15 July 1944
Merizo Memorial Service. Micronesian Area Research Center (MARC)
Tinta Massacres: On 15 July 1944, the 800 or so Merizo residents were rounded up and taken by soldiers to the Geus River Valley. Thirty of the residents were lead into a Tinta cave when Japanese soldiers tossed hand grenades in after them. The Japanese soldiers then took swords and bayonets and began stabbing anyone still alive. Still, by pretending to be dead, 14 of the CHamorus survived.