War in the Pacific Administrative History

This appendix is divided into three sections. The first section lists agencies, organizations, and entities with whom WAPA staff coordinated the preparation of the General Management Plan, the second section presents significant written comments on the proposed General Management Plan that are believed to have significance to persons administering the park in the future, and the third section deals with oral comments made during public meetings (again, only comments believed to have long-term significance for persons managing the park in the future have been included). Significant comments pertaining to matters that have been resolved but retain substantial historical significance for future park managers are included in this appendix. Neither of the last two sections is intended as a verbatim report, but merely as a synopsis of the more significant, relevant comments received. A more detailed presentation of comments received can be found in the Environmental Assessment: General Management Plan — War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Guam, 1983. Throughout this appendix the General Management Plan is referred to either as the "plan" or the "draft."

1. WAPA staff consulted and/or coordinated the plant's preparation with

Office of the Governor of Guam
Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Guam
Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority (GHURA)
Director, Bureau of Planning, Government of Guam
Director, Bureau of Budget and Management Research, Government of Guam
Department of Agriculture, Government of Guam
Environmental Protection Agency, Government of Guam
Guam Department of Parks and Recreation
Territorial Historic Preservation Officer
Commissioners and planners of Piti, Asan, and Agat municipalities
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
National Parks and Conservation Association
Marianas Recreation and Park Society

General Public at public meetings held in Agat, Piti, Asan, and Agana. Public meetings were conducted prior to preparation of the draft, after the distribution of the draft, and a final set of meetings limited to persons who had previously comments held after the proposed final draft was distributed.

2. WAPA received written comments from

Acting Governor of Guam;
Director, Bureau of Planning, Government of Guam (two letters);
Director, Bureau of Budget and Management Research, Government of Guam;
Director of Commerce, Government of Guam;
General Manager, Guam Visitors Bureau;
Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, Government of Guam;
Director of Land Management, Government of Guam;
Director of Agriculture, Government of Guam;
Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, Government of Guam;

3. WAPA staff received the following comments, segregated by source [1]

Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority: This agency had prepared an urban renewal plan for Asan Village and was concerned about clear park-village boundaries; location of a water storage reservoir for Asan Village; and the design of a floodwater drainage system through the park to Asan Bay. All three issues were resolved to the satisfaction of both WAPA and the commentator.

United States Army Corps of Engineers: The Corps wanted a small boat harbor at Gaan Point. The issue was resolved by the Corps investigating other sites.

Director, Bureau of Planning, Government of Guam: Contributions, sacrifices, and suffering of Guamanians during the war should received appropriate attention in the park's interpretation efforts.

Environmental Protection Agency, Government of Guam: WAPA should take necessary steps to minimize, mitigate, and/or avoid erosion resulting from park construction projects. Also the plan should examine in greater depth the effects of relocating persons presenting residing within the park's boundaries.

National Parks and Conservation Association: Other World War II sites in the Pacific should be studied as well as Guam. Also, WAPA should coordinate closely with Government of Guam agencies and local agencies to ensure public recreation areas are provided as well as other compatible uses on land adjacent to WAPA park boundaries, and, where appropriate, exclude such recreational lands from the park.

General Manager, Guam Visitors Bureau: WAPA should ensure that any future changes of the park boundaries be preceded by adequate public notice and participation.

Comments made during workshop in Asan with Asan commissioners, village planners, and local residents on March 22, 1979 [2]: This workshop was dominated by concerns expressed about NPS land acquisition and uses permitted within the park

Comments made during workshop in Piti with Piti commissioners, village planners, and local residents on March 23, 1979: Comments made at this workshop were more diverse than were comments received during the preceding day's meeting in Asan. Comments at the Piti workshop included a suggestion that NPS permits local craftsmen to sell their wares on park property; the access road be routed to avoid increasing traffic through the residential area; the Park Service should provide a broader education of what a national park is since WAPA would be Guam resident's first experience with a NPS park. Attendees also expressed wishes that picnicking and camping be permitted on the park, suggested that a trail be built through the mahogany grove, restrooms should be installed, and that NPS should acquire other federal land to be used to construct recreational facilities. Judging from the nature of many of the comments, there appeared to be general confusion about where the park boundaries were.

