God bless the USA!
Trip Start
Jan 10, 2008
1
17
38
Trip End
Apr 22, 2008
Guam,
Micronesia
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Guam is about 23 miles long, 4-8 miles in width & covers about 220 sq. miles with luxury hotels, sandy beaches, excellent diving, submerged wrecks, Spanish ruins & modern shopping centers. It also has the largest permanent military base outside the continental U.S. (scheduled to increase by thousands more personnel). Guam is part of the northern Mariana Islands & is Micronesia's largest & most populated island.
Guam was twice the scene of combat during WW11-first when the Japanese invaded in 1941 & again when American forces liberated the island in 1944 resulting in 18,000 Jap. killed & 8,000 U.S. troops killed & wounded.
I did a home exchange 3 yrs. ago with Tom and Nining. They came to San Diego & I stayed at their 2nd home in Bali. Their primary home is in Guam. After an hour of shopping at K Mart, Tom arrived, took me on a short drive across the island where he showed me numerous points of interest & drove around the Univ. of Guam, where Tom is a professor. Nining was at work & unable to join us but arranged a much needed visit for me at her hairdresser. Thank you!
Tom met me at the salon & drove me back to port. We chatted at length about the latest news in Bali, Guam & San Diego. Tom plans to return to San Diego some day & I know my footsteps will lead me to Bali again. So, thank you Tom, for a memorable visit to Guam.
We left Guam Mon. & sailed across the Philippine Sea Tues. & Wed. to Iwo Jima, a hallowed ground where many thousands of men lost their lives. 100,000 American soldiers battled on this small island for 36 days during WW11. It was here where 6 Marines were photographed raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi, an extinct volcano. When the flag was raised, cries of joy could be heard all over the island from our soldiers. The flag raising has come to symbolize the spirit of all the Marines who have given their lives in defense of our country.
We approached Iwo Jima about noon Wed. The seas were calm, the day warm & balmy. We were amazed at the size of the island, only 5 miles long and 2-1/2 miles wide. Iwo Jima was not only vital to the Jap. in WW11 to defend their homeland but also of strategic importance to the American forces, who needed an airfield at this half-way point for wounded American soldiers returning to Saipan & Guam.
On Feb. 19, 1945, U.S. Marines stormed the black sand beaches only to face well entrenched Jap. hiding in caves, bunkers & trenches. 26,000 Americans were killed (1 of every 3). 21,000 Jap. were killed because they would not surrender, considered a disgrace in Japan. Thousands of Jap. are still entombed on the island but the remains of our soldiers were relocated to Punchbowl Cemetery in Hawaii.
As our ship slowly sailed back & forth close to the beach, the onboard Catholic Priest, our Captain, a lecturer whose father fought on Iwo Jima & a Veteran of the Pacific all conducted a very poignant ceremony. A wreath was then tossed by a 95 yr. old Veteran who fought on Rabaul. I proudly held my little American flags. It was a moment I will never forget.
Immediately after the ceremony, there was a flyover for about 10 mins. of 2 MIG jets. We were impressed that Princess would arrange this recognition. Hours later we were told that these were two Jap. planes who flew from Japan to check us out.
As I said, the day was warm & balmy, not a cloud in the sky & calm water. However, at 3:00, we were in stormy weather-cold, violent seas & thunderous rain. At dinner, an announcement was made that anyone who had to use an elevator should leave as all elevators would be shut down in 20 mins. The dining room practically emptied.
It is 3:30 pm onboard Thurs., 10:30 pm Wed. Pacific time. We are enroute to Kagoshima, Japan where we will arrive tomorrow, hours late because of the rough weather.
Linda
