Historic Eras of Guam

From peace to chaos. It is hard for Maria “Babie” Rapolla Matanane (1929 – 2022) to forget the 8th of December 1941. Her day started early that Monday morning. Her family lived in a small house in Tepungan, located in Piti.  She remembers that the family was up early that day preparing for the novena of Santa Maria.

The darkest of journeys. Most people would find it hard to believe that there can be any positive aspect of war. What is hardly ever discovered is that, along with the negativity, there is positivity that develops and lives on long after war ends.

Thankful to the Marines. Rosa Sablan Payne Murer (1924 – 2017) remembered the war as if it were yesterday.  With her keen memory and strong voice, Tan Chai, as she was fondly called, started her story with,

Fond memories of Sumai. Juan Quintanilla Guzman (1934 – 2021), affectionately known as “Major” spent his early childhood in Sumai and fondly remembered what his life was like there just before the war. He had been living with his grandfather’s brother, who was also named Juan, and his wife, Vicenta. The older couple could not have children of their own, so they adopted Guzman when he was five years old. He remembered it clearly, because he was already attending pre-school, which was called pre-primer at the time. 

Painful memories abide. Memories about the Japanese occupation remain a vivid part of Concepcion Castro Camacho’s (1932 – ) past. Her story depicts one of flight and survival in the jungles of northern Guam. It is one rife with painful memories of beatings, extreme hunger and thirst for days on end, and of constant fear of the Japanese patrols scouring the jungle. It was a traumatizing experience for a young CHamoru girl, but at age 83, Camacho was ready to share her story.

Moved to the ranch with cousins. At the onset of the Japanese invasion of Guam during World War II, Jose “Joe” Alvarez (1931 – 2021), a 10-year-old boy, and his family were alarmed and unprepared. They quickly left their home in Hagåtña on foot and made their way to his uncle’s ranch in Mangilao, where they lived for majority of the war.

Moved north to Machananao. Cleotilde Mendiola Bamba (1931 – ) was only 10 years old when the Japanese occupation of Guam began. Her family was forced to leave their house. Like most CHamorus on Guam during that period, the Mendiola family was displaced from their life in Hagåtña.

Wondered why war came to peaceful Guam. Cecilia Taitano Yanger (1933 – ), an identical twin, was just eight years old when the war broke out on Guam. Yanger recalled that Guam was so peaceful before the war. She didn’t understand why the war came to Guam because it was so peaceful and the people were so religious. Before the war, the villages were clean and people roamed the streets selling potu and other CHamoru delicacies.

Taken in by relatives. Asuncion Camacho Lazaro Cruz (1937 – ) was born to Ignacia Camacho and Juan Untalan Lazaro. Before her third birthday, Asuncion and her older sister Josefa were orphaned and taken in by their mother’s brother, Vicente Cruz Pablo Camacho. 

A war baby. Antonio Adriano Arriola (1944 – ) was born a twin just a few months before the forced march to Manenggon in June. His parents, Antonio Fernandez and Maria Adriano Arriola, carried he and his twin sister, Maria, during the Manenggon march.