Memorial Day Event to be held in Whittier

By:  Brooks Chandler

​TNews Contributor

The Chugach Arts Council has organized a unique Memorial Day celebration honoring six Army members who perished in a helicopter crash on Portage Glacier while assisting victims of the Good Friday earthquake in 1964.  

Chugach Arts Council Director Marie Wagner told TN the “Maynard Mountain Heros” will be recognized in a ceremony held at the Princess Cruise Ship Terminal in Whittier beginning at 1 pm on May 27.  Family members of 1st Lt. Robert J. Gilbert who perished during the “Operation Helping Hand” mission ferrying relief supplies to Whittier will be in attendance and will also spend a few days in Girdwood.  According to Ms. Wagner the event will feature poetry readings, Yup’ik , Tsimshian and Polynesian dance groups and Celtic music performed by Mary Schallert & Lisa Maloney.  

Exhibits will honor the military service of Alaska Natives, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, Women, VietnamWar veterans,  Coast Guard members and Gold Star families.

The gathering will participate in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.for all those who died in military service to the United States.   This is a minute of silence done at 3 pm local time across the United States.

Those wishing to attend should take either the 11:30 or 12:30 tunnel in and plan to return on the 3:00 or 4:00 tunnel opening.   If you would be interested in volunteering to help with the eventcontact Ms. Wagner at info@chugachartscouncil.orgs

For the agenda, please see below:

• Welcome—Marie Wagner, Chugach Arts Council

• Introduce exhibits

• Poem—Maynard Mountain Men
  Gilbert Family

• Laying of Wreath -
  Ret. AF Col. Suellyn Wright Novak

• National Anthem—Sgt. Nathan Rakow

• Irish music by Timothy Feller

• Native Americans & Alaska Native
  Poem—Forget me not

• Western Alaska Yup'ik Dancers

• Lepquinm Gumilgit Gagoadim-Tsimshian dancers

• Poppys

• Gold Star Families
  Poem "The Dash

• Violin by Jeannette Seale

• Pacific Islanders

• Polynesian Dance Group

• Women

• Irish Music-Mary Schallert & Lisa Maloney

• 3:00  National Moment of Remembrance, pause for 1 minute to remember those who have died in military service to the United States