Guam Insular Force Memorial - Hagatna, Guam
Posted by: 
SaltyDog20
N 13° 28.468 E 144° 45.099
55P E 256601 N 1490719
A memorial in dedication to the outnumbered and underequipped Chamorro and Filipino men who nonetheless fearlessly defended against the Japanese invasion.
Waymark Code: WMM87X
Location: Guam
Date Posted: 08/09/2014
Views: 6
This memorial honors the Guam Insular Force Guard whose members stood against an invading unit of Special Naval Landing Forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy on December 10, 1941. The members of the Insular Guard conducted the principal engagement in the “First Battle of Guam” in an heroic struggle to defend the Plaza de España. Four members of the Guam Insular Force Guards were killed and 22 were wounded in the action.
Until in 1984, Pedro G. Cruz , one of the defenders of the island at the Plaza de España Naval Headquarters, offered his story for the Guam’s Liberation documentary. His moving personal account can be heard in Guam’s Liberation.
Tun Pete’s story served as a catalyst for more island defender members of the pre-war Insular Force Guard to come forward and finally write the history of those terrifying hours when a few poorly armed men faced the overpowering Japanese military forces bearing down on them.
In 1991, when the 50th anniversary of this event was pending, the island leadership saw this as a opportunity to accomplish two things: honor those islanders who had not yet been honored for their bravery. And - use the opportunity to invite those Japanese soldiers who for years had quietly and unobtrusively been returning to Guam on their own pilgrimage to the sites of their own tragedy and memories.
This statue was built with public funds appropriated by the 20th Guam Legislature under the direction of Senator Eddie Duenas and approved by Governor Jospeh F. Ada in the early 1980's.
List if there are any visiting hours:
24/7
Entrance fees (if it applies): None
Type of memorial: Monument
Website pertaining to the memorial: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
*(1.)* Please submit a photo(s) taken by you of your visit to the location (non-copyrighted photos only). GPS photos are also accepted with the location in the background, and old vacation photos are accepted. If you are not able to provide a photo, then please describe your visit or give a story about the visit.
*(2.)* If you have additional information about the memorial which is not listed in the waymark description, please notify the waymark owner to have it added, and please post the information in your visit log.