In the Pacific

The Memorial Wall of Names includes the names of the 1,880 U.S. servicemen who died on Guam during World War II as well as the 1,170 people of Guam who died during the war and the 14,721 who suffered atrocities during the occupation and battles.

Assan Beach, the 2,500-yard shoreline stretching between Punta Adilok (Adelup Point) and Punta Assan (Asan Point), which the Marines in World War II called a "pair of devil horns," is a poignant symbol of the Guam's complex history, blending indigenous CHamoru traditions, wartime struggle, and ongoing military presence. In many ways, the story of Guam can be read through the story of Assan Beach. Talk a walk through history at Assan Beach.

Fonte Plateau was a strategic location during the Battle of Guam. Home to a fortified Japanese naval communications base, the battle for control over Fonte Plateau was costly and pivotal. After days of fighting, US troops gained control of the position—forcing the Japanese Army's retreat.

The U.S. Landing Monument commemorates the 1944 American liberation of Guam, one of the most intense and costliest battles of the Pacific. It is located at the spot where the 21st U.S. Marines landed on Assan Beach.

During the Japanese occupation of Guam, CHamoru were forced to build defenses on the beach, including the pillboxes and bunkers that can still be seen today, in preparation for the American invasion. That invasion came on July 21, 1944, W Day for Guam. While a simultaneous attack took place five miles south at Hågat, the Third Marine Division landed on the 2,500-yard Assan Beach, marking the start of the Battle of Guam.

Above the village of Piti, sit three large Japanese Vickers-type Model 3 140mm coastal defense guns, the remains of hastily constructed fortifications build on the eve of the American invasion of Guam. As the Americans conquered more and more territory in the Pacific, the Japanese forced the CHamoru to build fortifications and install artillery and costal defense guns on Guam under brutal conditions. 

In front of the T. Stell Newman Visitor Center at War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam stands the last Type-C Japanese midget submarine in existence.

Completed in 1994 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Guam, the Asan Bay Overlook serves as a memorial to those that lost their lives or suffered atrocities during the World War II. The overlook features beautiful views of the seaside villages of Asan and Piti and an aerial perspective of the landing beaches used by Marines during the battle.

The Sons of Guam Pearl Harbor Memorial honors the twelve CHamoru men killed aboard the USS Arizona, USS West Virginia, USS Nevada, and the USS Oklahoma when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

The Marines, Army, and Coast Guard weren’t the only branches of the military to serve during the Battle of Guam. Three platoons of war dogs also played a part in liberating Guam!