IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1335 

Supporting the designation of July 21, 2024, as ‘‘Guam Liberation Day’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 28, 2024 

Mr. MOYLAN (for himself, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr. AUSTIN

SCOTT of Georgia, Mrs. GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N, Mr. BARR, Mr. SMITH of 

New Jersey, Ms. HAGEMAN, Mr. BURCHETT, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. CASE, 

Mr. MULLIN, Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina, Mrs. PELTOLA, Mr. NORCROSS, and Ms. TITUS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the designation of July 21, 2024, as ‘‘Guam 

Liberation Day’’. 

Whereas Guam is an unincorporated territory of the United 

States in the Mariana Island Chain; 

Whereas Guam was invaded and occupied by Imperial Japanese forces from December 1941 until it was liberated in 

1944; 

Whereas the CHamoru people of Guam endured almost 3 

years of harsh occupation and atrocities by Imperial Japanese forces during World War II; 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HRES 1335 IH 

Whereas the Imperial Japanese forces forced nearly the entire civilian CHamoru population (approximately 18,000 

people) to march to a concentration camp in Manenggon; 

Whereas people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, were 

forced to march for several days from villages across 

Guam, covering long distances with little food or water 

and enduring senseless cruelty from the Imperial Japanese soldiers along the route; 

Whereas many accounts describe innocent people dying during the strenuous march, babies being born and forcefully 

left behind, and families being torn apart when people fell 

behind or became ill; 

Whereas, once at Manenggon, the CHamoru people of Guam 

had to build basic shelters and forage for food and water; 

Whereas the CHamoru people were forced into labor camps 

to carry supplies, farm, and complete other duties for the 

Imperial Japanese soldiers; 

Whereas family members would mysteriously go missing without any warning or explanation; 

Whereas the people of Guam continued to display their courage and loyalty to the United States by risking their lives 

to hide and protect surviving United States soldiers from 

Imperial Japanese forces; 

Whereas 1,000 civilians (nearly 10 percent of the population) 

were confirmed deceased from the camps alone; 

Whereas the full extent of deaths and suffering endured at 

Manenggon and the other smaller camps during the 

forced marches is unknown; 

Whereas tens of thousands of brave Americans from throughout the nation, from Suffolk County, New York, to SacVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:54 Jun 29, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1335.IH HR1335

kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HRES 1335 IH 

ramento County, California, to Hawai’i, fought against 

tyranny and oppression thousands of miles from their 

homes; 

Whereas these brave servicemembers engaged the enemy in 

an area unknown to many for the cause of freedom, making the ultimate sacrifice to liberate Guam and its people 

from Imperial Japanese occupation; 

Whereas, on July 21, 1944, the United States launched the 

Marianas Campaign to liberate Guam, with over 55,000 

American troops carrying out an amphibious landing at 

Asan Bay; 

Whereas Asan Bay was the site of intense fighting in the initial operations to secure a foothold and liberate the island 

from the Imperial Japanese forces; 

Whereas nearly 1,200 young Marine and Army soldiers were 

killed in action on Asan Beach on the first day of fighting; 

Whereas securing Asan Bay was pivotal for the American victory over Imperial Japan in the Pacific; 

Whereas control of Asan Bay allowed American forces to establish airfields and naval facilities on Guam that proved 

instrumental in launching the eventual invasion of Imperial Japan; 

Whereas the capture of Guam was completed on August 10, 

1944, ending nearly 3 years of Imperial Japanese occupation; 

Whereas over 2,000 United States servicemembers were killed 

in action in the span of 100 days; 

Whereas the Guam campaign was one of the deadliest campaigns in the Pacific theater; 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HRES 1335 IH 

Whereas Guam provided the United States a crucial base to 

neutralize other heavily fortified outposts controlled by 

Imperial Japan, accelerating and securing the recovery of 

the Pacific theater; 

Whereas the recapture of Guam provided an integral foundation for transporting troops, equipment, and supplies toward Imperial Japan in preparation for a final battle; 

Whereas Guam’s geographic position made it an indispensable strategic asset for the United States future advances against Imperial Japan; 

Whereas Imperial Japan surrendered to the United States of 

America only 13 months after the liberation of Guam; 

Whereas Liberation Day reinforces Guam’s resilience, loyalty 

to the United States, and the cultural identity of the island; and 

Whereas July 21, 2024, marks the 80th anniversary of 

Guam’s Liberation Day, commemorating the freedom regained from occupation and honoring those who fought 

for Guam’s liberation: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘Guam Libera3 tion Day’’ to honor the significance of Guam’s lib4 eration by the United States, including the landmark 

5 battle launched from Asan Bay on July 21, 1944; 

6 and 

7 (2) encourages the President to issue a procla8 mation calling upon the people of the United States 

9 to observe Guam Liberation Day with appropriate 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•HRES 1335 IH 

1 ceremonies and activities to salute the sacrifice and 

2 honor of those that fought for freedom in Guam. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB