Statue pays tribute to Alaska Territorial Guard
Published Thursday, October 22, 2009
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FAIRBANKS — Members of the Alaska Native Veterans Association unveiled a statue honoring the Alaska Territorial Guard on Wednesday.
The 5-foot, 6-inch tall statue is in storage behind the Big Dipper Ice Arena, but in the spring it will be officially installed at Veterans Memorial Park, a block away from City Hall.
“This means quite a bit,” said Harry Fields, a board member of the association. “It’s culmination of a lot of hard work, dedication and prayer.”
The veterans association approached lawmakers several years ago seeking funding for the Fairbanks statue and seven other identical territorial guard statues that will be displayed around the state. Rep. Scott Kawasaki took the lead in securing what turned into $100,200 in state aid for the project.
Board members said they hope the statue will remind more Alaskans about the territorial guard, also known as the Eskimo Scouts, a group of about 6,500 Alaska Natives who guarded Alaska’s lengthy west coast from the Japanese during World War II.
“Years go by, memories fade and other things happen,” said Benno Cleveland, the veterans association’s president. “A lot of people don’t realize the ties Natives have to the military protecting this nation.”
The other statues will be displayed in Anchorage, Bethel, Juneau, Kotzebue, Nenana, Nome and Point Barrow. The veterans association is selling smaller versions of the statue for about $200 each.
Guardsmen ranged in age from as young as 12 to as old as 80 and volunteered to serve. An estimated 300 members of the territorial guard are still alive today.
“Hopefully younger people will have an idea of what their elders have done,” said Dana Nachtrieb, the board’s treasurer. “It’s an inspiring story.”
Community Discussion
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Thank you for serving our country.
God Bless you and yours.
Long overdue respect for thes brave natives who stepped forward
when our country was under attack. As a veteran I say WELL DONE!!
I also thank you for your service, and apologies for the way the federal government has dismissed you over the years.
As a veteran, I am very proud and pleased to see this recognition of service to our country by Alaska's first people. It is a great day for many of us whose relatives defended our nation from our enemies. I say thank you and it is about time.
Thank you for your service and sacrifice for our country. Its people like you that make and help to keep this country great.
About time! Good Job Vets. It must of been very scary not knowing if and when the Japanese were coming.
Thank you for your service and sacrifice.
We asked them to serve when they were young and strong. And they said "I will". And they did. And we are grateful. Thank you for your service.
Just want to say what everyone else before has said. Thank you very much for everything you sacrificed for us.
As the daughter in law of an Alaska Territorial Guardsmen I am thankful that Alaska is honoring this amazing group of dedicated soldiers. The Obama administration has been fighting tooth and nail to take away what little military benefit some of these men get (24 qualified men are still living). A big thanks to Murkowski and Begich for not letting that happen.
To the DNM - I thought then Senator Gary Wilken secured funding for these statues to be place all over the state. Not sure Scott Kawasaki is due that much mention. Just asking?
Ditto to the other comments
Always, a big Thank You to these gentlemen.
very admirable and inspiring. Maasee' to all who served.
Long overdue honor and recognition finally paid! I'm very happy to see it happen.
We can bash the Fed.s for their neglect, but how long has it taken Ak to acknowledge our debt, also?
I'm very glad to see that these men and their service will not be forgotten, the memory allowed to slip away from the young people like water under the bridge. These men, for the oldest [80yr!] to the youngest[12yrs!], not only did a great service for our country in time of need, they also gave a source of pride and self-respect for their generations to come.
Really great! That's a realy nice piece of art. Thanks for your service guys.
A fine tribute to a fine group of men.
Too bad "our" President does not think they are worthy of recognition.
It's about time this group of veterans was honored for their service. It looks like a beautiful statue.
As a member of the ASDF who carries the patch of the original ATG I am proud to see this finally happen. And I would like to add a thank you to Major "Muktuk" Marston who was tireless in his travels to villages throughout coastal Alaska in recruiting volunteers to the ATG. Many of the members alive today will remember the Major and his keen ability to muster the pride of all he met. He was a good man and dedicated to the defense of Alaska. Those who signed on after meeting him all felt the same, dedication, nationalism, and pride.
Well done gentlemen. You know what it means to walk tall.
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