Saipandemonium: Veteran's Day

To commemorate Veteran’s Day, we went to a ceremony at American Memorial Park, a park in Garapan located near the site of the initial invasion of Saipan by U.S. forces during World War II. Past, present and future (the Saipan Southern High School Army ROTC) service members from all branches of the armed forces participated in the ceremony . The park was all decked out with flags for every state and territory. Notice the one on the far left in the pictures below. We haven’t seen that one flown in quite some time! Governor Fitial, Congressman Kilili and several other local dignitaries were present. One of the highlights of the day was recognition of a 94 year-old man who served in the Pacific during World War II. Thanks to the efforts of representatives from Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, the ceremony ended in spectacular fashion - a B-52 Bomber flying over the park at a height of just 1,000 feet! Considering the Northern Marianas role as the launching point for the pre-eminent flying fortress of another era (the B-29 – see our post about Tinian), this really seemed to be an appropriate end to a special day.

Reflecting on the experience, one can’t help but feel this day means just a little more to a place that actually felt the force of an invasion. People here not only fought in World War II, they lived it as well. From Banzai cliff (where Japanese civilians jumped to their death rather than be captured by U.S. forces) to Japanese tanks partially submerged right across the street from our high school, the traces of World War II are visible on a day-to-day basis. People who run through the jungle have come across human skulls, unexploded weapons, and parts of planes. I suspect this is how the residents of Normandy feel. It’s different when the fight comes to your home, and nothing invokes appreciation for the sacrifice like that understanding. Because we are in the Pacific, we want to specifically give our thanks to Grandad, Grandad Joe, and Uncle Tite, our family members who served in World War II. We also want to thank Dad (Allen Smith), Craig Graybeal, and Tabitha Elliott's (Thomas Elger's wife) brother for serving our country in more recent times. Happy Veteran's Day!