Two cruise lines give a big financial donation to help Post 3 break ground following the originial post home lost to arson.
Sept. 10, 2026, will mark three years since the post home of Joseph T. Craig American Legion Post 3 in Ketchikan, Alaska, was destroyed because of arson. Since that fire, members of the Post Legion Family have focused their efforts on fundraising to rebuild the post home that sat in the heart of downtown Ketchikan and remaining a pillar in the community.
For about the first six months after the loss of Post 3, “everybody in the community was telling stories of their wedding reception that was there, their parent’s anniversary that was there or their retirement party,” said Joe Sullivan, Department of Alaska commander and a past Post 3 commander. “The post has been a huge pillar in the community from its establishment.”
Despite not having a post home, Post 3 members met at the National Guard Armory for the first two years where they continued their activities for veterans, youth and community members.
“It's hard when you don't have a post, but we do the things we've always done,” said Deb Davis, adjutant of Post 3. “We support sports teams like Legion Baseball, we support the Oratorical Contest, we support Boys and Girls State, we host dinners for Veterans Day and Memorial Day. We still do the same things that we've always done.
“It’s what we do,” she added. “It's been a big change for us the last couple of years without a post home, but we're still doing what we do. And that's a good thing.”
Post 3 now meets in a building directly across the street from where it once stood, and where it will be rebuilt.
“When we look across the street, see that building going up, it’s going to be a big deal for us,” Davis said. “We’re in a great space right now, but to have that building that's our building back, it's going to be huge.”
Post 3 Commander Rob Fullerton said, “I had my retirement ceremony from the Coast Guard at the post. To have that building back would be back to the place where I found a way to continue my service to the nation and to other veterans.”
Post 3 has been fundraising to help with the rebuilding process. These efforts have included a brick fundraiser, 13 different raffles with tour companies for experiences such as an ATV ride, donation boxes around town, and fundraising dinners at local restaurants.
“Literally a week after the fire the (Unit 3) Auxiliary and the Legion Riders had a function scheduled. The community came forward and gave us a space to do that, and we just kept going with fundraising, kept our heads down working hard to get to this point,” Sullivan said.
And now, Post 3 is receiving a huge financial boost for rebuilding efforts.
The post home is within walking distance of the cruise ports and Princess Cruises and Holland America Line have committed a combined $175,000 donation.
Davis said the post needed a certain amount of cash in the bank to start clearing the lot, putting the foundation in and walls up, and “this donation puts us there.”
“It changes our outlook,” Fullerton said. “It puts us into a position where we can seriously start looking at starting construction, starting to break ground.
“The finances were definitely daunting, and there's been times where we've despaired, but I think we've always pushed through and reminded that we still want our building. We still want our place, our home.”
Post 3 didn’t fall into financial assistance since it was an arson and not a natural disaster, so for the cruise lines and community to step forward it is emotional for the post members.
“Our entire post, we had to adapt how we operated to be able to get through this,” Sullivan said. “It’s a reminder to everybody out there that there's a way through, no matter what. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and having Holland America and Princess Cruise lines come forward and give a donation like this, I saw people almost cry over it.”
As the rebuilding gets underway, the new Post 3 home will have the same look and layout as the old one, which was a small log cabin, with a larger space for gatherings and a modern kitchen.
“Once the building starts going back up, you're going to see everybody realize what they've been working for the last couple years,” Sullivan said. “It will get kind of like that fire back up under everybody.”
Fullerton added, “We’re just very grateful to the community at large that embraced us and helped us get through this and just continuing to help us get through.”
- Community