After years of suffering, a three-week battle ended Japanese occupation of Guam

Editor's Note: Marked with celebrations and solemn memorials, the annual Liberation Day commemoration has been enjoyed by generations of Guam residents. This year, because of COVID-19 restrictions, the large-scale gatherings will be replaced by quiet reflection at home. Through July 21, Pacific Daily News will be examining the history and events that make up the liberation commemoration.

Although the Battle of Guam officially lasted for 21 days, those were the final three weeks in a brutal military occupation that CHamorus had endured for more than 2-1/2 years.

In the months and weeks immediately before the Americans invaded Guam, life got significantly harder for the CHamorus on the island.

From the initial occupation of the island until early 1944, the Japanese Navy and a civil administration managed government affairs on Guam. But in April 1944, the Japanese Army returned to defend the island against an American invasion.

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Massive forced labor of CHamorus began, according to the book "World War II Remnants, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands" by Dave Lotz.

American photo reconnaissance of Guam began later in April 1944, with U.S. aircraft bombing the island. The bombing and recognizance continued through June 6. That's when the Americans turned most of their attention to Saipan, and the lengthy battle in the Northern Marianas disrupted the plan for the recapture of Guam.

Guam invasion force sent away

Meanwhile, the Guam invasion force, packed in ships and waiting to fight here, was sent back to Eniwetok on June 25 because of the delay. Eniwetok, in the Marshall Islands, was used as a staging area for troops. Wartime reports from Commander-in-Chief Pacific Headquarters noted the disruption was used for preparation and planning, and "an attempt was made to land as many troops daily for exercise and recreation as the limited area of the islands at Eniwetok would permit," the report stated. "This delay resulted in keeping troops aboard ships for as many as 50 days with only brief times ashore."

As a result, "the combat efficiency of the troops suffered somewhat," the report stated.

 U.S. Marine Corps publication "The Recapture of Guam." described life for the men crammed into the hot landing ships as they waited to go to battle: "Quarters were in crowded holds. The tropical sun beating down on the steel decks turned the troop compartments into infernos. Sleeping proved difficult if not impossible ... heat rash prevailed." They didn't head back to Guam until July 15.

Civilians ordered to concentration camps

Victory was declared on Saipan on July 9, and the following day the Japanese commander on Guam ordered all civilians to be moved to concentration camps. While families were marching toward Menengon, U.S. Navy radioman George Tweed, who had been hidden with the help of CHamorus since the beginning of the war, was able to send a signal to the USS McCall. A small boat was sent to the shore, and Tweed was rescued.

In their hunt for Tweed, on July 8 the Japanese had taken Father Jesus Baza Duenas to be tortured and interrogated. On July 12, two days after Tweed was rescued, Duenas was taken to Tai Mangilao and executed along with his nephew Eduardo Duenas and Juan Pangelinan.

At this point, killings of civilians became frequent.

Civilians massacred in final days of occupation

On July 15, 1944, 30 villagers from Merizo were rounded up and sent to a cave in the Tinta area of Merizo. Three women and 13 men were killed. Manuel Charfauros, one of the survivors of the Tinta massacre, described the desperate situation in Merizo in Tony Palomo's book, "An Island in Agony."

He said the 30 were told they were being selected for a work detail, and they were brought to the cave.

"A chill of fear stirred the roots of my hair as I sensed imminent danger," Charfauros said. "Just as I thought of escaping, the Japanese officer threw a hand grenade which exploded on my left, on the other side of the ditch."

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Using swords and bayonets and more hand grenades, the soldiers assaulted the civilians.

"Those who had survived the grenades pulled the bodies of the dead and wounded over their own for protection and in that way survived the butchering."

Gathered for work details, slaughtered in caves

The following day, the Japanese gathered another group for a work detail and took them to a cave in Faha. This time, there were no survivors.

On July 19, 1944, more than 30 CHamoru civilians, selected as members of a work party, were executed in the Fena area by Japanese soldiers.

On July 20, the Japanese gathered a group of 11 people in Agana. One by one, they forced them to kneel by the side of a crater, then slashed their necks with bayonets before tossing them into a shallow grave. Amazingly, two youngsters - 16-year-old Juan Cabrera and 14-year-old Beatrice Flores (Emsley) escaped the grave and eventually recovered from their wounds.

Also on July 20, a group of men in Merizo staged an uprising against their Japanese guards. 

'Liberate this former American bastion from the enemy'

On the morning of July 21, aboard the ships carrying more than 50,000 troops who would liberate the island from the Japanese, a message was relayed from Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Roy Geiger, according to the 1988 book "The Liberation of Guam."

"The eyes of a nation watch you as you go into battle to liberate this former American bastion from the enemy. Make no mistake, it will be a tough, bitter fight against a wily, stubborn foe who will doggedly defend Guam against this invasion. May the glorious traditions of the Marine esprit de corps spur you to victory. You have been honored."

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Marines landed in Asan and Agat, followed by members of the Army's 77th Infantry Division, who landed in Agat.

By the following day, Mount Alifan overlooking Agat was captured. By July 25, refugee camps in Asan and Agat had opened for the sick, starving and wounded CHamorus. Japanese abandoned the concentration camps on July 27.

On July 29, Marines completed the capture of Orote Peninsula and Fonte Plateau. 

On July 31, the Marines captured Agana, while the 77th Infantry Division reached the east coast of the island. 

The final battles

On Aug. 1, Americans took over Manengon, and on Aug. 2, the U.S. Army fought the Battle of Barrigada.

The Japanese were being pushed further north, and on Aug. 5, the Marines fought in the Battle of Finegayan.

On Aug. 8, Marines in Yigo discovered the massacre at Chagui'an. 

On Aug. 10, Guam was declared secure, although a final assault occurred the following day at Mataguac.

Guam became a military stronghold for the Americans, and a year later, the Japanese surrendered on the USS Missouri, ending the war.

But for the people of Guam, the end of the war was the beginning of a long period of rebuilding, the quest for citizenship and political recognition, and justice for their suffering. 

This article originally appeared on Pacific Daily News: After years of suffering, a three-week battle ended Japanese occupation of Guam