Alaska Veterans Memorial, Military memorial in Denali State Park, United States.
The Alaska Veterans Memorial is an outdoor memorial grove on a hill above the Byers Lake campground in Denali State Park. Its main alcove consists of five upright concrete slabs, each 20 feet (6.1 m) tall, with a large star cut through the upper section and a branch history inscribed below. A sculpture at the front shows two Alaska Territorial Guard members watching with binoculars.
State senator and World War II veteran Charles Parr led the effort to build the memorial, arguing that Alaska was the only US state without one of this kind. Work began in summer 1983 and finished on 11 August 1984, when Governor Bill Sheffield, an Air Force veteran, dedicated it. A Merchant Marine monument was added on 30 May 1999.
The sculpture at the front of the alcove shows two Alaska Territorial Guard members watching for threats with binoculars. A plaque at the entrance honors the Alaska National Guard and the unpaid Territorial Guard volunteers who filled in when the National Guard was mobilized during World War II.
The memorial stands on a hill above the Byers Lake campground, at mile 147.2 of the George Parks Highway: 147 miles (237 km) from Anchorage and 214 miles (344 km) from Fairbanks. A staffed visitor center and bookstore operate during the May–August season. From just outside the memorial, Denali is visible on a clear day.
Each concrete panel holds specific historical details about how its military branch contributed to Alaska's development and defense. These inscriptions tell stories that many visitors overlook when passing through quickly.
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