“Memorial to WWII Chamorro Wake Island defenders rededicated”
By Chloe B. Babauta
A memorial in honor of Chamorro defenders of Wake Island during World War II was rededicated on June 7, 2017.
The memorial was erected on Wake Island in 1991, three years after the surviving defenders from Guam were officially awarded prisoner of war medals.
“Memorials like these help us understand where we came from,” said Col. Frank A. Flores, commander of the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center on Wake Island. “They help us understand the sacrifices that those who went before us made, and they help us understand the sacrifices that we may have to make in the future.”
Over the past few decades, the memorial had eroded to the point where the names were unreadable. This year, the support center refurbished and rededicated the memorial to restore it to its original glory.
“Being a native of Guam, I am so proud to see what the people who have gone before me have done,” Flores said. “My father served in the Army, my grandparents told me stories about the sacrifices they made during the Japanese occupation of Guam, and seeing this memorial and being the commander of the PACAF Regional Support Center … for Wake Island, it made me very proud to do this and honor those brave sacrifices."
Before World War II began, 45 Chamorro men were employed by Pan American Airways at a facility on Wake Island, one of the stops of the company’s air service, according to Guampedia. Guam was also one of its stops. The men served as kitchen helpers, laborers and hotel service attendants. On Dec. 8, 1941, Japanese forces bombed the island, killing five of the men from Guam and wounding five others.
The remaining Chamorros joined the island’s garrison, commissioned by Wake Island’s American military commander to help defend the island, according to Guampedia.
On Dec. 11, 1941, the Chamorro defenders fought off the initial Japanese landing force. For 12 more days, the men held their ground until more Japanese troops arrived and took control over Wake.
Garrison members, including the 35 surviving Chamorros, were taken as prisoners of war, then tortured and incarcerated in a camp in Shanghai, China. Two of the men from Guam were later killed.
The 33 remaining Chamorros were later transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Osaka, Kobe, Japan, where they were imprisoned for the rest of the war.
Under Public Law 95-202, Congress granted the Guamanian Wake Island Defenders veteran status under the Navy on Jan. 22, 1982. On POW-MIA Day in 1988, the surviving Wake Island defenders from Guam were officially awarded their prisoner of war medals.
“I think it’s important that we honor the people that were here initially,” said Air Force Capt. Allen J. Jaime, who is stationed at the PACAF Regional Support Center. “Thirty-five of them had to stand up and say, without really thinking about it, ‘Hey, I’m an American, I’m gonna defend this land.’ And they did. That speaks volumes to the quality of people and the patriotism they displayed, so I think it’s only fair that we honor their lives.”
Rewritten from information published in the Pacific Daily News (Hagåtña, Guam) on June 15, 2017.
By Chloe B. Babauta
A memorial in honor of Chamorro defenders of Wake Island during World War II was rededicated on June 7, 2017.
The memorial was erected on Wake Island in 1991, three years after the surviving defenders from Guam were officially awarded prisoner of war medals.
“Memorials like these help us understand where we came from,” said Col. Frank A. Flores, commander of the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center on Wake Island. “They help us understand the sacrifices that those who went before us made, and they help us understand the sacrifices that we may have to make in the future.”
Over the past few decades, the memorial had eroded to the point where the names were unreadable. This year, the support center refurbished and rededicated the memorial to restore it to its original glory.
“Being a native of Guam, I am so proud to see what the people who have gone before me have done,” Flores said. “My father served in the Army, my grandparents told me stories about the sacrifices they made during the Japanese occupation of Guam, and seeing this memorial and being the commander of the PACAF Regional Support Center … for Wake Island, it made me very proud to do this and honor those brave sacrifices."
Before World War II began, 45 Chamorro men were employed by Pan American Airways at a facility on Wake Island, one of the stops of the company’s air service, according to Guampedia. Guam was also one of its stops. The men served as kitchen helpers, laborers and hotel service attendants. On Dec. 8, 1941, Japanese forces bombed the island, killing five of the men from Guam and wounding five others.
The remaining Chamorros joined the island’s garrison, commissioned by Wake Island’s American military commander to help defend the island, according to Guampedia.
On Dec. 11, 1941, the Chamorro defenders fought off the initial Japanese landing force. For 12 more days, the men held their ground until more Japanese troops arrived and took control over Wake.
Garrison members, including the 35 surviving Chamorros, were taken as prisoners of war, then tortured and incarcerated in a camp in Shanghai, China. Two of the men from Guam were later killed.
The 33 remaining Chamorros were later transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Osaka, Kobe, Japan, where they were imprisoned for the rest of the war.
Under Public Law 95-202, Congress granted the Guamanian Wake Island Defenders veteran status under the Navy on Jan. 22, 1982. On POW-MIA Day in 1988, the surviving Wake Island defenders from Guam were officially awarded their prisoner of war medals.
“I think it’s important that we honor the people that were here initially,” said Air Force Capt. Allen J. Jaime, who is stationed at the PACAF Regional Support Center. “Thirty-five of them had to stand up and say, without really thinking about it, ‘Hey, I’m an American, I’m gonna defend this land.’ And they did. That speaks volumes to the quality of people and the patriotism they displayed, so I think it’s only fair that we honor their lives.”
Rewritten from information published in the Pacific Daily News (Hagåtña, Guam) on June 15, 2017.
