A Russian
Pilot is Back in Fairbanks.
This Time in Bronze and this time He Will Stay Forever
By Ilya Grinberg ©
Photographs by Ilya Grinberg and Richard Wallen ©
On August
27, 2006, the official opening of the WW2 Lend-Lease
Monument took place in Fairbanks, Alaska.
During the years 1942 – 1945, Fairbanks was the point of
transfer of 7926 airplanes from US factories to the
Soviet Union. American pilots brought airplanes from
Great Falls, Montan to Fairbanks, Alaska, where Soviet
representatives accepted and ferried them along the
Soviet leg of the route to Krasnoyarsk and then to the
battle fronts.
To commemorate the spirit of friendship and cooperation
of the allies during WWII, a decision was made in 2001
to erect a monument.
The Juneau-based Alaska-Siberia Research Center (http://www.aksrc.org)
(Chairman Alexander Dolitsky, Director William Ruddy)
coordinated and managed the project, and renowned
sculptor Richard T. Wallen designed and created this
masterpiece. The project was funded by the Alaska State
Legislature and the US Congress.
The
formal dedication of the monument was scheduled for
August 27th, but celebrations began on the 25th with the
arrival of guests and welcome receptions. These were
followed the next day with an official reception and
awards ceremony. The downtown gallery room was filled
with distinguished guests from Russia, Canada, Great
Britain, France, and the United States. The guest list
included Russian Ambassador Yuri Ushakov; Consul General
Vladimir Volnov; several Consuls from Russian
Federation; Military Attaché Rear Admiral Alexander
Agapov; delegation from ALSIB Center of Russian
Federation (representing Russian veterans organizations)
headed by Svetlana Sologub and Colonel-General, Hero of
the Soviet Union Nikolai Antoshkin; Consul General of
France Frederick Desagneaux; Deputy NORAD commander
Lieutenant-General Eric Findley of Canada; Minister of
State for Intergovernmental Relations of British
Columbia, Canada, Honorable John van Dongen; former
Alaskan Senator John Binkley; Lieutenant-Governor of
Alaska Loren Leman; Alaskan Representatives Jim Holm and
Mike Kelly, and other distinguished guests. US Secretary
of Defense Donald Rumsfeld also paid a visit.
The Russian American Colony Singers, a choral group from
Anchorage (www.racs.us) gave a wonderful performance and
welcomed participants in the traditional Russian way
with a piece of bread and a pinch of salt.
The awards ceremony followed. Prestigious awards were
presented to veterans Lt. Colonel James Miller, former
chief test pilot of Great Falls air base; Capt. Jess
Hall, veteran ferry and rescue pilot; Blake Smith and
Everett Long, researchers and authors of several books
on ALSIB and Lend-Lease; sculptor Richard T. Wallen as
well as to a number of other individuals who contributed
to the project in different ways.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, August 27th, the
newly-developed park surrounding the monument was filled
with WWII veterans, invited guests, and the general
public. People chatted with each other, took pictures
and made introductions. Everybody was excited by the
significance of this event. Following the arrival of US
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Russian Federation
Minister of Defense, First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei
Ivanov, and other officials, the ceremony began.
Honor Guards held flags of Alaska, Canada, France, Great
Britain, Russia, and the United States while the Air
Force band opened the ceremony and performed state
anthems. The flags of Alaska, Russia, and the United
States were raised behind the monument.
Speeches were given by Former Alaskan Senator John
Binkley, Alaska-Siberian Research Center Chairman
Alexander Dolitsky, Lieutenant-Governor of Alaska Loren
Leman, Governor of Alaska Frank Murkovski, Alaskan
Senator Gary Wilken, US Senator Ted Stevens, Canadian
General Eric Findley, United Kingdom Consul General
Peter Broom, Consul General of France Frederick
Desagneaux, Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov,
and US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Their remarks were dedicated to the heroism of WWII
pilots who flew dangerous missions over the long route
in adverse conditions; to the spirit of Allied
cooperation during the war, and to the necessity to
continue such a spirit today.
Ribbon-cutting brought a wave of applause from the
guests and the monument was officially opened.
Participants and veterans alike were very touched and
congratulated each other and the sculptor Richard T.
Wallen for his outstanding work.
The monument will be a constant reminder of what can be
achieved for a noble goal of victory when allies stand
together.
It is the
hope of many people that similar monuments will be
erected at other points on the route, especially in
Russia.
Official
reception
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Russian-American Colony Singers performing
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Lt. Governor of Alaska Loren Leman is addressing participants
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US Defense Secretary Donald Ramsfeld and Lt. Governor of Alaska Loren Leman
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Former Alaskan Senator John Binkley
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General Nikolai Antoshkin at official reception
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Russian Ambassador Yuri Ushakov
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Canadian Lt. General Eric Findley, Deputy NORAD commander
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French Consul General Frederick Desagneaux
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Director of Russian ALSIB Center Svetlana Sologub (left) and General Nikolai Antoshkin
are presenting a book published by the Center to veteran Captain Jess Hall |
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General Antoshkin (left) and Lt. General Fraiser, commander of US forces in Alaska
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Award ceremony
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Lt.Colonel (Ret.) James Miller, chief test pilot at Great Falls base is receiving award
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Captain (ret.) Jess Hall, vetеran ferry and rescue pilot is receiving award
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Canadian historian and author of Warplanes to Alaska Blake Smith is receiving award
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Sculptor Richard Wallen is receiving award
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Opening ceremony
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Honor guards with flags
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General Antoshkin
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Lt.Colonel (ret.) James Miller
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WWII veterans
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Arrival of US Secretary of Defense Donald Ramsfeld and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov
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Sergei Ivanov, Defense Minister of Russian Federation
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Left to right:
Lt. Governor of Alaska Loren Leman, US Senator Ted Stevens, US Secretary of Defense Donald Ramsfeld, Russian Federation Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov, Russian Ambassador Yuri Ushakov, Canadian Lt. General Eric Findley, and Governor of Alaska Frank Murkovski |
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Speaches
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Remarks by Senator Ted Stevens
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Remarks by Lt. General Eric Findley
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Remarks by British Consul General Peter Broom
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Remarks by French Consul General Frederick Desagneaux
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Remarks by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov
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Remarks by US Secretary of Defense Donald Ramsfeld
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Ribbon cutting
Monument
Ilya
Grinberg
September 2006
