People

The musician and soldier from Fena. At George Washington High School, Jose Santos Torres (1934- ) learned to play half a dozen different instruments, including the saxophone, trumpet, keyboard, piano, and harmonica.

In the footsteps of Saint Andrew. After teaching, Ignacio “Ray” Mendiola Reyes (1923 – 2018) opened a pool hall and then a mom and pop store. After that, he went into politics and was elected mayor of Merizo in 1952, but he didn’t care for the dishonesty of the trade.

Simply blessed. She arrived a few months early, the size of her mother’s palm, but survived and flourished decades to live a blessed and fulfilled life. 

Family, love and sacrifice. Ana Blas San Nicolas Gogue (1935 – 2004) was six years old when the Japanese attacked Guam without warning on 8 December 1944. She grew up in rural Sinajana, in an area known as Dedigue. The area is adjacent to Hagåtña, Mongmong, and Ordot, and is perfect for growing crops and raising livestock. Gogue was the second oldest of four siblings at the start of the war. 

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.