page_title: Charles Alan Pownall
section_title: Congressional walkout
hierarchical_section_title: Charles Alan Pownall / Governorship / Congressional walkout
caption_attribution_description: English: A photo of the Guam Island Court from the May 1, 1947 showing Governor Charles Alan Pownall. Crop of File:Guam Island Court 1947.jpg
context_page_description: Charles Alan Pownall was a Vice admiral in the United States Navy and Governor of Guam. He was the third military Governor and first naval Governor of Guam following the United States recapture of the island from the Japanese. After conflict with the Guam Congress in 1948, Pownall replaced many Congressmen with his own appointments, whom the Guamanians refused to recognize. The ensuing protest persuaded President Truman to transfer control of the island away from the Navy. As a consequence, Charles Pownall was the last military governor of Guam.
context_section_description: In 1948, Pownall, along with the United States Secretary of the Navy, gave the Guam Congress the power to create laws, pending the governor's approval. The Secretary of the Navy had the power to override a veto from either the Guam Congress or Governor Pownall. When the Guam Congress attempted to pass a law allowing them to subpoena American citizens, Pownall vetoed it. Despite this, while investigating suspected abuses involving Americans owning businesses through Guamanian frontmen, the Congress subpoenaed Abe Goldstein over his involvement in a local women's clothing store. Citing Pownall's veto, Goldstein refused to testify. The Guam Congress cited Goldstein for contempt and issued a warrant for his arrest, but were stopped by Pownall.
  When confronted, Pownall told Guam Speaker of the House Antonio Borja Won Pat to leave the matter to him. When Won Pat passed on the information to the House Assembly, they became angered at Pownall's comments. Stirred by Pownall and with media support, the House resolved to pass a bill requesting citizenship for Guamanians, and decided not to reassemble until the United States Congress had addressed the bill. On March 12, Pownall called a special joint session of Congress, but most Congressional members refused to attend. Pownell dismissed all those Congressmen who chose to break the law by not attending, and appointed replacements.
  The dismissals caused outrage among Guamanians and 12 of Guam's 19 villages voted not to recognize the replacements. President Harry Truman ordered an investigation into the incident. Upon review, Truman ordered a transitional government created, and pressured Pownall to restore the former Congressmen to their seats on 2 April 1948. In September 1949, administration of Guam was transferred to the United States Department of the Interior. Under the new government, the Governor of Guam was appointed by the President. Truman appointed Carlton S. Skinner as Guam's first civilian Governor, replacing Pownall. Pownall was the last military governor of Guam.
caption: Pownall sitting on the Guam Island Court in 1947
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