2005-02-18                     Senate Journal                      Page 0338
SB 90                                                                                             
The State Affairs Committee considered SENATE BILL NO. 90 "An                                       
Act relating to Alaska Territorial Guard Day" and recommended it be                                 
replaced with                                                                                       
                                                                                                    
          CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 90(STA)                                                            
                                                                                                    
and further recommends the adoption of the following State Affairs                                  
Committee Letter of Intent:                                                                         
                                                                                                    
                               Letter of Intent                                                    
                                                                                                    
       It is the intent of the Alaska State Legislature in passing                                  
       this bill to establish October 18 of each year to                                            
       acknowledge and commemorate the service of members                                           
       of the Alaska Territorial Guard in defense of Alaska and                                     
       the United States during World War II.                                                       

2005-02-18                     Senate Journal                      Page 0339
       On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces bombed Pearl                                            
       Harbor in a surprise attack on the United States Navy.                                       
       Six months later the Alaska islands of Attu and Kiska                                        
       were seized and Dutch Harbor was bombed by the                                               
       Japanese.  The attack on Alaska resulted in the deaths of                                    
       43 Americans.                                                                                
                                                                                                    
       With the arrival of war, Alaska's National Guard was                                         
       pressed into federal service leaving most of the Interior                                    
       and Western coastal regions of the territory with                                            
       inadequate protection.  Alaska Governor Ernest Gruening                                      
       sought and received permission from Congress to                                              
       organize a volunteer civilian militia, thus the Alaska                                       
       Territorial Guard was formed.                                                                
                                                                                                    
       Captain Carl Schneibner and Major Marvin "Muktuk"                                            
       Marston were responsible for organizing the guard in the                                     
       Interior Region and the Bering and Arctic Regions,                                           
       respectively.  The two men went to their regions with a                                      
       recruitment message from the President of the United                                         
       States and the Governor of Alaska.  The people of Alaska                                     
       responded.                                                                                   
                                                                                                    
       The guard was made up of some 6,500 Alaskans who                                             
       were predominantly Alaska Natives and served in                                              
       defense of Alaska from 1942, through World War II,                                           
       until 1947.  On October 18, 2004, the first members of                                       
       the Alaska Territorial Guard were recognized as veterans                                     
       by the United States Army.  It is appropriate that the                                       
       State of Alaska commemorate the service of the Alaska                                        
       Territorial Guard.                                                                           
                                                                                                    
       This bill is dedicated to the memory of those who served                                     
       so bravely for our great state.                                                              
                                                                                                    
Signing do pass: Senator Therriault, Chair; Senators Elton, Wagoner,                                
Huggins.                                                                                            
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    

2005-02-18                     Senate Journal                      Page 0340
The following fiscal information was published today:                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Office of the Governor                                                    
                                                                                                    
The bill was referred to the Rules Committee.