A special program that recalls the Japanese invasion of Guam during World War II will be presented at War in the Pacific National Historical Park next month.

On December 10, 1941, Japanese troops invaded the U.S. territory of Guam.  After a brief but bloody battle at the Plaza de España, American Navy and Marine forces surrendered Guam to Japan.  American soil was under foreign occupation for the first time since the War of 1812.

Staff at the historical park will offer a special program to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Japanese invasion of Guam.  The program, Typhoon of War: Remembering the Invasion of Guam at 70 years, will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 10, at the historic Plaza de España in Hagåtña.

The program is presented in partnership with the 31st Guam Legislature, the Guam Museum, Guam Museum Foundation, Guam Preservation Trust, Pacific Historic Parks, Guam National Guard, and I Hila’ (Guam Storytellers) and will feature oral testimony from war survivors, audiovisual programs presented on a giant screen, photo displays, and a memorial to those who lost their lives. 

This event is an opportunity to explore the legacy of the shocking inauguration of World War II through the memory of our Manamko.  As the survivors and veterans pass away, the participants of World War II history pass on to the next generation the hope and promise to remember the events that changed their lives and the course of history.

Park staff invite you to join them in commemorating this historic milestone and honoring the enduring legacy of Guam’s World War II experience at the Plaza de España, Saturday, December 10.  The public is encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, flashlights, umbrellas, and insect repellant.  For more information, call 333-4050 or visit www.nps.gov/wapa