War in the Pacific National Park Service National Historical Park U.S. Department of the Interior War in the Pacific

ill;1l!JMI'Wii:illfJH» 9 World War ll's endured the destruction of their homes and livelihoods, devastation tore across the Pacific Ocean on a scale never forced labor, imprisonment, and executions. On July 21, before experienced in human history. The warring nations— 1944, US forces returned to retake the island. the , Japan, China, British Empire, Netherlands, and many others—were based thousands of miles away. War in the Pacific National Historical Park commemorates Caught in the crossfire were the people of the Pacific islands the bravery and sacrifice of all those who participated in or in whose homelands and waters combat raged for four years. were affected by World War ll's Pacific Theater campaigns. The park conserves and interprets Guam's outstanding places, Hours after their surprise attack on , Decem­ artifacts, history, and culture. Remnants of combat and ber 7, 1941, Japan bombed the US Territory of Guam occupation—, earthworks, battlegrounds—slowly and within two days invaded the island. Like countless succumb to the elements. What endure are the spirit, dignity, indigenous people occupied by invaders, Chamorros and bravery of those caught up in a world at war.

Top: US forces retake Guam, July 1944 NATIONAL ARCHIVES

USS and capsized USS Japanese pilots prepare taking Asan Japanese prisoners of war, 1945 Oklahoma, Dec. 7, 1941 for a mission, 1944 Beach, July 21, 1944 NATIONAL ARCHIVES NATIONAL ARCHIVES NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND US MARINE CORPS/FREDERICK R FINDTNER

They fought together as brothers in arms; they died together and now they sleep side by side ... To them, we have a solemn obligation—the FOR THE PEOPLE OF DUAM. WAR CAME EARLY AND 5TAYED LATE obligation to ensure that their sacrifices will help make this-a-better and safer worJctin

but is soon driven back. US carrier Lexington; US food or water. Many do I execute bombing raids which to live." 1941 Capt. George J. McMillin, stems Japanese advance. 1944 not survive march; many I on Japan, and Apra —Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief, Dec. 7 (Dec. 8 in Guam Mar. 4 Anticipating USN Governor of Guam, others die from horrific Harbor becomes world's Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Arenas, 1945 and other points west of surrenders to Japan. June 4-7 Battle of Mid­ American invasion, conditions in camps or • busiest port. International Date Line) way; Japan suffers major Japanese return to Guam on work crews. Japan's surprise attack losses of ships, aircraft, to reinforce southern : Feb.-Apr. After 36 days on Pearl Harbor cripples 1942 and men. Marianas. Social activi­ July 21 55,000 US j of bitter fighting, US ties are banned, schools the US Pacific fleet; Jan. 10 McMillin, troops land on Asan ; take ; closed. Laboring at bay­ Japan moves to occupy American military and Nov. 12-15 The decisive and Agat beaches; I Okinawa soon secured onet point, Chamorro much of Southeast Asia civilian personnel, and American victory in the despite 18,500 Japanese : in largest amphibious men, women, and chil­ and western Pacific. American and Spanish Naval Battle of Guadal­ defenders, both beaches ! landing of . dren work in fields, build clergy are taken to POW canal prevents Japanese are secured. Dec. 8 Japanese bomb defenses, and dig hun­ camps in Japan. from landing reinforce­ ; Aug. 6 US drops atomic islands of Wake, Guam, ments. dreds of shelter caves July 24 US forces invade i bomb on Hiroshima and, and the . Feb.-Mar. Japanese for Japanese occupiers. Tinian. i 3 days later, Nagasaki. On Guam, the targeted rename island of USS Guam Omiyajima; the 1943 June 15 US forces Aug. 10 US declares i Aug. 14 Japan accepts Penguin is sunk outside invade , suffering keibitai—Japanese naval Under keibitai rule, Guam secure. Libera­ \ Allied terms for uncon­ . heavy losses. police—now govern. Chamorros may remain tion costs over 7,000 ditional surrender; signs on their ranches but are American and about j formal treaty Sept. 2. Dec. 8-23 Wake Island June 19-20 Battle of April After Battle of forced to learn Japanese 17,500 Japanese casual­ falls to Japanese; 45 Philippine Sea; US Navy Bataan, thousands of language and customs. ties. Japan's grip on the Chamorro civilian airline carrier forces devastate US and Filipino prisoners English is forbidden. Marianas is broken. I AFTERMATH workers are stranded. Japanese fleet. perish in 62-mile forced Chamorros suspected of I 1945-49 144 persons, march to Japanese prison hiding family members mostly Japanese with a Dec. 10 Japanese Early July 10,000- camps. wanted by the Japanese 1945 few Chamorros, are forces invade Guam. 15,000 Chamorros are or aiding Americans Guam transformed tried on Guam for war Insular Guard attemDts forced to march to jun- at tr^icTT cniMrtr, ijcotcn, "tnto military fortress. •• crimes; 134 convicted. to halt Japanese advance gle camps with little Coral Sea: Japanese sink tortured, or executed. From here, US B-29s

