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Alaska Veteran Memorial, a quiet place

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
I often drive between the Fairbanks area and Anchorage down the Parks Highway. There is a Veterans Memorial at about the 147 mile post, it is a very quiet place in the shadow of Mt. McKinley to Honor those that have served in the military and those that gave gave all.

Stopping there this last week with Memorial Day approaching, it occurred to me that I hadn't taken many pictures of the site, even though I am there many times each year, just to make my own quiet reflections of friends long gone and to pay respects to such a quiet place.

Here are some photos so others can see what I do when I am standing there.

Mark
U.S. Coast Guard

This is the entrance to the Memorial guarded by the Alaska Territorial Guard Statue
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32175-entrance-alaska-veterans-memorial.jpg


Plaque at the entrance
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32177-placard-describing-site.jpg


Monument to the Navy
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32182-monument-navy.jpg


Monument to the Coast Guard
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32180-monument-coast-guard.jpg


Monument to the Army
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32184-mermorial-army.jpg


Monument to the Air Force
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32181-monument-air-force.jpg


Monument to the Marines
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32183-monument-navy.jpg


Plaque to the Alaska National Guard
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32178-plaque-alaska-national-guard.jpg


Plaque to the Merchant Marine
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32179-plaque-merchant-marine.jpg


Looking at Mount McKinley over the Alaska Territorial Guards shoulder
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic32186-behind-guards-looking-mt-mckinley.jpg



I hope that if you ever have the chance to stop here, you take the time and feel the solitude and peace that is here. Any maybe say a prayer for any of those that are serving in harms way.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Beautiful. Great tribute.

I wonder how many drive by it ever day and don't bother to stop?
 

Erik

SelfBane
Site Supporter
I especially appreciate them giving equal space to the coast guard & territorial guard.
A lot of folks don't believe the USCG is a "real" branch of the military.
Yes, I'm a "squid" as are my father and sister -- but Grandpa was a "wader/Coastie" in WWII doing convoy escort and sub hunting off the coast of africa & gibraltar - and all of his promotions were in the line of duty and due to attrition, so I have no question about their role.
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Beautiful. Great tribute.

I wonder how many drive by it ever day and don't bother to stop?

By the highway at the two entrances, there is a small sign that says "Alaska Veterans Memorial" and people blow by at highyway speeds never seeing anything from the road. Sad, but good for me when I stop, I get the whole place to myself!
 

muleman

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Folks in the lower 48 can never appreciate what all the services do for us up there. Great pics and timing. thanks. If I ever make it back there I would like to visit the memorial myself.
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Folks in the lower 48 can never appreciate what all the services do for us up there. Great pics and timing. thanks. If I ever make it back there I would like to visit the memorial myself.

Funny how more out of state tourist visit the place than those in the State. The tour buses will stop there, when everyone else just blows on by. You can't see it from the road, just the small sign, but well worth the stop.
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Was flying the plane home tonite and flew over the Alaska Veterans Memorial on the highway, so took a few photos of it as I went past from about four thousand feet up.


The Memorial is just about at the far left side of the Lake by the Highway
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic35375-coming-up-alaska-veterans-memorial-south.jpg


Looking down on the Memorial looking South
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic35374-looking-down-alaska-veterans-memorial-mt.jpg


Not a great shot of Mt. McKinley when I was over the Memorial looking North, but you can see it in the center of the haze...
starlite9-369296-albums-alaska-veterans-memorial-pic35376-not-very-clear-shot-mt-mckinley.jpg
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Stopped by the Alaska Veteran's Memorial on the way to Fairbanks this last weekend. I stop there almost every time I go by to pay my respects to friends of time gone and others who gave everything for the rest of us.

This next weekend is Memorial Day, the place will be packed with a lot of people coming there for the weekend activities. The place goes from a spot in the wilderness to mass people, then nothing the next day again.

This time I was there, I took a video of the place and some photos of Mt. McKinley which was out in all it's glory. So am posting a few of the photos and video for the upcoming Weekend.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmq-XzSKRDA"]YouTube- Alaska Vet Memorial.MP4[/ame]
 

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Cowboy

Wait for it.
GOLD Site Supporter
I,m glad you updated this or I would have missed it . Great pics & vid Thanks for posting Fogtender :smile:
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Foggy,

Thanks. All of these memorials mean a lot to me.


Me as well.

I stop there to sit on the bench and just enjoy the quiet and feelings that are there! On the clear days, the Mountain really stands out.

By the way, did they ever find out who took that cross in the desert? I think there is some folks that need to be boiled in oil when they catch them if they haven't done so now.
 

Danang Sailor

nullius in verba
GOLD Site Supporter
Me as well.

I stop there to sit on the bench and just enjoy the quiet and feelings that are there! On the clear days, the Mountain really stands out.

By the way, did they ever find out who took that cross in the desert? I think there is some folks that need to be boiled in oil when they catch them if they haven't done so now.

A very good replica, or perhaps the original, appeared overnight at the site about five days ago, but the thieves are still unknown despite a $125,000 reward. However, it was taken down and put in storage until the ongoing court actions are finally settled.

Last summer I had the chance to stop at the grave of Doug Munro in Cle Elum, WA. No one else was around, and the small memorial was very nice. I was able to spend several minutes there in quiet contemplation - very nice.

 

lilnixon

AKA LILVIXEN
GOLD Site Supporter
Great pictures, thanks for revisiting this thread.


A very good replica, or perhaps the original, appeared overnight at the site about five days ago, but the thieves are still unknown despite a $125,000 reward. However, it was taken down and put in storage until the ongoing court actions are finally settled.

Last summer I had the chance to stop at the grave of Doug Munro in Cle Elum, WA. No one else was around, and the small memorial was very nice. I was able to spend several minutes there in quiet contemplation - very nice.


MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE , Calif. May 20, 2010 (AP)

A replica of a cross honoring America's war dead that drew the attention of the U.S. Supreme Court before it was stolen this month mysteriously appeared Thursday in a Mojave Desert federal park, but officials said it was illegal and took it down.

A maintenance worker discovered the cross bolted to a concrete pad on Sunrise Rock, Mojave National Preserve spokeswoman Linda Slater said.

The cross apparently was put up during the night and nobody has claimed responsibility, Slater said.

The stolen cross had been the subject of a legal dispute for about a decade after a former park service employee sued on grounds that the Christian religious symbol was unconstitutionally located on government land.

Congress reacted by transferring land under the cross to private ownership.
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
Site Supporter
Great pictures, thanks for revisiting this thread.



MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE , Calif. May 20, 2010 (AP)

A replica of a cross honoring America's war dead that drew the attention of the U.S. Supreme Court before it was stolen this month mysteriously appeared Thursday in a Mojave Desert federal park, but officials said it was illegal and took it down.

A maintenance worker discovered the cross bolted to a concrete pad on Sunrise Rock, Mojave National Preserve spokeswoman Linda Slater said.

The cross apparently was put up during the night and nobody has claimed responsibility, Slater said.

The stolen cross had been the subject of a legal dispute for about a decade after a former park service employee sued on grounds that the Christian religious symbol was unconstitutionally located on government land.

Congress reacted by transferring land under the cross to private ownership.

Seems the Feds stole it off private land.
 
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