For the tours to Iwo Jima, Saipan, Tinian, and Wake, we stage out of Guam. Guam, although geologically a geographically a part of the the Mariana Islands, is politically an organized, unincorporated Territory of the United States having been acquired from Spain after the Spanish-American War of 1898.
It was attacked by the Japanese on the same day as the raid on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After a brief, but token fight, it was surrendered to the Japanese on December 10, 1941. It was retaken from the Japanese in the 1944 Battle of Guam from July 21 to August 10.
The Mariana Islands lies about 1500 miles south of Tokyo. Iwo Jima is about half way between the two. Guam is located about 13 degrees above the equator.During our flight to Guam I took this photo of a rain squall.This is the main drag through Agana from our hotel.This is the view from my room just after sunrise.Our group descends some steps to the Japanese command caves.
At this site, Commander LtGen Hideyoshi Obata of the 31st Division, facing overwhelming odds while withstanding American naval bombardment, ordered his troops to mount a final counterattack. Recognizing the inevitable outcome, Commander Obata made a farewell transmission to the Emperor and Headquarters in Japan declaring with his last words: “I shall be the bulwark of the Pacific Ocean.” He then took his own life in ritual suicide like the good Samurai that he was.
This is one of three cave entrances to the last command post of LtGen Obata and where he committed suicide.Another cave entrance at the last Japanese command post. This is an underground room in the cave where the Japanese commanding officers stayed and from where they committed suicide when it was clear the battle was lost.Here our local guide describes the Japanese last command post cave.Another cave entrance to the Japanese command post cave.The overhead canopy of bamboo at the last command post.This is a bamboo forest at the site where the Japanese last command post is located.This is part of the beach where the 3rd Marine Division came ashore. The Orote Peninsula can be seen on the horizon in the distance.This is a Japanese anti-aircraft gun.On our tour we passed what looked like a familiar silhouette. I asked the driver to take us back to this little memorial park. I was surprised to find this Gold Star Family memorial. the Woody Williams foundation establishes these memorials all over the country. This one was dedicated just last year. These memorials pay tribute to the families, especially the mothers, of American servicemen who were killed in battle. The statue in the center of the cutaway is of a Charmorran mother cradling her baby as she mourns the loss of her husband.This memorial was next to the Gold Star Family memorial. It is dedicated to those Chamorro servicemen wounded in battle.This is a Japanese midget submarine on display at a very nice museum. Inside the museum is the best map of a battle I have ever seen. Using lasers, the battle to retake Guam in 1944 is vividly shown as phase lines move across the island indicating the movement of Marines units in the battle. This is the bow of the midget submarine. It was crewed by two Japanese sailors and carried two torpedoes.The beach where the 3rd Marine Division came ashore. This is a view the Japanese defenders would have had of the invasion fleet and the Marine LVTs wading in.Nimitz Hill, Guam, overlooking the Philippine Sea. After the Marianas were secured, Adm Nimitz moved his headquarters (CINCPOA) from Pearl Harbor to Guam from where he commanded for the rest of the war.These lads are Woody Williams grandsons, Brent on the left and Sam on the right. I was surprised to see them here. I have known them for many years through their grandfather, Woody, the last MOH recipient from World War II to pass away. He died last year (2022).This is the view from my hotel room at the Dusit Beach Resort (formally the Outrigger Hotel), Agana, Guam. The reef goes out over one hundred yards and the water was quite warm.I took this photo from the window at the elevator bank on the 9th floor.Dusit Beach Resort.This is the Dusit Beach Resort. My room was on the 9th floor.Old Glory and the Guamanian national flag.
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