A decree was sent out that night that all In order to support us my mother had a Every morning we would come out men should go work in the fama'ayan. soap factory ... Mama would go from of our house to salute the Emperor. It the rice field.... All the men, young and house to house with the carabao cart to happened that just one day before the old, were made to work from seven collect all the ashes for the soap. We Americans came, when we were o'clock in the morning until six o'clock in used the soap to barter, one bar of soap supposed to come Out that morning to the evening. They didn't feed us any­ about the size of the regular Gl bars.... be killed by the Japanese, the Japanese

thing, we ate whatever we found. When Every piece of soap we'd trade for one were all gone from camp. They had JULY 1944 From two beach­ it rained we continued working in the chicken or fish or vegetable.... My left the camp to meet the enemy.. .an heads on Guam's sheltered west rain, even when we were soaking wet.... mother was killed by the Japanese. interpreter was there at the time .... coast, US forces battled for 20 days to recapture the island. When harvesting time came, we had the leader had told us that we were Gold arrows show the general gained nothing . . . Everything went to very, very lucky because we were sup­ direction of the American assault.

k the Japenese soldiers. posed to be showered with the machine —Jose T. Acfalle guns that evening . . 4 —Eugenia A. Leon GuerreroVjP

Under Japanese occupation, Chamorro forced laborers plant rice. NAHONAL ARCHIVES Experience Your National Park on Guam

Rare Japanese midget submarine at park visitor center View of WWII invasion beach from Asan Bay Overlook Memorial Wall bas-relief sculpture, Asan Bay Overlook Japanese 14-cm coastal defense gun, Piti Guns Unit Japanese 20-cm coastal gun at Ga'an Point

PLAN YOUR VISIT War in the Pacific partner group, offers a cultural and natural ACCESSIBILITY War in the Pacific National Historical Park comprehensive selection objects in their original We strive to make our National Historical Park invites you to explore of Pacific Theater and place. Contact a park facilities, programs, and 135 Murray Blvd. Guam's World War II Guam history publica­ ranger if you have any services accessible to all. Hagatha, Guam 96910 experience as well as its tions, films, and memo­ questions. To learn more, ask at www.nps.gov/wapa natural world. rabilia. the visitor center or For your safety do not check our website. Start at the T. Stell New­ STAY SAFE, PROTECT open or enter any caves National man Visitor Center in THE PARK or tunnels; they are MORE INFORMATION Sumay on Marine Corps Historic structures, mili­ D Park Foundation. fragile and may contain War in the Pacific Na­ Join the park community. Drive (Rt. 1). Interactive tary equipment, and hidden explosives. tional Historical Park is www.nationalparks.org exhibits and films por­ earthworks like foxholes one of over 400 parks GPO:2017—398407/30971 New in 2017 tray the events of the and trenches date from Some lands in the park in the National Park Printed on recycled paper. and tell the 1940s or earlier and are privately owned. System. To learn more the stories of combat are very fragile. Help us Please respect these about National Park veterans, as well as Cha- protect these features property rights and do Service programs, visit morros and other Pacific by not disturbing them. not trespass. www.nps.gov. Islanders. Federal law protects all The Pacific Historic Parks natural and cultural Bookstore, operated by features on land and in the park's nonprofit the water. Please leave

