The War in the Pacific National Historical Park is a multi-unit protected area in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

territory of

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

, which was established in 1978 in honor of those who participated in the Pacific Theater of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Uniquely among the

National Park System The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

, it honors the bravery and sacrifices of all those who participated in the Pacific Theater. During World War II, Guam was captured by the Japanese forces in 1941, occupied for four years, and liberated by the Americans in 1944. The park includes former battlefields, gun emplacements, trenches, caves, and historic structures. The Park was also featured on the

Washington Quarter The Washington quarter is the present quarter dollar or 25-cent piece issued by the United States Mint. The coin was first struck in 1932; the original version was designed by sculptor John Flanagan. As the United States prepared to celebrate ...

in 2019 as a part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Series.

Components

The T. Stell Newman Visitor Center is located in Santa Rita, outside the gate of

Naval Base Guam Naval Base Guam is a strategic U.S. naval base located on Apra Harbor and occupying the Orote Peninsula. In 2009, it was combined with Andersen Air Force Base to form Joint Region Marianas, which is a Navy-controlled joint base. The Ship Repa ...

. The front of the Center displays Ha. 62-76 Japanese Midget Attack Submarine, an NRHP-listed item. The Park Headquarters itself is located in Hagåtña. Other units are largely areas significant to the American invasions on either side of the

Orote Peninsula The Orote Peninsula is a four kilometer-long peninsula jutting from the west coast of the United States territory of Guam. A major geologic feature of the island, it forms the southern coast of Apra Harbor and the northern coast of Agat Bay. Its t ...

in 1944. These are:

Northern units

There are four distinct park units related to the northern invasion beach.

Asan Beach Unit

This unit comprises land, surface, and subsurface assets from

Adelup Point Adelup Point is limestone promontory in Hagåtña, Guam that extends into the Philippine Sea and separates Asan Bay from Hagåtña Bay. It has been the site of the Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor's Complex since 1990. Adelup is therefore a metonym ...

in Hagåtña to Asan Point and the waters around the point in

Asan Asan () is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It borders the Seoul Capital Area to the north. Asan has a population of approximately 300,000. Asan is known for its many hot springs and is a city of spas. Asan has grown into th ...

Asan Invasion Beach The Asan Invasion Beach is a historic site in the village of Asan, Guam. The beaches of Asan were one of the landing sites of American forces in the 1944 Battle of Guam, in which the island was retaken from occupying Japanese forces. The designa ...

itself is an NRHP-listed asset, though there are many pillboxes, caves, and tunnels in this Unit. The Unit also includes: * the Liberator's Memorial, erected on the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Guam * two monuments in honor of

Apolinario Mabini Apolinario Mabini y Maranan (, July 23, 1864 – May 13, 1903) was a Filipino revolutionary leader, educator, lawyer, and statesman who served first as a legal and constitutional adviser to the Revolutionary Government, and then as the firs ...

and the Filipino insurrectionists of the Philippine–American War who were imprisoned at a prisoner of war camp located here in 1901. * the Monument for the

3rd Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry divisions in the Marine Corps and together with th ...

* the US Landing Monument

Asan Inland Unit

Including the NRHP-listed Matgue River Valley Battle Area and Asan Ridge Battle Area, this unit comprises areas of Asan-Maina and

Piti Piti may refer to: * Pīti, a mental factor in Buddhism * PITI, the principal, interest, taxes, and insurance sum of a mortgage payment * Piti (food), a soup dish of Central Asia * Piti (footballer) (born 1981), Spanish footballer * Piti, Guam * Pi ...

extending up towards

Nimitz Hill Nimitz Hill may refer to: * Nimitz Hill (geographic feature), a hill in Asan, Guam surrounded by the Nimitz Hill Annex census-designated place * Nimitz Hill (CDP), a census-designated place in Piti, Guam located adjacent to the Nimitz Hill Annex CDP ...

. It also includes the Asan Bay Overlook on Guam Highway 6 off

Nimitz Hill Annex Nimitz Hill Annex is a community and census-designated place (CDP) in Asan-Maina, Guam. It contains the geographic feature of Nimitz Hill, and is located immediately northeast of the Nimitz Hill CDP in Piti. In normal conversation, the Nimitz Hi ...

, which includes developed walkways, views, and sculptures. The Overlook also includes a Memorial Wall of Names for the 1,888 U.S. servicemen who died in the 1941 and 1944 battles, as well as the 1,170 people of Guam who died and the 14,721 people of Guam who suffered war atrocities.

Fonte Plateau Unit

Located in the

community, this Unit was the Japanese naval communications center. Following the battle, it temporarily became the Headquarters for Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Chester W. Nimitz.

Piti Guns Unit

The NRHP-listed

Piti Guns The Piti Guns or Piti Coastal Defense Guns is the site of three Vickers-type Model 3 coastal defense guns in the War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Piti, Guam. The Japanese manufactured these Model 3 coastal defense guns in 1914. Du ...

are the centerpiece of this Unit in the hills of Piti. A trail maintained by the Park leads from Highway 6 to the three coastal guns.

Southern units

Agat Unit

The Agat Unit on the south side of the Orote Peninsula comprises land, surface, and subsurface assets in Agat Bay and the villages of Agat, Guam and Santa Rita. It extends from Apaca Point south to Bangi Point, including Alutom Island. A park at Ga'an Point includes several defensive structures and two types of guns. NRHP-listed resources here include: * Agat Invasion Beach * Agat World War II Amtrac, located offshore * Hill 40, just inland of Bangi Point

Mt. Alifan Unit

The undeveloped Mount Alifan Unit was the high point used by the Japanese commander directing the defense of the Agat beaches.

References

External links

*Official NPS website
War in the Pacific National Historical Park
{{Authority control Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Guam National Historical Parks of the United States World War II on the National Register of Historic Places in Guam World War II memorials in the United States World War II museums in the United States Military and war museums in insular areas of the United States Museums in Guam Protected areas of Guam Protected areas established in 1978 1978 establishments in Guam Agat, Guam Asan-Maina, Guam Piti, Guam Guam Highway 1 Agat Bay