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Sightseeing & Historical Landmarks Sightseeing & Historical Landmarks
the inland advance. Two heav- top of the complex are the re- ill. A small park dedicated including the unique site of
ily camouflaged guns near the cently dedicated Hall of Gover- to Padre Don Jose Bernardo the German SMS Cormoran II
beach helped Japanese forces nors and the Latte of Freedom. Palomo y Torres, most often and the Japanese Tokai Maru.
subdue some approaching The two structures, completed referred to as Padre Palomo, is The site is the only place in
troops, although they were ulti- in May 2010, offer a meeting located next to the U.S. Naval the world where two ships
mately overcome. A pillbox still venue and site for visitors. Cemetery. from two different countries
remains at the site, where the Both are historically significant and two different wars touch
1st Provisional Marine Brigade, and host a spectacular view of SMS Cormoran Monument at beneath the surface. The Ger-
followed by the 305th Regimen- the island’s coast. U.S. Naval Cemetery man cruiser, scuttled by the
tal Combat Team and the 77th Now a favorite dive site in ship’s captain in 1917, lies
Army Infantry stormed the Guam’s Apra Harbor, the Ger- at 130 feet underwater, just
shores. man cruiser SMS Cormoran beneath the Tokai Maru, an
II arrived on Guam in August 8,300-ton passenger-cargo
Mount Alifan 1914 requesting fuel. Then- ship that sunk amid fierce
Gov. William Maxwell refused fighting in 1944.
Home to bomb crater remains, to comply with the cruiser’s
request, forcing it into intern- The harbor is also home to the
this undeveloped unit is the ment on Guam. The ship is 1,900-ton freighter Kitsugawa
also said to have been the Maru sunk in 1944, which sits
former site of a WWII Japanese site of the first shots fired upright at 160 feet, and an
by the U.S. military in WWI. American Tanker.
command post. Due to its As German crews preparing
to scuttle the ship worked Apaca Point
location, access is difficult for Governor Ricardo J. Bordallo aboard, nearby U.S. Forces In 1944, Apaca Point played a
fired a shot over the bow. A pivotal role to the American
visitors. Complex monument dedicated to SMS liberation of Guam. Located at
Cormoran is located at U.S. Agat Beach, this point offers
The 20th Guam Legislature Naval Cemetery. visitors an opportunity to
view unique limestone forma-
Fonte Plateau dedicated the Governor’s of- Southern Guam tions along the shallow reef.
In addition to the limestone,
50 Once a Japanese naval com- fice and surrounding complex Apra Harbor explore the labyrinth of tun- 51
Shipwrecks nels and caves hastily exca-
munications center located at Adelup to the late Gov. Ri- Dive shops vated in July 1944.
across the
on Nimitz Hill, the site was cardo Bordallo in 1997. He is island offer
numerous boat
one of the more bitter battles noted as one of Guam’s great dives each week
to Apra Harbor
between the U.S. Marines and leaders for having sound
the Japanese. The unit was business sense, vision for the
later renamed Nimitz Hill, island’s future and a love of
after Admiral Chester Nimitz, farming.
who served as Commander in
Chief for the Pacific Command Padre Palo-
(CINCPAC) headquarters. mo Park
On December
Adelup 11, 1859, Don
Point Jose Bernardo
South of Palomo y Tor-
Hagåtña, res became
Adelup Point the first Chamorro priest after
is the government complex being baptized more than 20
where the Governor’s Office years earlier by village par-
and other government agencies ish priest Padre Don Ciriaco
are located. There are meeting del Espiritu Santo, who was
rooms and a small display of praised for ministry to numer-
pre-contact artifacts. At the ous natives even while falling