by Henry J. Hunter, Sr.
On behalf of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 10,041 and our Auxiliary, we honor all veterans who wore the military uniform and served to defend our country for their patriotism, love of country, the will to serve and to defend the Freedom we enjoy today.
As I think about our past, so many of our grandparents, fathers and mothers from our Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region had that willingness to serve in the military during World War II and the Korean War. Here in Bethel we had a strong military presence and throughout the Y-K Delta villages that was the National Guard Unit, 297th.
I remember so many of our people coming to Bethel to do drills and other activities to strengthen their Unit and to keep our National Guard Unit, the 297th strong.
I’ll never forget our Alaska Territorial Guard unit who served up and down the coast of Alaska. The Alaska Territorial Guard was formed from people who came from many different villages. I have honored them in the past.
A number of veterans created and started the movement to honor our Alaska Territorial Guard Veterans and the result was the Veterans cemetery and the Wall of Honor with the names of our Veterans of the Alaska Territorial Guard here in Bethel.
Not only on this Veterans Day, we, as Americans must “Honor all who served” each and every day. Once their term in the military is complete it does not stop there. Organizations like the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other organizations, still continue to help our veterans and the communities where they live. Our Veterans help meet the needs in our communities – veterans in need of assistance, donations to schools, food programs and other needs in the community.
As President John F. Kennedy wrote many years ago: ‘’There is no way to maintain the frontiers of freedom without cost and commitment and risk.” I believe in those words. We must have a strong military here in the United States, not to go to war, but to defend our way of life and the freedom we enjoy today.
So, with that being said, honor our Veterans this Veterans Day, those living here in the Y-K Delta, and those who have passed on. Remember our Veterans past and present, ALL our Veterans. We salute you and pray for those who now guard the Gates of Freedom so we as Americans can live in peace. “Remember, Freedom Is Not Free.”
Henry J. Hunter, Sr. is the Post Commander for the VFW Post 10041 in Bethel, Alaska.
