Murkowski's "Veteran Spotlight" Debuts, Honors Alaskans Who Served
Historic Alaska Territorial Guard Member First to be Profiled
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Lisa Murkowski today released her first “Veteran Spotlight” interview – featuring the stories and observations of Alaskan veteran Harold Bahr. Bahr began serving in the Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG) in Nome, Alaska during World War II in 1942 when he was just eleven years old. ATG members were often men too old or boys too young to be drafted, who volunteered to be the first line of defense for Alaska.
In his Veteran Spotlight interview, Harold recalls sitting in his uncle’s attic as a boy in Nome, hoping the Japanese planes flying overhead would get low and close enough to be in his range. Harold continued to watch for Japanese ships and planes until 1945.
Harold’s service to the country continued in 1951 when he was old enough to enlist in the US Navy, serving on an ammunition ship during the Korean War.
Harold Bahr, ATG member and Korean War Veteran - Click photo for two-minute excerpt, click here for longer segment
“We can learn a lot about our country, our state, and ourselves from the men and women like Harold who have fought for us,” said Murkowski. “We owe it to them to honor them through sharing their stories, and we owe it to the rest of us to learn from the high levels of patriotism, commitment and service they demonstrated for us.”
The “Veteran Spotlight” project is a monthly focus on an Alaska veteran of our conflicts worldwide – to honor and draw the well-deserved attention to Alaska’s men and women who served. Every month, the Senator will post a biography and an interview with an Alaskan who served our country abroad, in conjunction with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.
Congress created the Veterans History Project (VHP), in 2000. Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, sponsored the project under unanimous support. The law was signed by President Bill Clinton on October 27, 2000.
To nominate an Alaskan veteran to be included in Sen. Murkowski’s Veteran Spotlight project, email Spotlight@Murkowski.Senate.Gov.
