. Juneau, a light cruiser (CL-52) during WW II.
The concrete monument consists of a base for a flagpole and 3 sections with brass plaques, one inscribed with the names of the crew who were lost and one containing a description of the sinking of the ship.
The encounter of the U.S.S. Juneau with Japanese battleship, light cruisers and destroyers took place on November 13, 1942, during the battle of Guadalcanal. The Juneau was struck on the port side by a torpedo, causing a severe list, and she withdrew from the battle.
Down 12 feet in the bow, the Juneau was on its way to rejoin surviving American warships when she was fired on by a Japanese submarine. Of the 3 torpedoes fired, only one struck the Juneau, but the resulting explosion blew the ship in half, sinking it in 20 seconds.
Approximately 115 of the 700 crew members survived the explosion, but rescue attempts were delayed by the presence of the enemy ships in the area, and only 10 men were alive by the time help arrived 8 days later, The rest succumbed to exposure, exhaustion and shark attacks. The 5 Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, were among the casualties onboard the U.S.S. Juneau. They had all enlisted in the Navy together and were allowed to serve on the same ship.
Ships were frequently named after American cities and although this was named after Alaska's capital, the ship never visited Juneau. The USS Juneau's keel was laid down in May 1940. It was launched in October 1941 and was sponsored by Mrs. Harry A. Lucas, wife of the Mayor of Juneau. It was commissioned in February 1942.
The Archie Van Winkle Memorial, located at the tram terminal on South Franklin Street, honors the Alaskan born Medal of Honor Marine. Van Winkle served in both WWII and the Korean War,
An 18-mile section of the old Glacier Highway is designated Juneau Veterans' Memorial Highway in honor of all veterans in the Juneau area. Roadside signs designate the memorial stretch of highway, which begins at Mile12, Auke Bay, and ends at Mile 39, Echo Cove.
Sitka National Cemetery, Sitka
Sitka National Cemetery, located on Sawmill Creek Road in Sitka, was originally laid out by General Jefferson Columbus Davis during the military occupation of the District of Alaska, between 1868 and 1880. Original interments were members of the occupation forces and deceased from the Marine and Naval hospital.
The cemetery was practically abandoned between 1912 and 1921. In 1920, The American Legion Sitka Post No. 13 called attention to the neglected condition of the cemetery and was instrumental in initiating action by the Department of the Navy to recondition the site.
Administration of the Sitka National Cemetery was later transferred to the Department of the Army and it was designated a National Cemetery in 1924. The cemetery was transferred to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1973.
Ceremonies are conducted at the cemetery on various patriotic holidays.
Merchant Marine Memorial, Kenai
Located in Leif Hansen Park in Kenai, this memorial consists of an anchor erected on a circular, concrete base, surrounded by chains draped between upright posts. A flagpole rises in the center of the circle. A small plaque reads: "This anchor is dedicated to American World War II Merchant Marine veterans, all Mariners past, present and future. Peace be unto ye. Tempus fugit VI-XXI-MCMXCI." Also on the plaque are the names of the 5 oceans and 7 seas upon which the U.S. Merchant Marine have served in Southwest Alaska.
Blue Star Memorial, Glenn Highway, Anchorage The Blue Star Memorial Highway marker, located at the Glenn Highway 'Y' in Anchorage, consists of a bronze marker--"A tribute to the Armed Forces that have defended the United States of America--set in a small triangular park. The Anchorage Garden Club is responsible for the annual flower display surrounding the base of the memorial.
The Blue Star Memorial Highway program began in 1945 in cooperation with the National Council of State Garden Clubs as a way to honor the armed forces of the United States. Blue Star Memorials are found on highways in every state, each marker sponsored and maintained by a local garden club.
The first 9 miles of the Glenn Highway is designated the Alaska Veterans' Memorial Parkway.
Fort Richardson National Cemetery, Anchorage
The National Cemetery, administered by the Veterans Administration since 1984, originated during World War II as a cemetery to serve the Ft. Richardson Military Reservation. Initially, any deceased soldier who died in Alaska during WWII, regardless of nationality, could be interred here. Two sections were confined for Japanese soldiers killed in the Aleutians, along with Russians and Canadians. The Japanese remains were later disinterred, cremated, and reinterred under a single headstone in the area called the Japanese Mound. A plaque on the gates to the cemetery says it is dedicated "to the memory of all the patriotic men and women who answered their country's call to service." The stone gates, built in 1951, are dedicated to the memory of Major Kermit Roosevelt, son of President Theodore Roosevelt, who fought in the British and American Armies during WWI and WWII in the Aleutians. He is buried in the cemetery.
