Guam and the NMI (Pt. 3)
There was a vast difference between the northern and southern half of Guam. Villages in the northern half were becoming updated communities, many villagers enjoyed the comforts of modern living; AC, concrete/hollow tile (to withstand the typhoons) track-style developments. The southern half, however, retained the charm of island living; tied-down tin roof, single wall wooden structure, sand/dirt driveway and a yard bursting with fruit bearing trees and plants, chickens running amok…like “plantation camp” living, on the beach…and yes, these homes were very weather vulnerable. The biggest difference however, is how they lived; in some cases: northerners, grabbed their keys, jumped in their truck and drove to shop or buy dinner; southerners grabbed their gear, jumped into their boat and went fishing or diving for dinner.
Scouting on Guam was no different than Scouting in Hawaii, or anywhere else for that matter. The boys were Scouts just like…Scouts; skilled in the same knots, lashing, first-aid, camping, hiking, leadership and being mischievous…WE had a lot of fun. I say we, because all the previous island Scouting execs were mature (50+) guys who usually hung out with the adults, once the boys realized I was just like them (mentally, at 26), it was playtime! Meetings, events, and camping or hiking in the jungle or along the shoreline…we had fun!
Exploring the island (Boonie stomping) on open weekends (few and far between) provided some very historical and educational romps through the bush. Nature slowly erased the scars of war on land, but still visible in the reef were shell craters from the relentless bombardment of US ships. Japanese forces occupied Guam in 1941, and entrenched themselves well on the island; a honeycomb of natural shafts in the coral along the shorelines and in the jungle were employed as underground passages, and often, caves were windows for a vast web of corridors that stretched for good distance along the shoreline or cliff line. Openings in the coral disguised entrances/exits to tunnels that lead to another entrance/exit, sometimes the passage descended below the high tide line, therefore soldiers would have had to swim under water to exit/escape out the other side. Their outposts, gun nests, bunkers, staging areas and hospitals took advantage of the geology and were built into and well hidden within the environment; as opposed to the American forces who dumped globs of concrete on the landscape.
Off-roading was a favorite past time for thrill seekers, the muddier the better, and I was lucky to get rides. The hilly plain was near the “Tank Farm”, which was actually a tank graveyard…the area, a battlefield, is scattered with once mighty steel behemoths, now, silently sitting rusting carcasses, waiting for nature to take its course. Grotesquely torn and twisted 3-inch steel express the indescribable horror and chaos that must have taken place…one can only imagine…
Beautiful islands, beautiful weather, beautiful people…but hidden in its beauty, is history, history that needs to be remembered and not repeated. Tinian and Saipan…
