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Alfred Wells, Sr.

Alfred Wells, Sr.

Alfred Wells, Sr. was born in 1922 in Noorvik, Alaska. After growing up in a small village and living a traditional Iñupiaq hunting and fishing lifestyle, in 1942, at age twenty, Alfred was drafted into the army, went to Nome for training, and served in the Alaska Territorial Guard. He served on the board of the Putoo Village Corporation of Noorvik, raised a family, and continued to hunt and fish according to his Iñupiaq traditions. Alfred also was known for being a champion sled dog racer. In 1958, he won the North American Championships in Fairbanks. From February 29 to March 2, 1996, Alfred participated in the Communities of Memory public storytelling event held in Kotzebue where local residents spoke about their memories of and experiences related to the military. Alfred Wells passed away in 2003.
Date of Birth:
Mar 5, 1922
Date of Death:
May 22, 2003
Alfred Wells, Sr. appears in the following new Jukebox projects:
Interview Title Abstract Archive #: Oral History Project Date of Interview
Alfred Wells, Sr.

Alfred Wells, Sr. from Noorvik, Alaska speaks on February 29, 1996 during the Communities of Memory public storytelling event held at the NANA Museum in Kotzebue, Alaska from February 29 to March 2, 1996. He talks about his experience in the Alaska Territorial Guard.

 2015-25-01_PT.1 Kotzebue Communities of Memory Feb 29, 1996
Kotzebue Communities of Memory Reading Names

In this section of the Communities of Memory public storytelling event held at the NANA Museum in Kotzebue, Alaska from February 29 to March 2, 1996, Walter Sampson, Alfred Wells, Sr., Clarence Allen, Sr., and Raymond Coppock read the names of people from communities in the area who served in the military. This was done as a way to honor those who have served. When reviewing the recording in 2016, the local committee in Kotzebue felt that a number of names were left off the original list and requested that some be added. They also acknowledged that there are probably more names that were missed (and others that have served since this recognition done in 1996), and we apologize for any errors of this kind. In addition, since the names were read out loud, it was not always possible to find accurate spellings. We apologize for any errors, and are eager to make any corrections that anyone can provide to us.

 2015-25-01_PT.1 Kotzebue Communities of Memory Feb 29, 1996