Alaska-Siberia WWII Lend-Lease monument

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.