Component Landscape Description Asan Beach Unit and Agat Beach Unit is considered one of five component landscapes within the War in the Pacific National Park. These beaches, although not contiguous, are the two landing beaches of the American military forces on July 21, 1944. Beach areas were chosen by the U.S. Navy because the natural features presented the most opportunity to land, establish a foothold, transfer supplies onto the island, and advance to secure the Orote Peninsula and the Island of Guam. Both beaches were the battlefields of the first and most intense combat between American and Japanese troops. Both landing beaches were the first and crucial sites of one military strategy. The Asan Beach Unit consists of 109 acres of land and 445 acres offshore. The Agat Beach Unit consists of 38 land acres and 557 acres offshore. Cultural Landscapes Inventory Hierarchy Description War in the Pacific National Historical Park is located on the west-central coast of the Island of Guam in the Pacific Island Cluster of the Pacific West Region. War in the Pacific National Historical Park is comprised of a single park-wide landscape with five noncontiguous component landscapes: Asan and Agat beach units, Asan Inland Unit, Mt. Alifan, Mt. Chachao and Mt. Tenjo, and Piti Guns (see heirarchy description graphic). Asan and Agat Invasion Beach Units are the two invasion beaches where American troops landed on July 21, 1944 with the intent of liberating the island of Guam from Japanese military occupation. Asan and Agat Invasion Beaches are the battlefields of Phase I of the United States invasion. Other than Asan and Agat Invasion Beaches, there are four remaining units of the park. The four noncontiguous units, Asan Inland Unit, Mt. Alifan, Mt. Chachao and Mt. Tenjo, Piti Guns also played important roles in the battle, but after the beach heads were secured. These four units are high ground, ridges and mountains that surround two landing beaches and were crucial to the Japanese defense.
War in the Pacific National Historical Park is comprised of five parent landscapes including Asan and Agat Invasion Beaches (CLI Team/PISO/2003).
wapa/cri/part1a.htm Last Updated: 03-may-2004 |