Seward Fishing Community honors veterans

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jack Sanders
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Seward residents celebrated Memorial Day weekend in a way only the Alaskan fishing community could the fourth Annual Armed Service Veteran Combat Fishing tournament, the largest military appreciation fishing tournament in the nation, took place May 27.

In honor of Memorial Day, Seward, Alaska and local fishing charter organizations gave their time, boats, crew, bait and money to the annual event.

The tournament was started by Bob "Capt. Bob" Candopoulis, Saltwater Safari and Keith Manternach with Specialty Truck and Auto with the purpose of taking veterans on a one-day fishing charter the day before Memorial Day weekend to show their support to the military.

"Seward is very proud to have you in our mist and enjoying the state," said Seward Mayor Willard Dunham.

Some 33 boats supported around 270 "combat" fishermen.

The tournament offered a $20,000 grand prize and trophy for the largest fish caught, a 107.4 pound Halibut caught by James Beddes.

Other tournament prizes were given to participants in the top 12 largest fish category, the mystery fish, a fish weighing in at the randomly selected weight of 11.9 pounds, and numerous door prizes.

Along with the prizes, the Seward community offered one of its largest prizes to the troops in the form of a declaration, which read;

"I William A. Dunham Mayor of the city of Seward do recognize Military Appreciation Day and honor those individuals and their families who serve our country during peace and war time. We encourage the community to join in showing support and appreciation with the appropriate display of flags and ribbons throughout May dated this 27 day of May 2010 the city of Seward, William A Dunham, Mayor."

After Mayor Dunham's speech there were several video messages played from Congressman Don Young, Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Senator, Alaska Senator Mark Begich, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, Anchorage Mayor Don Sullivan and Air Force General Howie Chandler, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

"You can't ask for better hosts than Keith and Bob, who've worked so hard to pull off this fantastic event every year, but they do it for a good reason, saluting all is the least we can do to offer some form of thanks for your service to this great nation," said Mayor Sullivan.

"I'm so glad they let us do this," said Staff Sgt. Christine Dickson 611th Air Operations Center. "This is really fun and the people are awesome."