| Orote Peninsula and Naval Base Guam Part V |
| War Dog Memorial These animals held a rank in the United States Marine Corps...and earned it in battle. |
Mrs. Elizabeth Putney, whose
husband William Putney trained
war dogs during WWII while a
Marine Officer and later led the
push to found the War Dog
Memorial on Guam,
visits the War Dog Memorial
during a trip to Guam in
December of 2003. The center
piece to this circle of revered
canine graves is a bronze statue
of a Doberman Pinscer, alert and
watchful. The sculpture is
named, appropriately, "Always
Faithful."
husband William Putney trained
war dogs during WWII while a
Marine Officer and later led the
push to found the War Dog
Memorial on Guam,
visits the War Dog Memorial
during a trip to Guam in
December of 2003. The center
piece to this circle of revered
canine graves is a bronze statue
of a Doberman Pinscer, alert and
watchful. The sculpture is
named, appropriately, "Always
Faithful."
(Left) The granite base "Always Faithful" rests upon lists the
names of all the war dogs killed on Guam in WWII. All but
Tam were buried on the island, but not at this location (Tam
was buried at sea). All are memorialized here. Their story can
be read in Wm. Putney's book "Always Faithful".
names of all the war dogs killed on Guam in WWII. All but
Tam were buried on the island, but not at this location (Tam
was buried at sea). All are memorialized here. Their story can
be read in Wm. Putney's book "Always Faithful".
(Left and above) Two images from Guam of these magnificent
animals on duty. In the photo at left, Peppy came very close to
being one of the dogs listed on the memorial, but somehow
managed to find his way back to base and surive. The modern
Military Working Dogs (MWD) in all services look back to these
literal dogs of war. Even today the handlers of modern MWDs
become as attached to their four-legged partners as did the
WWII handlers. Just look at the Marine's face in the left photo
for proof of this unique relationship. Both photos are courtesy
the Naval Base Guam Museum.
animals on duty. In the photo at left, Peppy came very close to
being one of the dogs listed on the memorial, but somehow
managed to find his way back to base and surive. The modern
Military Working Dogs (MWD) in all services look back to these
literal dogs of war. Even today the handlers of modern MWDs
become as attached to their four-legged partners as did the
WWII handlers. Just look at the Marine's face in the left photo
for proof of this unique relationship. Both photos are courtesy
the Naval Base Guam Museum.
| Sumay Village Literally wiped off the map during the 1944 Liberation. |
At one time Sumay was the largest village on Guam. It could have easily been the island's capital.
Sumay was heavily damaged during the Japanese invasion of 1941, but survived. However, the U.S.
pre-Liberation bombardment destroyed most of the village, which had the bad luck to be seated
right on the prime harbor facilities and next to the Japanese airfield. Sumay is remembered today
byt the name of Sumay Cove, where the Naval Base's marina sits, a marker at the site of the old
parish church, and the only structure left from the village--the cemetery.
Sumay was heavily damaged during the Japanese invasion of 1941, but survived. However, the U.S.
pre-Liberation bombardment destroyed most of the village, which had the bad luck to be seated
right on the prime harbor facilities and next to the Japanese airfield. Sumay is remembered today
byt the name of Sumay Cove, where the Naval Base's marina sits, a marker at the site of the old
parish church, and the only structure left from the village--the cemetery.
Both of these photos were taken sometime during the
1930's. The view at right shows the village looking
north-west to Cabras Island long before it was
connected to the mainland to enclose the harbor.
Below is the parish church. Both photos courtesy of
the Naval Base Guam Musuem.
1930's. The view at right shows the village looking
north-west to Cabras Island long before it was
connected to the mainland to enclose the harbor.
Below is the parish church. Both photos courtesy of
the Naval Base Guam Musuem.
(Above and right) This is Sumay. Only the scars
of old sidewalks and foundations remain. The
cross in the photo sits at roughly the same spot
as the cross in the photo from the 1930's, but is
not the same cross. If you recall the section on
the Japanese caves in the Sumay cliffs, those
caves would be a little under a hundred yards
out of the above photo's left side.
2 Aug 2004.
of old sidewalks and foundations remain. The
cross in the photo sits at roughly the same spot
as the cross in the photo from the 1930's, but is
not the same cross. If you recall the section on
the Japanese caves in the Sumay cliffs, those
caves would be a little under a hundred yards
out of the above photo's left side.
2 Aug 2004.
(Above and right) The Sumay Cemetery. The Naval Base Guam
Museum has dozens of headstones and headstone fragments that were
ejected from here during the Liberation of 1944. Unfortunately, there
is no way to identify where in this cemetery the graves are. The
broken cross at upper right--was it struck down by American artillery
in 1944, or is a newer marker that weather has snapped in two?
(Below) Past this lonely, broekn cross you can see the absence of grave
markers--evidence of where the majority of American shells landed
here 60 years ago.
2 Aug 2004.
Museum has dozens of headstones and headstone fragments that were
ejected from here during the Liberation of 1944. Unfortunately, there
is no way to identify where in this cemetery the graves are. The
broken cross at upper right--was it struck down by American artillery
in 1944, or is a newer marker that weather has snapped in two?
(Below) Past this lonely, broekn cross you can see the absence of grave
markers--evidence of where the majority of American shells landed
here 60 years ago.
2 Aug 2004.
