Blood Is Thicker Than Water: Liberating Guam *10

On July 30, General Geiger became aware of the Japanese withdrawal. He therefore issued plans to align American forces for the drive to the north. The 3rd Marine Division would drive up the western portion of the island while the 77th Infantry Division, under Maj. General Andrew D. Bruce, was designated to drive up eastern Guam. The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was assigned to patrol southern Guam. Assisting in these efforts were the civilian scouts, the war dogs, and later the Guam Combat Patrol.

"The native guides who accompanied many of the Marine and Army patrols during the campaign proper and the mop-up period performed invaluable service in ferreting out Japanese troops and equipment." ... Maj. O.R. Lodge, Recapture of Guam

For the first time in the Pacific, "devil dogs" were used as patrol messengers, guards, and for scouting out Japanese soldiers who hid out in Guam's caves and dense jungles.

Provisional War Dog Company Commander, Lt. William Taylor told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "No one can say how many lives they have saved. But we do know they have flushed a lot of snipers."

On 31 July, after two days of artillery fire preparation, the pivot move commenced with the 77th achieving Pago Bay by the end of the day after encountering only isolated and light enemy resistance.

CAMPS LIBERATED

During the same day, at Asinan, along the Pago River, the 307th Infantry liberated the concentration camp of 2,000 Chamorros and the next day the Americans liberated the larger concentration camp at Manengon.

"I was just climbing up a coconut tree when I hear this pssst, psst ... then I looked over the brush there was this big fellow, a white person, in camouflage uniform. ... He waved at me. So I just started walking over to him. ... Then I found that there was a whole bunch of them right behind him. I just couldn't appreciate anything more than that..."

"I thought it was really God-given, because our people are really suffering at that point and were running out of food and just about harvested everything that's edible in the jungle..." Rafael J.M. Reyes

"The first contact we had with the civilians came soon after we widened our perimeter to include the outskirts of the battered city of Agana.

"One day a radio message came back from one of our outposts: Twenty women, several babies, one cow, and a sewing machine coming through our lines." ... "More groups followed - old, gnarled men with sticks; crones with wispy white hair, lace dresses, and no shoes; young girls in mud-stained rags, carrying naked babies; little boys and girls holding onto each other's hands fearfully." ... "One woman had a tiny American flag that she had made on her sewing machine in a cave; it had seven red and white stripes and a field of blue, and was fashioned from a dress." ... Alvin M. Josephy, Jr., 3rd Marine Division

"The ex-captives were beside themselves with joy. Not knowing whether to kiss their liberators, bow to them, or shake hands with them, they tried to do all three at once. Many carried tiny American flags which they had hidden from the Japanese. ... The weary infantrymen were immensely moved by the joy of the natives as they passed back through the lines. Soldiers who had been complaining because their rations were low gave away what few cigarette they had. ... While watching the tiny children who carried huge baskets, and the women who trudged along with half their household possessions on their backs, the soldiers realized the meaning of liberation for these enslaved people." ... Guam Operations of the 77th Division

On 31 July, the Marines continued north. The 9th Marines, on the right, reached Ordot. The 21st Marines in the center took Sinajana. The 3d Marines, on the left, overran Agana which was not defended by the Japanese.

"So green in vegetation and so pretty a sight had Guam always been, now it was all burned. It had neither a tree, nor a coconut with leaves. All now was burned or destroyed by bullets and bombs. ... From our cave in Toguag which looked towards Agana, we saw the destruction of the town where we had our property." Don Pascual Artero

The next day, Aug. 1, the Marines continued to advance to the edge of the airfield at Tiyan with the 21st Marines reverting into reserve status.

Source

to be continued ... however, we are just about to wrap up Guam.