28 November 2001
Symbol of hope lights up the night at Elmendorf AFB
By Wayne Specht,
Stars and Stripes, Pacific edition

Pontes, an exterior electrician at Elmendorf’s 3rd Civil Engineering Squadron, was asked to come up with a holiday lighting display at this Anchorage base.

Although not specifically designed around the Sept. 11 terror attacks, Pontes admits he was thinking of a patriotic theme.

“I came up with an idea of doing an American flag in lights and made a small” prototype, the 26-year old electrician said.

His commander liked the idea, too.

“The more we talked about it, the more elaborate it became,” said Maj. Sal Nodjomian, CE operations flight commander. “I saw this as an incredible training opportunity for our carpenters, electricians and painters.”

As the project took shape, under a degree of secrecy so it would be a surprise to base residents, Nodjomian bumped the project up a notch in priority so it could be unveiled in time for Veterans Day.

“All the work was done at night, or on weekends in addition to their normal jobs. They kept it in our backshop out of public view,” he said.

Measuring 15 feet by 28 feet, most of the project was crafted using surplus materials, except for the 22,000 bulbs that illuminate the flag.

“We bought rope lighting — like used on floors of airliners — to make the 26 circuits lighting the stripes, and the six circuits for the stars,” Pontes said.

Pontes said working with the ropes was tricky.

“You can’t cut them just anywhere because it would ruin the series circuit. We had to bundle up extra lengths to make it work.”

Pontes said the huge display is energy-efficient.

It draws 80 amperes. Had Christmas tree bulbs been used instead, the 22,000 bulbs would need between 300 to 400 amps.

The crafters used a computer to scale the stars and bars to exact sizes.

“You don’t build a flag to any size without scaling because there’s a formula involved,” Pontes said. “The union and stars have to be so big in relationship to the rest of the flag.”

About 30 civil engineer squadron craftsmen worked with Pontes including welders, carpenters and electricians. Even a few local reservists called to Operation Noble Eagle duty helped out.

Mounted on four telephone poles in an open field across from CE’s headquarters building, the flag was shrouded under tarps as it was erected near Arctic Warrior Drive.

It was designed so it can be re-used for special events. One Elmendorf airman wants to take his re-enlistment oath in front of the towering flag.

Unveiled on Veterans Day to an appreciative crowd, Nodjomian said base officials decided to keep the flag displayed until spring.

“We don’t often get the opportunity to do something creative like this,” he said. “This was a grand CE effort that now belongs to our community.”