Comments made during the workshop in Agat on March 26, 1979, with Agat commissioners, village planners, and local residents: (This workshop attracted much greater participation, thirty residents attended.) There appeared to be general confusion regarding park boundaries, permissible park uses (both on land and in the lagoon), the nature of facilities and war relics that would be made available in the park. Significantly, there was a general and intense interest voiced regarding the desire that a boat harbor be constructed at Gaan Point. Some attendees indicated that Agat has been trying to get a boat launching ramp and boat harbor since the 1950s, and residents were getting impatient. Lastly, there was general concern that a baseball field be constructed at Gaan Point.

Comments made during a June 4, 1980, meeting in Piti [3]: The most common concern was to ensure that public access to the Piti guns did not result in increased motor vehicle traffic through the residential area.

Comments made during a June 6, 1980, meeting in Agana: Apparently, there were very few attendees at this meeting. In response to a question about existing buildings on the oceanside of Marine Drive in Asan, NPS staff indicated that it would remove all buildings except the Haloda Building which would be used as a temporary visitor center.

Comments made during a June 9, 1980, meeting in Agat: Concern was expressed regarding access to the Mt. Alifan Unit, as well as access to the beach area between Namo River and the Community Center. [This meeting was then continued until July 1, 1980, since several commissioners were unable to attend due to schedule conflicts.]

Comments made during a June 10, 1980, meeting in Asan: During this meeting, attendees identified five historical sites on the island that should be marked (1) in the Mt. Chacho area, beyind the fire station on Nimitz Hill: site of a Japanese medical aid station during the battle for Guam, reportedly used primarily for amputations; (2) the area behind the University of Guam: high cliff where Japanese soldiers reported took their own lives; (3) at the site of the dental clinic on the Naval Station: reportedly 2,000 Janpese soldiers committed suicide and were buried; (4) the beach at East Agana: Japanese invaders landed; and (5) additional, unidentified areas in the northern part of the island.

Comments made during a June 13, 1980, meeting in Piti: Lightly attended, and comments did not vary from the earlier June 4^th meeting.

Agat meeting of July 1, 1980: No one attended.

Public Comments during Asan public meeting of August 19, 1982: A memorial similar to the Iwo Jima monument should be erected in the village. (NPS replied that large memorial statutes are not appropriate in historical parks.) Also, the oral history project should be initiated and completed as soon as possible.

Public Comments during Agana public meeting of August 20, 1982: Additional historical sites should be identified, particularly sites relating to the suffering and contributions of Guam residents during the war.

¹Several commentors expressed the opinion that the park was not doing an adequate job of hiring local residents for park positions. A second, very common comment, was that WAPA was not adequately identifying and marking sites associated with the war efforts of Guam residents, and generally failing to show adequate sensitivity to the importance of Chamorro traditions and contributions.

²The workshops held in Asan on March 22, 1979, Piti on March 23, 1979, and Agat on March 26, 1979, were attended by Stell Newman, Superintendent of WAPA, NPS; Ron Mortimore, Park Planner, NPS; and Tom Fake, Landscape Architect, NPS. Apparently, the meetings were not closed meetings since fifteen persons attended the Asan workshop, five attended the Piti workshop, and there were more than thirty in attendance during the Agan workshop. The next year, after the draft had prepared, there was a second series of meetings: June 4, 1980, in Piti, June 6, 1980, in Agana, June 9, 1980, in Agat, June 10, 1980, in Asan, another meeting in Piti on June 13, 1980, and a second Agat meeting on July 1, 1980.

³Again, at all the meetings conducted in 1980, after the draft had been prepared and distributed, the issue of NPS land acquisition was repeatedly raised by meeting attendees.