| Liberation + 60 Years 21 July 1944 - 21 July 2004 |
The Joint Service Color Guard marches the Colors down Marine Corps Drive to open the 60th Annual
Liberation Day Parade.
Liberation Day Parade.
The day's remembrances began with a breakfast for the returning veterans and their families at Top Of The Mar,
a Navy club atop Nimitz Hill with a commanding view of Apra Harbor. Referred to as "Liberators", the vets of
the Battle of Guam are a much-loved group. The Chamorro people have a strong cultural memory of the
occupation and its brutality. Whatever course Guam's native folks might have taken otherwise, WWII intervened
and strongly welded them to the United States. For sixty years there have been grievances, arguments, disputes,
and contention between Guam and the Federal Government, but through it all Guam has remained a staunch part
of the American community. As one of the only pieces of American soil occupied by the enemy (the other being
the Philippine islands and some of the Aleutians in Alaska), the Chamorros got a stark, harsh look at the
oppression of a racists, militant empire.
The Chamorro resistance had a secret song they would sing, a song banned by the Japanese. It sprang up almost
as soon as the Japanese invaded. The refrain was longing, full of hope and grief and a simple wish: "Sam, Sam,
my dear Uncle Sam, won't you please come back to Guam?"
a Navy club atop Nimitz Hill with a commanding view of Apra Harbor. Referred to as "Liberators", the vets of
the Battle of Guam are a much-loved group. The Chamorro people have a strong cultural memory of the
occupation and its brutality. Whatever course Guam's native folks might have taken otherwise, WWII intervened
and strongly welded them to the United States. For sixty years there have been grievances, arguments, disputes,
and contention between Guam and the Federal Government, but through it all Guam has remained a staunch part
of the American community. As one of the only pieces of American soil occupied by the enemy (the other being
the Philippine islands and some of the Aleutians in Alaska), the Chamorros got a stark, harsh look at the
oppression of a racists, militant empire.
The Chamorro resistance had a secret song they would sing, a song banned by the Japanese. It sprang up almost
as soon as the Japanese invaded. The refrain was longing, full of hope and grief and a simple wish: "Sam, Sam,
my dear Uncle Sam, won't you please come back to Guam?"
Rear Admiral Arthur Johnson, Commander, Navy
Region Marianas; Admiral Thomas B. Fargo,
Commander, Pacific Command; Mr. George
Christobol and retired Marine Colonel Fraser West,
both veterans of the Battle of Guam; and Major
General Dennis R. Larsen, Commander 13th Air Force
pose during a breakfast honoring the veterans of the
1944 battle. Below Mr. Christobol and Col. West
recount their stories to Col. West's daughter.
Region Marianas; Admiral Thomas B. Fargo,
Commander, Pacific Command; Mr. George
Christobol and retired Marine Colonel Fraser West,
both veterans of the Battle of Guam; and Major
General Dennis R. Larsen, Commander 13th Air Force
pose during a breakfast honoring the veterans of the
1944 battle. Below Mr. Christobol and Col. West
recount their stories to Col. West's daughter.
(Left) Myself with Mr. Christobol and Col. West.
Although they both landed at Asan Beach on July 21,
1944, neither gentleman met the other until 60 years
later at this breakfast on July 21, 2004.
Col. West commanded G Company. He told a story of
investigating a loan carabao and cart tied to a surviving
palm tree on Asan Beach. Even after his men warned
him it might be a Japanese booby trap, he checked it out
anyway. The carabao's cart was full of Japanese liquor.
Capt. Louis Wilson (later USMC Commandant) made a
similar find elsewhere. However, unlike then-Capt. West,
Wilson did not have his men hide the stash in their packs,
and one of the American generals made Wilson dump all
his men's alcohol. West said he ribbed Wilson mercilessly
about that.
Although they both landed at Asan Beach on July 21,
1944, neither gentleman met the other until 60 years
later at this breakfast on July 21, 2004.
Col. West commanded G Company. He told a story of
investigating a loan carabao and cart tied to a surviving
palm tree on Asan Beach. Even after his men warned
him it might be a Japanese booby trap, he checked it out
anyway. The carabao's cart was full of Japanese liquor.
Capt. Louis Wilson (later USMC Commandant) made a
similar find elsewhere. However, unlike then-Capt. West,
Wilson did not have his men hide the stash in their packs,
and one of the American generals made Wilson dump all
his men's alcohol. West said he ribbed Wilson mercilessly
about that.
Admiral Fargo and the Honorable Felix Camacho, Governor of Guam, hold up a
flag presented to Gov. Camacho. This flag was sewn inside a pillow for the
nearly three years of Japanese occupation. Even after the war, the family never
unfurled it for 60 years until this day. This photo shows the flag unfurled for the
first time in over half a century.
flag presented to Gov. Camacho. This flag was sewn inside a pillow for the
nearly three years of Japanese occupation. Even after the war, the family never
unfurled it for 60 years until this day. This photo shows the flag unfurled for the
first time in over half a century.
Gov. and Mrs. Camacho, Admiral Fargo, Major General Dennis R. Larsen,
Commander, 13th Air Force; and Rear Admiral Johnson join territorial dignitaries
and other officers on the reviewing stand for the Liberation Day parade. Up in the
shade, behind these officials, the veterans were seated in a place of honor...and
relative comfort. The day was about 90 degrees with high humidity.
Commander, 13th Air Force; and Rear Admiral Johnson join territorial dignitaries
and other officers on the reviewing stand for the Liberation Day parade. Up in the
shade, behind these officials, the veterans were seated in a place of honor...and
relative comfort. The day was about 90 degrees with high humidity.
A Boeing B-52 StratoFortress bomber from Andersen Air
Force Base performs a fly-by at the start of the parade
just after the colors were presented.
This aircraft's most famous WWII ancestor, the Boeing
B-29 SuperFortress, flew thousands of missions from
Guam, Tinian and Saipan to pound Japan's home islands
into surrender. Many of them crashed on take off or
landing, and hundreds of American airmen died in these
wrecks. The debris of two of these wrecks can still be
found up at the old North and North West Fields, both of
which now make up Andersen AFB.
Force Base performs a fly-by at the start of the parade
just after the colors were presented.
This aircraft's most famous WWII ancestor, the Boeing
B-29 SuperFortress, flew thousands of missions from
Guam, Tinian and Saipan to pound Japan's home islands
into surrender. Many of them crashed on take off or
landing, and hundreds of American airmen died in these
wrecks. The debris of two of these wrecks can still be
found up at the old North and North West Fields, both of
which now make up Andersen AFB.