Wreath Laying Ceremony Commemorates 62nd Anniversary of the Liberation of Guam and Battle for the Northern Marianas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—July 11, 2006—Washington, D.C. —

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo, joined by the Honorable Pedro A. Tenorio, Resident Representative of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted a wreath laying ceremony today at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the 62nd Anniversary of the Liberation of Guam and the Battle for the Northern Marianas.  The solemn commemoration honored those Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, and Airmen who fought to liberate Guam during the Second World War and the Chamorros who endured the occupation.

“Guam’s Liberation is one of the most significant events in our island’s history.   We honor and commemorate the sacrifices made by of the people of Guam during World War II and those made by the brave members of the U.S. Armed Forces who fought to reinstate our freedoms,” Bordallo stated.  "We hold in humble gratitude the memories of those who lost their lives to restore freedom and democracy to Guam.”  The Congresswoman added, “I offer my sincere thanks to my distinguished colleagues and guests who attended the ceremony today.”

Soldiers of the 3^rd United States Infantry Regiment, “The Old Guard,” performed today's ceremony.  The commemoration began with the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns and a subsequent March on of the Honor Guard.  Congresswoman Bordallo, Resident Representative Tenorio, and General Pace, escorted by the Old Guard Commander, Colonel Robert Precone, subsequently performed the laying of the wreath at which time a lone “Old Guard” bugler sounded Taps.  The ceremony concluded with the Retirement of the Colors.  Ensign Joe Brown, U.S. Navy; Command Master Sergeant David Duenas, U.S. Air Force; Petty Officer 2^nd Class David San Luis, U.S. Navy; Lance Corporal Alvin Tagabuel, U.S. Marine Corps; and MIDN Caroline Lynch, Class of 2008, U.S. Naval Academy, made up a distinguished military detail representing men and women from Guam and the CNMI serving in our nation’s Armed Forces.  The detail carried the Guam and CNMI flags during the ceremony.

Distinguished guests at the ceremony included Congresswoman Donna Christensen of the Virgin Islands; Major General David F. Bice, Inspector General of the U.S. Marine Corps; Mr. Nikolao Pula, Director of the Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior; Mr. Wayne Arny, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Installations and Facilities, Department of the Navy; His Excellency Jesse B. Marehalau, Ambassador to the United States for the Federated States of Micronesia; His Excellenecy Hersey Kyota, Ambassador to the United States for the Republic of Palau; Mr. Evan Garcia, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines; Ms. Kristina Stege, First Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands; Commodore Patrick Williams, New Zealand Defense Attaché; Air Commodore Graham Bentley, Australian Air Attaché; and Ms. Risha Aguon, Miss Guam Tourism 2006, representing the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB), and Captain Cyril O’Brien, USMC Retired and Veteran of the 3^rd Marine Division Association.  The ceremony was also attended by members of the Guam Society of America.

The Liberation of Guam and the Battle for the Northern Marianas were historic turning points in the Pacific Theatre during World War II and are remembered by the people of both territories as defining events of the 20th century.  On June 15, 1944, the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions and the 27th Army Infantry Division fought tirelessly in the Northern Marianas to establish a base from which to strike the Japanese homeland and to ensure an enduring future for the people of the Northern Marianas.  Almost a week later, units of the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force and the 77th Army Infantry Division liberated the people of Guam, who had persevered through 32 months of enemy occupation.

Photo 1: Rep. Pedro Tenorio and Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo at the Laying of the Wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

Photo 2:  L-R His Excellency Jesse B. Marehalau, FSM Ambassador, Congresswoman Bordallo, Rep. Pedro A. Tenorio and General Peter Pace after the Wreath Laying Ceremony.

Photo 3:  March On of the Honor Guard

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Contact:  Alicia Chon in Washington, D.C. at (202) 225-1188 or Joseph E. Duenas at (671) 477-4272/4.

www.house.gov/bordallo

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