July 19, 2020
Sunday AM

On Friday, July 10, I had the honor of attending and participating in the virtual Ground Breaking Ceremony of the Metlakatla Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The project was made possible by the joint efforts of the Metlakatla Indian Community; Metlakatla Veterans Association; former Metlakatla Mayors Audrey Hudson, Karl Cook, and current Mayor Reggie Atkinson; the United States Veterans Administration; and U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski.

Once completed, the Veterans Cemetery will serve as a memorial to Veterans from Metlakatla. Nearly 400 men and women from Metlakatla have served in the U.S. Armed Forces since 1922. In the Vietnam War alone, 61 people from Metlakatla served our country. Metlakatla has the highest percentage of people who have served in the Armed Services per capita of any community in Alaska. The Alaskan Native Community has served in the U.S. Armed Forces at a higher percentage of participation per capita than any other ethnic group within the United States of America, and I am grateful that this cemetery will be a reminder of their sacrifices.

“Since our nation’s founding there has been no greater sacrifices made on our journey to form ‘a more perfect union’ than the sacrifices made by those whom have served in the United States Armed Services,” remarked U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan during the Ceremony.

The Cemetery will also serve as the final resting place for one of Metlakatla’s most decorated soldiers who served as an original member of the U.S. Navy Seals and was awarded a Purple Heart in the process, Sol Atkinson.

Thank you to Mayor Atkinson and the Metlakatla Indian Community for inviting me to participate in such an important and momentous event in the community of Metlakatla.

Rep. Dan Ortiz
Ketchikan, Alaska

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Received July 14, 2020 - Published July 19, 2020

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