Alaska Veterans Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alaska Veterans Memorial |
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| United States | |
The plaque on the left hand side reads: We dedicate this quiet place to the remembrance of the veterans of Alaska who have served their country at home and throughout the world. We honor their heroism and dedication.
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| For Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Alaska National Guard, and Merchant Marine veterans from Alaska, as well as specific Alaskans who were awarded the Medal of Honor | |
| Established | 1983 |
| Location |
Denali State Park
near Denali
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We dedicate this quiet place to the remembrance of the veterans of Alaska who have served their country at home and throughout the world. We honor their heroism and dedication.
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The Alaska Veterans Memorial is a special outdoor place located in Denali State Park in Interior Alaska. It's a quiet spot that honors the brave men and women from Alaska who have served in the United States military. This includes veterans from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Alaska National Guard, and Merchant Marine.
The memorial also remembers specific Alaskans who received the Medal of Honor, which is the highest military award for bravery. You can also find smaller memorials for people who were on military planes that crashed in Alaska. The site was chosen because it's very beautiful and sits between Alaska's two biggest cities. On a clear day, you can even see Denali, North America's tallest mountain, from nearby.
The memorial is about 147 miles from Anchorage and 214 miles from Fairbanks. It's on a hill above the Byers Lake campground. During the summer (May to August), there's a visitor center where you can learn more. The main part of the memorial was built in 1983, and Governor Bill Sheffield, who was also a veteran, officially opened it in 1984.
Honoring Our Heroes: The Main Memorial
As you walk towards the main part of the memorial, you'll see small tributes to individual Alaskans. These are for people who earned the Medal of Honor. One person honored here is James Leroy Bondsteel, who lived in Houston, Alaska after his military service.
The main memorial area has five tall concrete slabs, each about 20 feet high. Each slab has a big star cut out of its top. On the lower part of each slab, you can read about the history of a specific branch of the Armed Forces in Alaska.
At the entrance to this area, there's a special plaque. It honors the Alaska National Guard and the amazing volunteers of the Alaska Territorial Guard. These volunteers stepped up to protect Alaska during World War Two when the National Guard was away fighting. A sculpture at the front shows two members of the Territorial Guard looking out for any dangers with binoculars.
Remembering Plane Crashes
Outside the main memorial, there are also tributes to two military plane crashes that happened in Alaska.
In February 1954, a C-47 plane crashed into a mountain. Sadly, 10 out of the 16 people on board died.
Later, in November 1957, a TB-29 Superfortress plane from Elmendorf Air Force Base got lost in bad weather. It crashed in the Talkeetna Mountains. Six of the 10 crew members on board died. One of the people who survived was awarded the Soldiers Medal. This medal recognized his brave actions that helped save lives while they waited for rescue.