“Memorial to WWII Chamorro Wake Island defenders rededicated”
By Chloe B. Babauta
A memorial in honor of Chamorro defenders of Wake Island during World War II was rededicated on June 7, 2017.
The memorial was erected on Wake Island in 1991, three years after the surviving defenders from Guam were officially awarded prisoner of war medals.
“Memorials like these help us understand where we came from,” said Col. Frank A. Flores, commander of the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center on Wake Island. “They help us understand the sacrifices that those who went before us made, and they help us understand the sacrifices that we may have to make in the future.”
Over the past few decades, the memorial had eroded to the point where the names were unreadable. This year, the support center refurbished and rededicated the memorial to restore it to its original glory.
“Being a native of Guam, I am so proud to see what the people who have gone before me have done,” Flores said. “My father served in the Army, my grandparents told me stories about the sacrifices they made during the Japanese occupation of Guam, and seeing this memorial and being the commander of the PACAF Regional Support Center … for Wake Island, it made me very proud to do this and honor those brave sacrifices."
Before World War II began, 45 Chamorro men were employed by Pan American Airways at a facility on Wake Island, one of the stops of the company’s air service, according to Guampedia. Guam was also one of its stops. The men served as kitchen helpers, laborers and hotel service attendants. On Dec. 8, 1941, Japanese forces bombed the island, killing five of the men from Guam and wounding five others.
The remaining Chamorros joined the island’s garrison, commissioned by Wake Island’s American military commander to help defend the island, according to Guampedia.
On Dec. 11, 1941, the Chamorro defenders fought off the initial Japanese landing force. For 12 more days, the men held their ground until more Japanese troops arrived and took control over Wake.
Garrison members, including the 35 surviving Chamorros, were taken as prisoners of war, then tortured and incarcerated in a camp in Shanghai, China. Two of the men from Guam were later killed.
The 33 remaining Chamorros were later transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Osaka, Kobe, Japan, where they were imprisoned for the rest of the war.
Under Public Law 95-202, Congress granted the Guamanian Wake Island Defenders veteran status under the Navy on Jan. 22, 1982. On POW-MIA Day in 1988, the surviving Wake Island defenders from Guam were officially awarded their prisoner of war medals.
“I think it’s important that we honor the people that were here initially,” said Air Force Capt. Allen J. Jaime, who is stationed at the PACAF Regional Support Center. “Thirty-five of them had to stand up and say, without really thinking about it, ‘Hey, I’m an American, I’m gonna defend this land.’ And they did. That speaks volumes to the quality of people and the patriotism they displayed, so I think it’s only fair that we honor their lives.”
Rewritten from information published in the Pacific Daily News (Hagåtña, Guam) on June 15, 2017.
By Chloe B. Babauta
A memorial in honor of Chamorro defenders of Wake Island during World War II was rededicated on June 7, 2017.
The memorial was erected on Wake Island in 1991, three years after the surviving defenders from Guam were officially awarded prisoner of war medals.
“Memorials like these help us understand where we came from,” said Col. Frank A. Flores, commander of the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center on Wake Island. “They help us understand the sacrifices that those who went before us made, and they help us understand the sacrifices that we may have to make in the future.”
Over the past few decades, the memorial had eroded to the point where the names were unreadable. This year, the support center refurbished and rededicated the memorial to restore it to its original glory.
“Being a native of Guam, I am so proud to see what the people who have gone before me have done,” Flores said. “My father served in the Army, my grandparents told me stories about the sacrifices they made during the Japanese occupation of Guam, and seeing this memorial and being the commander of the PACAF Regional Support Center … for Wake Island, it made me very proud to do this and honor those brave sacrifices."
Before World War II began, 45 Chamorro men were employed by Pan American Airways at a facility on Wake Island, one of the stops of the company’s air service, according to Guampedia. Guam was also one of its stops. The men served as kitchen helpers, laborers and hotel service attendants. On Dec. 8, 1941, Japanese forces bombed the island, killing five of the men from Guam and wounding five others.
The remaining Chamorros joined the island’s garrison, commissioned by Wake Island’s American military commander to help defend the island, according to Guampedia.
On Dec. 11, 1941, the Chamorro defenders fought off the initial Japanese landing force. For 12 more days, the men held their ground until more Japanese troops arrived and took control over Wake.
Garrison members, including the 35 surviving Chamorros, were taken as prisoners of war, then tortured and incarcerated in a camp in Shanghai, China. Two of the men from Guam were later killed.
The 33 remaining Chamorros were later transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Osaka, Kobe, Japan, where they were imprisoned for the rest of the war.
Under Public Law 95-202, Congress granted the Guamanian Wake Island Defenders veteran status under the Navy on Jan. 22, 1982. On POW-MIA Day in 1988, the surviving Wake Island defenders from Guam were officially awarded their prisoner of war medals.
“I think it’s important that we honor the people that were here initially,” said Air Force Capt. Allen J. Jaime, who is stationed at the PACAF Regional Support Center. “Thirty-five of them had to stand up and say, without really thinking about it, ‘Hey, I’m an American, I’m gonna defend this land.’ And they did. That speaks volumes to the quality of people and the patriotism they displayed, so I think it’s only fair that we honor their lives.”
Rewritten from information published in the Pacific Daily News (Hagåtña, Guam) on June 15, 2017.
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