There is one Medal of Honor recipient interred at the cemetery: Sgt. James LeRoy Bondsteel, U.S. Army. The Knik River bridge at Milepost A 30.8 Glenn Highway is named the Sgt. James Bondsteel Bridge of Honor. A plaque in honor of Sgt. Bondsteel can also be found at the Alaska Veterans Memorial at Byers Lake.
Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies are conducted at the cemetery. Civilians wishing to visit the National Cemetery must check with military personnel at the base entrance for
Sea Services Veterans Memorial Park, Anchorage Sea Services Veterans Memorial Park, at the mouth of Ship Creek, honors all veterans of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. The monument consists of a huge anchor and chain weighing 22,500 lbs. upon a raised mound. Inscription reads: “This anchor presented to the Municipality of Anchorage by the USS Anchorage (LSD36) on June 10, 1992, is placed in memory of Jeremiah Cornelius 'Jerry' Harrington, Damage Control, Master Chief US Navy, retired. A shipmate to all and a dedicated force in the Anchorage community."
The late Jeremiah "Jerry" Harrington, USN Retired, was instrumental in obtaining the anchor from the Navy and spearheaded construction of the memorial.
Veterans Wall of Honor, Wasilla The Veterans Wall of Honor, located at Milepost A 35.5 Parks Highway, adjacent the Mat-Su Visitor Center, was created through the efforts of a local veterans committee. Also part of the memorial is a 20-ton granite boulder (found in nearby Hatcher Pass), mounted on a large concrete pedestal, with a bronze plaque that reads: "To all veterans of all conflicts in which the United States Armed Forces were engaged in past and present. To the mothers, fathers, and families whose sons and daughters have made the supreme sacrifice. To those veterans who still suffer the wounds and ravages of war and to those missing and not yet home. In order that we may continue to live in freedom in the greatest nation on earth, The United States of America. We, the people of the Matanuska-Susitna valley gratefully dedicate this monument this 11th day of November 1991. May their sacrifices never be forgotten." The Veterans Wall of Honor, dedicated on November 11, 1992, consists of black granite panels, each 36 inches wide and 72 inches high, inscribed with the names of veterans. Each panel contains 120 names. New panels are added as needed. The Wall is intended to resemble the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC.
All American veterans, living or deceased, who have either received an honorable discharge or are presently serving in the United States military, are eligible to have their names added to the Wall of Honor. A link to the application form can be found at http://www.customcpu.com/ait/ksouther/wall/wallmain.htm.
Mt. POW/MIA, a peak in the nearby Chugach Range is visible from the site. Named in 1999, there is a small plaque commemorating its November 11, 1999 dedication. Its inscription reads "Climbed and named by a Marine vet who cared." The names of the 2 Alaskan MIAs from the Vietnam War appear on the Wasilla Wall of Honor. They are: Marine E4 Thomas E. Anderson and Navy E3 Howard M. Koslosky.
Alaska Veterans Memorial/POW-MIA Rest Area The Alaska Veterans Memorial/POW-MIA Rest Area is located at Milepost A 147.2 of the Parks Highway. The Alaska Veterans Memorial, adjacent the POW-MIA Rest Area, consists of an alcove and a semi-circle of five 20-foot-tall concrete panels, one for each branch of service and each with a large star on the upper part and inscriptions on the lower part.
Panels and plaques also memorialize the Alaska National Guard; the Merchant Marine; and victims of the Air Force C-47 crash on nearby Kesugi Ridge in February 1954. Three flag poles stand at the site: the center pole flying the American flag; the pole to the right the Alaska flag; and the pole to the left flying flags on special occasions.
The memorial was erected in 1983 and dedicated in 1984 by Governor Bill Sheffield, veterans, and other civilian and military leaders. The Byers Lake site was selected because it was centrally located between Alaska's 2 largest cities, Anchorage and Fairbanks, and for the wonderful view of Mount McKinley/Denali from the memorial entrance.
