03/17/2005 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS

SB  90-ALASKA TERRITORIAL GUARD DAY                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
SENATE BILL NO.  90 "An Act relating to  Alaska Territorial Guard                                                               
Day."                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  CHARLIE  HUGGINS,  Alaska State  Legislature,  said  his                                                               
staff person Ryan Moore put this bill together.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
RYAN  MOORE,  Staff  to Senator  Charlie  Huggins,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, said after the attacks  on Pearl Harbor during World                                                               
War II the Japanese bombed Attu  and Kiska Islands in Alaska, and                                                               
Alaska  realized  the need  for  a  territorial guard.    Senator                                                               
Gruening assembled  about 6,500 predominantly Alaska  Natives who                                                               
served  on the  Alaska Territorial  Guard from  1942 until  1947.                                                               
Many went on  to the Alaska National Guard, he  said.  In October                                                               
2004, members of the Alaska  Territorial Guard were recognized by                                                               
the United  States Army as  veterans.  HB 90  establishes October                                                               
18th as Alaska Territorial Guard Day.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS  said he once  worked for Alaska's  Department of                                                               
Military  and  Veterans Affairs  and  was  part  of the  task  to                                                               
recognize  guard  members.    Representative  Carl  Moses  was  a                                                               
territorial  guard  member, he  said.    Three past  guards  died                                                               
during  this  process.   There  were  twenty-three left  at  that                                                               
point,  and Senator  Huggins  said  he sent  those  names to  the                                                               
military, which refused to deal with it.   It took over a year to                                                               
get  them to  open  the envelope,  he  added.   "Now  we have  an                                                               
opportunity to have a day  that's dedicated to the recognition of                                                               
the contribution of those over 6,500 great Alaskans," he said.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:15:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  THOMAS  moved  SB 90,  Version  24-LS0459\I  from                                                               
committee   with   individual   recommendations.     Hearing   no                                                               
objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:15:49 PM