WASILLA -- Memorial Day means many things to many people in the Valley.
For some, it's a time for revelry in the outdoors, barbecues and bonfires. For others it's a time of reflection.
The former was on display this weekend, judging by the annual influx of thousands of cars to the Jim Creek area, said Tom Bergey, who can see the crowded parking lot from his window
But this year there was another crowd -- a crowd of Alaska State Troopers. Bergey said the troopers were there, steadily, all weekend, but he couldn't say for sure how much action they'd had in the recently designated Knik River Public Use Area.
Bergey said he's happy for the trooper presence and glad to loan them the parking spots. The Jim Creek area, and the Knik River Public Use Area in general, are famous for wild parties, small-arms fire and burning cars.
Lt. Tory Oleck, who runs the troopers' Knik River enforcement program, said the weekend seemed busier than most, and his enforcement program saw more troopers participate, which generated more arrests and tickets. He said people seem to have gotten the message.
"It's helping. I really do, I think it's helping quite a lot. I simply don't have enough manpower to really contain all the activity that goes on out there, but I think we've certainly had an improvement and folks seem to be happy with seeing us out there, at least the law-abiding people," Oleck said.
Oleck said troopers made several DUI arrests inside the public use area.
There were many warnings for underage drinking and littering, and "just riding herd on folks that were shooting guns some were warned about what they were doing, wasn't necessarily a violation but just for safety reasons."
There was one vehicle rollover with injuries, he said.
According to trooper statements, Christopher D. Gutierrez, 19, of Anchorage, was flown to Anchorage with serious injuries after his blue Ford pickup rolled in the Jim Creek sand dunes Friday.
Troopers made a point of patrolling the roads in the area Monday afternoon, writing 19 tickets and making one arrest for driving on a suspended license.
On Monday troopers also took a report of vandalism from Jeffery Fleetwood, 44, of Palmer, who reported his 1995 Ford Ranger was rammed repeatedly by four-wheelers while it was stuck in the Jim Creek mud. Damage was estimated to be more than $5,000, troopers said.
Across town the scene was more peaceful. Veterans, some on motorcycles, others in lawn chairs, gathered at the Wall of Honor in Wasilla in remembrance of fallen soldiers.
Maj. Christopher Benson, featured speaker at the Veterans Wall of Honor committee's annual commemoration, said that while military families enjoy barbecues on this weekend as well, the uniformed few have a more solemn duty that day.
"Today's heroes ride into battle riding on the legacy of America's veterans," said Benson, an Iraq war veteran and deputy commander of the U.S. Corps of Engineers in Alaska.
Memorial Day is a day to remember those who sacrificed their lives, he said.
"We are a nation at war and this uniform serves as a constant reminder," he said, after pointing out he was in combat fatigues and not his dress uniform.
After the speeches and a 21-gun salute, the crowd dispersed.
Some milled around on the lawn outside the Mat-Su Visitors Information Center.
Bill Lyle served in Vietnam as a Marine, though he left before the war fully ramped up.
As a boy in Hawthorne, N.M., one year a Marine whom Lyle never met gave him $5 for Christmas. He decided he had to give something back to the corps and enlisted.
His service, he said, "really made a man out of me," and he's been active in veterans groups ever since he lost a kidney and had to return to civilian life. He's worked the last 40 years in medicine, mostly in Alaska, mostly as a physicians assistant.
Lyle's been to a few of these celebrations.
He said it's heartening to see such patriotism on display.
The country needs more of that, he said, or risks falling to the levels of divisive bitterness he saw during the Vietnam War.
"If we don't watch ourselves, we're going to have the same things happen," Lyle said.
Contact Daily News reporter Andrew Wellner at awellner@adn.com or 352-6710.