EXPLORE-AND MORE

Amphibious assaults. Marines fighting to take strongpoint had caves Bombardments. Hard the high ground. and tunnels fortified by jungle fighting against foxholes and machine well-entrenched Japa­ The Asan Bay Overlook gun nests. From here, nese forces. The events features a Memorial US Marines and Army on Guam echo the Wall etched with the forces joined in pushing island-to-island combat names of Americans who the Japanese troops to throughout the Pacific died defending and lib­ the northern end of the Theater. Learn more at erating the island, along island. these park sites. with the names of the people of Guam who AG AT UNIT ASAN BEACH UNIT suffered the hardships A significant Japanese On July 21, 1944, US of war and who lost stronghold defended Navy ships bombarded their lives. the bay. Elaborate cam­ the island while the US ouflage made it all the Third Marine Division PITI GUNS UNIT more deadly to advanc­ rushed ashore to retake A trail leads you to three ing US Marines and Army Guam. The remains of WWII Japanese coastal troops who stormed the an American landing defense guns. Chamorros southern beachhead in craft, encrusted in coral, built Japanese defense July 1944. Several pieces lie just offshore. Look structures like these of American military for the large cave along throughout Guam. This equipment remain un­ the ridgeline; it was historic trail leads you derwater near the edge built during the war by through the dense ma­ of the reef. Chamorro laborers. hogany forest planted in the 1920s. From this unit you can The Liberators' Memorial view at Asan Point, installed FONTE PLATEAU UNIT where US forces cap­ for the 50th anniversary This is the former com­ tured the airfield and of the battle, honors the mand post of General Marine air power was US military forces and Takeshina, commander used for close combat local Guam Combat of the Japanese forces support missions during Patrolmen who fought on Guam. Secluded in the battle for Guam. on the island. the cliffside among dense vegetation, the MT. ALIFAN UNIT The Asan Ridge Trail U-shaped concrete bun­ Undeveloped site. From leads to spectacular views ker protected Takeshina the high ground Japa­ of the beach as well as and his staff. Nearby is nese troops could spot the remains of hidden a former quarry from incoming US military Japanese fortifications. which coral was taken forces, landing craft, for road construction and warships. These hills ASAN INLAND UNIT on the island. saw heavy fighting be­ Dense jungle growth tween the United States and swordgrass savanna MT. CHACHAO/ and Japanese forces. obscure this site where MT. TENJO UNIT entrenched Japanese Undeveloped site. In troops attacked US 1944 this Japanese

MODERN BATTLES ONANEW FRONT The park protects coral An astounding number These fish were an im­ burning vegetation reefs (right), seagrass of organisms live in and portant part of the tra­ allows more sediment to beds, savanna grasslands, around the park's reefs ditional Chamorro diet wash into the ocean and bogs, streams, limestone (left), especially rich— and are still taken for onto coral reefs. Taking forests, coastal and for­ and vulnerable—com­ food today. fish from the reef faster est wetlands, offshore munities. More species than they can reproduce islets, and a mahogany of invertebrates, fish, Over time coral reefs disrupts the balance of forest. and corals inhabit these have been used—and the food web. reefs than Hawaii's. abused. Natural occur­ With rare and endan­ rences like storms and As you explore the gered animals, these This biodiversity forms a wildfires permanently park's lands and waters, habitats create a living complex ecosystem. On alter shorelines. Human keep in mind your role laboratory for scientific Guam reefs, you will impact continues to take as a steward of these research. They also face find herbivores like kichu its toll. Fossil fuels re­ irreplaceable treasures. a variety of threats: (convict tangs) and pal- lease greenhouse gases disease, invasive species, akse (bullethead parrot- into the atmosphere and habitat loss, and climate fish) as well as predators contribute to global change. ^^ like groupers and jacks. warming. Clearing and

Flags on Asan Beach

BACKGROUND -NPS/ KELLV CARROLL, OTHER PHOTOS THIS SIDE NPS UNLESS OTHERWISE CREDITED