On May 27th, 2019 (Memorial Day), the Annual Memorial Day Ceremony for fallen active duty members was held at the Fort Richardson National Cemetery.
From the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage, Mr. and Mrs. Sato, the head of office and his wife, attended as guests along with Alaska Governor Dunleavy and Anchorage Mayor Berkowitz. Several other staff members were also in attendance.
As shown in the picture above, we presented a memorial wreath to honor the soldiers who devoted their lives to protecting their country. In addition we dedicated flowers to the Japanese soldiers who were killed on Attu and, with several Japanese residents in Anchorage, offered a prayer for the fallen.
At the ceremony, Governor Dunleavy made a keynote speech. He reminded the audience that the Battle of Attu during World War II is often referred to as a “forgotten war”. He said that it was a battle that took place in Alaska and it is important to remember that there were many casualties and it left many bereaved families. Finally he stressed that we must not forget the importance of maintaining a peaceful and free country.
The Memorial Day Presidential Proclamation and Alaska State Proclamation were also read.
The US Memorial Day is a day to honor those who have died in battle while serving in the U.S. military and is celebrated on the last Monday in May every year. It has been observed since the Civil War.
It was first officially celebrated in 1868 and it was called the Civil War Memorial Day (Decorations Day).
It was officially designated the current Memorial Day in 1967 and it became a public holiday in 1971.