Valley gathers to remember the fallen

WASILLA — A few hundred people — including local and state officials, one U.S. Senator and about two-dozen bikers — gathered Monday to remember those fallen during service for Memorial Day.

Representatives shared their personal experiences while dozens of veterans looked on. Keith Hunt, first vice president of the American Veterans Post 9, read a proclamation issued by President Barack Obama. Various community groups paid respects by placing wreaths at the wall.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski used a stanza from the Alaska State Troopers creed to frame a point not just about veterans who fell in service to the country, but also those who walk among us.

“It is not only honoring the fallen, but it’s honoring the fallen by remembering the challenges of the living, and whether this is a prompt determination of someone’s compensation claim or pension claim, whether it’s how we deal with the ravages of war, those that are affected with (post-traumatic stress disorder) or (traumatic brain injury), a commitment to end homelessness for our veterans,” she said. “We honor our veterans, we honor the fallen, by insuring that a veterans health care system focuses on the veterans health care and not necessarily on the system.”

Senior Advisor for Military and Veterans’ Affairs and Mat-Su Regional Director Paul “Otto” Feather read a proclamation from U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, who attended other Memorial Day events .

“Memorial Day holds a special significance to those of us who are in uniform, and to the families and communities who sustain them,” he read. “On this day, we not only honor the fallen, but take time to remember those who are still missing. Words cannot express and monuments cannot console the heartfelt loss we feel. But we have a solemn obligation to gather in honor of their loss and reflect on our own commitment and responsibility to ensure their sacrifice was not in vain.”

Gov. Bill Walker recalled his father, Ed Walker who died in December 2011. He was the last surviving member of Castner’s Cutthroats — an elite group of 65 warriors hand-picked for their toughness to form a military regiment for reconnaissance in the Aleutian Islands during World War II .

“Anybody that met him heard his stories,” he said. “What you’d say about my dad, you’d have to go and visit him with an exit strategy because he would talk about the war.”

Walker said he received a call earlier in the day from the expedition members of the Mission Memorial Day outfit, which aims to raise awareness about veterans’ issues by summiting Denali with flags bearing the names of the fallen. The group is based in Colorado. The group was just shy of the summit when they called, saying expecting to reach the summit today.

Walker also read a proclamation issued by his office.

“When they come in I’m supposed to just sign them, but I don’t,” he said. “I read them, I change them a little bit, and I make some modifications, because this is about our veterans, our thank you to the veterans.”

Several proclamations note that Memorial Day was first observed in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Mat-Su Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss noted that while the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors’ Bureau is slated to relocate to a spot overlooking the Palmer Hay Flats soon, the adjacent memorial (maintained by John and Hazel Schwulst and their son, Mark, and numerous volunteers) will remain in place.

“As far as we’re concerned, this is holy ground,” he said. “I understand that there are ashes here from some of the fallen.”

Keynote speaker Thomas Elam recited a portion of a poem about fatigues, the loathed or loved daily wear of men and women in combat.

“Don’t let these old clothes fool you, because they don’t make the man,” he quoted. “I wore them for four years in a place called Vietnam. They’ve been handed down from history since America first began, worn by brave men and women soldiers who fought and died in them. Now our dress uniforms are classy, and I guess they have their place, but they’re just not quite what we wear when the enemy gets in our face. So I want each and every one of you Americans who hears this (to) hear it well. If you don’t like America, don’t let the backdoor hit you … you know where.”

Elam also made a few jokes at the expense of visiting dignitaries, referencing the legislative impasse over the budget, as well as the governor’s order that resident black bears in the Government Hill neighborhood should be relocated, rather than killed.

“Now if you could just figure out how to get those legislators together,” he said. “You’re pretty good at proclamations. Write up a proclamation. I’ll back you. We have a lot people here that are good with M16s. We’ll all back you, brother.”

Contact Brian O’Connor at 352-2269, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.