Stories of Inalahan Guam The War Years

During WWII the island of Guam was occupied by Japanese forces. This documentary tells the story of the people living in the village of Inarajan in rural southern Guam. The stories are told in their own words(subtitles are provided for Chamorro). Stories deal with their daily life from forced labor, aerial attacks, and the beheading of the village priest, Father Duenas. This video was produced by Dan "Buddha" Hildenbrandt and received the Governor of Guam Arts Award for Excellence in the Humanities.

[@user-sm1qq1op8j]

My mom is a Dueñas and grew up in Inarajan. I can't fathom the atrocities she had to witness growing up as a child during the Japanese occupation. Thank you for sharing these individuals accounts of what they had to endure. 🙏

[@cowieyoutube9149]

My dad was Chief Petty Officer in The Navy and he was sent to Guam. On an official leave of absence he went back to the States for a furlough and met my French mother who was a Translator in The French Embassy. They dated and married after the war. He is a survivor of the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor Hawaii on Sunday December 7, 1941. He had told me about Guam. I had never heard of Guam before. I thought it was a big island but I see it is a small island but how it was important during the war because it is 1,500 miles away from Japan. Before I die I want to visit Guam in honor of my dad and everybody we lost there during the war. World War II was a senseless war started by Hitler in Germany, Italy, Japan and at first Russia. Millions of Jewish people lost their lives in the Holocaust. I joined the Air Force and am now an disabled veteran. I pray we never have a world war again. May my dad, those who died in Guam, the people who died in the Holocaust, and the people who died in the war rest in peace.

[@crystal_671]

Grandma Doring's family home...I will never forget Inarajan... I love Inarajan.

[@island671]

Thank your for sharing...my grandfather is featured in this video. He passed away in 1997. It brings back the memories that I do have of him.

[@vincentquerry4271]

Thank you for this video it is good that we hear and see some of the experiences that our family and relatives had to endure long ago. Remember to show them respect! God bless.

[@patrickcruz9100]

Thank you for posting this

[@patrickhennegan6664]

My uncle August Owen Hennegan 🇱🇷💜 was a gunnery in Navy ship saving Chamoru people of Guam at that time 💜🇱🇷