Attu Village 70th Anniversary Memorial Dedication, August 20, 2012: youtu.be/l4ryUDv22dU viaRelated.....@youtube
— Hauling Gear #Alaska (@haulinggear) August 23, 2012
Ostebo, Murkowski tour western Aleutian Islands
Posted by PA3 Grant DeVuyst, Wednesday, August 22, 2012
JUNEAU, Alaska – Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski accompanied Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, 17th Coast Guard District commander, on a tour of the western Aleutian Islands Monday and Tuesday.
The visit to the remote archipelago included stops on Adak, Shemya and Attu islands. Ostebo and Murkowski spoke with community leaders, viewed a deserted Coast Guard installation and were involved in the installment of a historic memorial.
In Adak, the admiral and the senator had a chance to sit down with residents of Adak. Not only were the local concerns for increased traffic and potential infrastructure enhancements voiced, but also a show of appreciation for the fisheries enforcement conducted by the Coast Guard in nearby waters.
At a stop on Attu Island, Ostebo showed Murkowski the remaining facilities from the former Coast Guard LORAN Station Attu, closed in 2009. A remaining runway and structure, still in good condition, could be repurposed.
While the two were on Attu, a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew delivered a memorial commemorating the sacrifice of local villagers during a World War II Japanese invasion. Ostebo and Murkowski were able to observe the placement of the informative monument on the island.
The trip to the western reaches of Alaska allowed Ostebo, the commander of Alaska’s Coast Guard forces, and Murkowski, a representative to Congress for the Alaskan people, to consider some of the unique challenges and opportunities of the region, through observation and interaction with residents.