Photo By Jessica Dambruch | Trumpet player Mason Aljure performs "Taps" onstage at the Richardson Theater during...... read more read more
With the inundation events on the island of Roi-Namur and the continuing recovery efforts from the waves that struck Jan. 20, 2024 still fresh on everyone’s mind, the U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll hosted the 80th Anniversary Commemoration for Operation Flintlock – the operation that liberated the atoll in 1944.
The five-day event began Jan. 31 with a showing of the movie, “Unbroken”, the life history of Louis Zamperini, from U.S. Olympic hero to prisoner of war held captive on Kwajalein to his eventual return home. The dining facility here on Kwajalein is named in his honor.
A primary objective of this week’s commemoration is “telling Kwaj’s story,” said USAG-KA Commander Col. Drew Morgan. “Kwajalein Atoll is important to our Nation and this is our home—truths originating 80 years ago this week that have endured the test of time.”
Morgan said that the missions that defined this place for decades—space and missile defense testing—underscore the one-of-a-kind capabilities and geographical position that make this point on the globe so unique. “This week’s commemoration is a reminder that 1944 was the genesis of Kwajalein and Roi Namur’s importance to America.”
On Feb. 1, a rarely-seen Marshallese dance troupe, the Jobwa Stick Dancers, performed for the crowd assembled at the historic Richardson Theater. Following the performance, historians Dr. Michael Krivdo and Dr. Tim Francis spoke about the 7th Infantry Division’s day-by-day fight across Kwajalein island and the 4th Marine Division’s day-by-day fight across Roi and Namur in 1944, with a slide presentation.
Feb. 2 saw the Opening Ceremony and Kwajalein Battlefield Tour, hosted by the historians for the community, while Feb. 3 saw a tour of the devastated island of Roi-Namur by Maj. Gen. Reginald Neal, deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Pacific, Morgan and Lt. Col. Casey Rumfelt, Reagan Test Site director. Neal was one of the invited guests for the commemoration but took time to visit the mission partners and Marshallese workforce on Roi-Namur who are heading up recovery efforts to get the island and its workforce back to pre-wave status.
Speaking at the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 2, Morgan said, “This is the 80th anniversary of a momentous military operation that not only shaped the course of history but also set the Marshall Islands on the path to liberation and eventual statehood as an independent Republic. It laid the foundation for a future where freedom and resilience became defining characteristics of both this remarkable community and a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
Several special guests attended the Opening Ceremony, to include Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Christopher Adams, 4th Marine Division, senior enlisted leader, who represented his Division that fought in 1944 to liberate the islands of Roi and Namur; Staff Sgt. Effie Mahugh, a public affairs noncommissioned officer from the 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, representing her Division that liberated Kwajalein island in 1944; and Sen. Kitlang Kabua, who shared with the crowd how a family member was shown kindness on Roi and Namur during Operation Flintlock.
Sen. Kabua’s great-great grandmother was shown in a photograph from Roi, sitting on a stretcher, head turned up as a serviceman poured water from a canteen for her to drink following the taking of Roi and Namur.
Reflecting on that day, Sen. Kabua said that she wanted to tell the story from the RMI side.
“We have so many historians and information that can illustrate the war from the American perspective and the Japanese perspective,” said Kabua, “we don’t have enough information from the RMI perspective because we come from a culture that is oral—stories are passed down (from one generation to the next).
“When I saw that picture, I recognized it,” she said. “I wanted to show what the other Kwajalein families had felt through the stories that they’d heard from their elders.
Kabua added, “We are still committed to peace and being partners with our allies, and the U.S.—our closest partnership that we Marshallese have—is something that we want to continue, as one.”
Morgan added that, “Eight decades ago, brave Americans, several hundred of whom made the ultimate sacrifice, embarked on a journey that changed the destiny of these islands forever. Today, as we look back with reverence and gratitude for those sacrifices, our hearts are heavy with a new responsibility. Two weeks ago a half-dozen terrifying waves flooded most of Roi-Namur. They not only tested the mettle of our people, but also touched the very core of our shared commitment to one another—that community bond we call TEAM KWAJ.
“In times of hardship, it’s our unity of purpose and the strength of our community that brings us together on our beloved Pacific-island home. Our community faces a degree of uncertainty and our Roi-Namur workforce the emotional toll of displacement. Your strength in the face of adversity and the heroism demonstrated over the last two weeks exemplify the spirit of TEAM KWAJ—the same spirit that fueled American Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen to victory in Operation FLINTLOCK. Our duty as Team Kwaj-mates, forward-stationed on this small island fortress, is not only to commemorate the past but also to stand in solidarity in the face of present day challenges.
“We cannot lose sight of the shared responsibility with our allies and partners in the region, most notably our Marshallese sisters and brothers, who are so robustly represented here today,” said Morgan. “We extend a hand of support and comfort to Roi-Namur and Third Island, reminding them that, by necessity, we face all trials and tribulations in this remote place, together.”
| Date Taken: | 02.10.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 02.12.2024 20:57 |
| Story ID: | 463739 |
| Location: | MH |
| Web Views: | 220 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Kwajalein honors the past while looking toward the future, by James Brantley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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