A plaque on site reads: "We dedicate this quiet place to the remembrance of the veterans of Alaska who has served their country at home and throughout the world. We honor their heroism and dedication."
Alaska Native Veterans' Honor Bridge This bridge at Mile 305 of the Parks Highway was chosen for its size, beauty and location to honor a group of Alaskan veterans who have not been formally recognized before. Alaska Natives have the highest per capita service record of any ethnic group in the country.
They have served in every major armed conflict in which the U.S. has participated,
The bridge crosses the Tanana River, a waterway of great importance to Alaska Natives as a source of food and transportation. This bridge was also chosen because its southern footing is on City of Nenana land and its northern footing is on Toghotthele Native Corporation land. Thus, the bridge links together the two peoples and symbolizes that the distinct cultures of all Alaska Natives and non-natives are bridged by their common service to country.
Building of the bridge began in March 1966 and was completed in August 1967 by Manson-Osberg. Similar in design to the Black Veterans Memorial Bridge, which spans the Gerstle River at Mile 1392 of the Alaska Highway, it is a steel through-truss' style of construction, meaning there is superstructure above the deck. It is one of only two of its kind on the Parks Highway. There is no other bridge downstream of this one, all the way to the mouth of the Yukon River in Norton Sound.
The bridge was named and a display dedicated at a ceremony on August 5, 2000.
Black Veterans Memorial Bridge
This bridge, built in 1944, spans the Gerstle River at Milepost 1392 of the Alaska Highway, 30 miles southeast of Delta Junction. It was designated Black Veterans Memorial Bridge in 1993 to commemorate the contribution of black soldiers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in construction of the Alcan Highway, now known as the Alaska Highway, during World War II. Despite incredible odds through a cold and punishing winter, the Alcan Highway was completed in a record time of 8 months and 12 days. Black soldiers representing the 93rd, 94th, 95th, 97th, and 388th Engineer General Service Regiments participated in the construction of this pioneer road.
The Gerstle River Bridge is a spectacular remaining example of 'steel through truss' style construction, meaning there is superstructure above the deck. It is one of four of its style, typical of the era, on the Alaska Highway.
Lt. Henry T. Allen of the U.S. Army Second Cavalry named the Gerstle River, a tributary of the Tanana River, in 1885. Allen, under orders from the War Department to map and explore the Copper, Tanana, and Koyukuk Rivers, named the river after Mr. Lewis Gerstle, president of the Alaska Commercial Company, in appreciation for his assistance to the expedition.
Heritage Park, Eielson AFB
Heritage Park at Eielson Air Force Base honors aviation pioneers, Eielson and other military heroes and POW/MIAs and displays military aircraft. Eielson AFB is located approximately 26 miles southeast of Fairbanks at Mile 341 of the Richardson Highway. The spacious park includes a display of the flags of all 50 states, a pavilion, and monuments to Ben Eielson (Alaskan aviation pioneer and namesake of the base), POWs and MIAs, and Medal of Honor recipients. Military aircraft on static display include an F-16 Fighting Falcon, an A-10 Thunderbolt II, a F-4 Phantom, and an O-2 Skymaster.
An interpretive sign at the POWMIA Monument, dedicated to all POWs and MIAs since World War I, reads: "The Prisoners of War and Missing in Action monument reminds us not to forget the suffering of our comrades, who cannot be with us today. It was designed from a prison environment perspective. The monument is constructed of rock and concrete to give the feeling of the austere conditions Prisoners of War endured. The raised wall reminds us of the limitations placed on those without freedom. Lest we forget those that gave so much that we can be free."
The Medal of Honor Monument "recognizes the sacrifices and accomplishments of all airmen that helped make this country free by their unselfish acts. Their courage and bravery came at a high personal price and helped forge the ideas of democracy."
Heritage Parks was designed and constructed by the men and women of the 354 Civil Engineering Squadron and was dedicated July 20, 2000.
Visitors with access to military installations may visit Heritage Park. For current information on public tours of the base, phone the public affairs office at (907) 377-2116.
Interior Alaska Veterans Memorial, Fairbanks This granite memorial to Interior Alaska veterans is located in Veterans Memorial Park at Cushman Street and 7th Avenue. Flags and benches surround the small plaza containing the memorial.
