Legislature(1995 - 1996)
02/01/1996 05:05 PM House MLV
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON
MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
February 1, 1996
5:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Pete Kott, Co-Chair
Representative Ivan Ivan, Co-Chair
Representative Eldon Mulder, Vice Chair
Representative Ed Willis
Representative Richard Foster
Representative John Davies
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Gail Phillips
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
COMMENTS BY GENERAL LESTENKOF CONCERNING THE DEPT. OF MILITARY AND
VETERANS AFFAIRS
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PRESENTATION OF THE BRONZE STAR TO MR. LEO LAND
PREVIOUS ACTION
None.
WITNESS REGISTER
MG JAKE LESTENKOF, Adjutant General/Commissioner
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
P.O. Box 5800
Fort Richardson, Alaska 99505-5800
Telephone: (907) 428-6003
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented Bronze Star to Mr. Leo Land.
LEO A. LAND
P.O. Box 122
Haines, Alaska 99827
Telephone: (907) 766-2466
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified about World War II experiences and
received Bronze Star.
GERALD J. DORSHER, Alaska State Commander
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
P.O. Box 240003
Douglas, Alaska 99824
Telephone: (907) 364-3346
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented pin to Mr. Leo A. Land.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 96-1, SIDE A
Number 0003
CO-CHAIR PETE KOTT called the House Special Committee on Military
and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 5:05 p.m. Members
present at the call to order were Representatives Kott, Ivan,
Mulder, Willis, Foster and Davies. Absent was Representative
Phillips.
CO-CHAIR KOTT welcomed General Lestenkof and explained that the
purpose of the meeting was to re-present the Bronze Star to Leo
Land, who had approached Co-Chair Kott a couple of weeks earlier
for some assistance. Co-Chair Kott described Mr. Land as a
"sourdough with a smile." He called upon General Lestenkof to make
a few comments.
Number 0041
MG JAKE LESTENKOF, Adjutant General/Commissioner, Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs, explained that the Bronze Star being
presented was the reissuance of a medal Leo Land had been awarded
in 1946 for services during World War II. The original Bronze Star
medal had been awarded by an admiral in Alaska. General Lestenkof
gave the following account:
"Private Leo A. Land of Company I of the 4th Infantry volunteered
to go on a rescue mission for the Navy at Adak in the Aleutian
Islands, during one of the worst storms seen in many years. The
winds were gusting over a 120 miles per hour, creating total white-
out conditions. Private Land, because of his devotion to duty, and
at great risk to himself, succeeded in rescuing a PVY crew which
had been reported as sinking in the bay on the island. Although
Private Land knew the complete shoreline of Adak Island, it took
approximately eight hours to go eight miles. Private Land was
accompanied by Private Arthur Upicksoun. Private Upicksoun was an
Eskimo chosen by Private Land to accompany him. Private Upicksoun
has since passed away. The North Pacific Naval Commander
recommended the Bronze Star in '43, and it was awarded to Leo in
December of 1946 at Fort Richardson by an Army general."
Number 0078
GENERAL LESTENKOF asked Mr. Land to recount his story for those
present while General Lestenkof was pinning the medal on him.
Number 0082
LEO A. LAND explained that his original medal, which had been
donated years before to the governor's office, had recently been
stolen. He had only discovered the loss after he asked Governor
Knowles to give his Bronze Star to then-new president Clinton to
place in the White House "to stay there forever." Consequently,
Mr. Land sent letters to the President and the Governor requesting
a new medal. It was important that a general or admiral pin the
medal on him, he said, "and General Lestenkof was kind enough to do
it." Mr. Land expressed appreciation to the committee and to the
people who assisted in the ceremony. He further expressed his
intention of having Senator Stevens or his aides give the
replacement medal and accompanying plaque to the President in
Washington, D.C.
Number 0172
GENERAL LESTENKOF recounted how in September of 1995, the 50th
anniversary of the end of World War II had been commemorated. "I
was in Hawaii for that occasion and thousands and thousands of
World War II people participated," he said. "We have a lot to
thank for this group of veterans. They came back from that war and
built America. So, thank you very much, Leo."
Number 0186
CO-CHAIR KOTT explained that the plaque that would be sent to the
President, in hopes it would be hung in the White House, read:
"The Bronze Star medal is presented by Senator Ted Stevens to
President Bill Clinton to remind Congress and this nation that
veterans are dying on America's streets because of the cuts to
veterans' health care. We cannot afford to pay for medicines and
doctors. We earned lifetime medical care. Please display this
medal from Leo A. Land of Haines, Alaska, in the White House as
long as there is an America."
CO-CHAIR KOTT noted there was a second presentation, by the
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) commander.
Number 0198
GERALD J. DORSHER, Alaska State Commander, Veterans of Foreign Wars
of the United States, presented a pin to Mr. Land, explaining that
the VFW Commander-in-Chief had given him the privilege of giving
the pin to Mr. Land "as a life member of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars post in Haines, Alaska."
CO-CHAIR KOTT thanked everyone for their attendance and conveyed
his congratulations to Mr. Land.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to conduct, CO-CHAIR KOTT adjourned
the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs
Committee meeting at 5:20 p.m.
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