Alaska consistently has the highest percentage of veterans in the country, and Hoonah has one of the highest shares of any town.
Dance rs celebrate the unveiling of the new Veterans Memorial arch in Hoonah on Saturday, May 16, 2026. HOONAH — More than a hundred people walked off a catamaran into Hoonah on Saturday morning.
They were there to join dozens of other Hoonah residents who gathered to witness the unveiling of two memorials dedicated to veterans and their families. The first memorial is an archway anchored by two cedar totem poles, called kootéeyaas in Lingít, depicting a raven warrior and an eagle warrior. It’s located near Icy Strait Point, and welcomes people as they walk down the seawalk path toward town.
“We see strength in these poles,” said George Bennett, an Army veteran. He said Hoonah’s roots in the military run deep, and it’s important to pay tribute to those who served.
“They give us the strength when people walk this path, hopefully they will feel the strength that we have given back to our community through our participation to be a part of the armed forces,” he said. People watch the unveiling of the new Veterans Memorial arch in Hoonah on Saturday, May 16, 2026. highest percentage of veterans in the country , and Hoonah has one of the highest shares of any town.
Former Alaska Native Brotherhood Grand President Marcelo Quinto said it’s what makes the community unique.
“I think we, our people, have always been in line to protect our part of the country and we’re very proud of it,” he said. “None of us are veterans, but we are honored to be able to honor you, folks,” he said. “Without veterans, I feel we would not be free people. ” A few hours later, another ceremony was held to officially unveil an honor wall at the Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Hoonah.
The park is on land donated by Korean War veteran Stanley “Steamie” Thompson, who passed away in 2021. People look at the names that line the Veterans Honor Wall at the Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Hoonah on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The projects were a collaboration between the City of Hoonah and the Huna Heritage Foundation.
The honor wall is lined with the names of hundreds of Hoonah veterans and the branch of the military in which they served. Huna Heritage Foundation leadership says they plan to continue to add names to the wall that might not have been recorded.
“I think the honor is way long past overdue,” said Naa Kwaa Edward Williams Sr., an Army veteran. He stood at the ceremony, reading the names on the wall. One is his dad, a combat veteran who served in the Korean War.
“You don’t realize, as a child of a veteran, the anguish and the pain that they caused you, and you live with, and then you understand the insanity of what they’ve had to live through, and the pain that they had to go through,” he said. “I did not understand that until I joined the Army.
” Veterans hold various flags as the walk toward the Veterans Honor Wall at the Veterans’ Memorial Park in downtown Hoonah on Saturday, May 16, 2026. He said growing up in Hoonah, he watched the community struggle with the trauma of wars and the impact it left on veterans who returned home. He said he’s happy to see the community take steps toward acknowledging that pain and healing from it together.
“I think for me the honor comes and grows the more we honor these kinds of things,” he said. “A lot of ugly has happened, whether in war or whether I came home to it, but this is how we heal. This is exactly how we heal, or at least I heal. ”
Juneau Military Alaska Native Dance Eagle George Bennett Hoonah Korean War Marcelo Quinto Raven Veterans Vietnam War
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Alaska’s oldest original lighthouse will soon open to the public for the first timeA grand opening ceremony on May 30 will mark the culmination of six years of work by the Eldred Rock Lighthouse Preservation Association.
Read more »
Juneau residents say AEL&P’s proposal to raise bills by 20% is not affordableThe Regulatory Commission of Alaska’s public comment period is open until May 28.
Read more »
In Depth Alaska: America’s Pastime in AlaskaHumans have been hitting things with sticks for a long time, so it should be no surprise that America’s pastime has deep roots in Alaska.
Read more »
Vietnam War veteran from Hoonah gets proper homecoming decades after his serviceMore than half a century after he returned from Vietnam, George Lindoff had the opportunity to revisit that chapter in his life – this time, with a goal of healing.
Read more »