Fryar Fieldhouse opens at Fort Wainwright

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - U.S. Army Garrison Alaska marked the opening of Fryar Fieldhouse during a ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 5 at Fort Wainwright. The new fieldhouse expands the Fryar Fitness Complex and provides Soldiers, families, Department of War civilians, and other authorized patrons with a year-round indoor space for fitness, recreation, organized sports, and unit activities.

"Today, we officially open the doors of this magnificent facility," said Brig. Gen. Reginald Harper, deputy commanding general for support, 11th Airborne Division. "In almost 30 years in the Army, this is the best single physical fitness readiness facility that I have seen. It is the crown jewel of the Fryar Fitness Complex and completes a world class physical fitness training campus."

The 72,500 square foot facility includes a four lane, 200-meter elevated running track overlooking a 21,000 square foot turf field. The fieldhouse also includes functional fitness, circuit training, and stretching areas, locker rooms, and administrative and support spaces. It is designed to support individual fitness, organized sports, unit training, and Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation programming.

"Fryar Fieldhouse gives the Fort Wainwright community a modern, flexible facility that supports physical readiness, resiliency, and quality of life," said Laurence B. Watson Jr., Business and Recreation Chief, Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation. "This space will provide opportunities for Soldiers, families, and our community to train, compete, and stay active throughout the year."

Fryar Fieldhouse is named in honor of Pvt. Elmer E. Fryar, a World War II paratrooper assigned to Company E, 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division. On Dec. 8, 1944, during combat operations on Leyte in the Philippine Islands, Fryar moved to high ground and engaged an enemy force attempting to outflank his company. Though wounded, he continued fighting and later shielded his platoon leader from enemy fire. With his remaining strength, he threw a grenade that killed the enemy sniper. Fryar was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism and sacrifice.

Harper said the naming of the facility reconnects the 11th Airborne Division with Fryar's legacy of courage and selfless service.

"By dedicating the facility in his memory, Army leadership reaffirms our sacred commitment to take care of our Soldiers by providing the very best," Harper said. "Our Arctic Angels deserve a training environment that matches their elite status."

The fieldhouse helps address the need for indoor fitness and recreation capacity at Fort Wainwright, where severe cold, winter darkness, and summer wildfire smoke can limit outdoor physical training. The facility was designed to accommodate more than 300 users at a time and provides a climate-controlled setting for physical readiness activities throughout the year.

The project was managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Alaska District in coordination with U.S. Army Garrison Alaska Directorate of Public Works and Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.