In all my 25 years, I thought I knew everything I ever wanted to know about the
      Liberation of Guam.  The story I knew... we were occupied by the Japanese for a few
      years, then the Americans with the help of the Chamorro people liberated the island. 
      Every year,  on July 21st, we celebrate Liberation Day with a huge parade out in the
      streets, with floats, barbecues, and lots of people.  This was the Liberation of Guam
      that I knew! 

      Then something extraordinarily wonderful happened to me, a simple island girl. 
      While I was working one day, I noticed the Guam Seal! You may think, "and what of
      it?"  Well, I'm thousands of miles away from home and the last thing that I ever
      thought I'd see was a Guam Seal somewhere else other than around my own neck.  It
      was an easy eye catcher, especially with the distinct island logo - coconut tree, water,
      boat, and land.  Plus the bright blue and red colors really made it stand out. 

      The extraordinary thing was that it wasn't just an ordinary Guam Seal pin. Imprinted
      on the Guam Seal were the words, "Guam Liberator."  I stood there just staring at the
      man whose hat the Guam Seal was pinned on.  I couldn't believe that a part of my
      own island history was standing right in front of me.  I mean, working guest services at
      a hotel, I meet a lot of people from all walks of life.   

      On this particular day, I didn't just meet any persona met one of my island's
      liberators.  I finally spoke up and told him that I was from Guam.  When he heard
      those words, his face lit up.  He probably felt the same excitement that was running
      throughout my very being. He introduced himself as Louis Hum and gave me one of
      his cards.  We stood there in awe, just kind of enjoying the fact that I was a
      Guamanian and he a Guam Liberator.  It was an interesting night!  

      We really didn't discuss much... I think it was because we were both still trying to
      recover from the initial shock of it all. However, the next day was a different story.  I
      had a bunch of guys from the 3rd Marine Division looking for me.  Okay, it's not
      what you're all thinking!  They wanted to meet the "Guam girl!"  As soon as I walked
      in, my co-worker told me that they were going to stop by a little later to talk with me. 
      Well, she wasn't joking!  Later that night, Louis Hum came by along with a few of his
      friends, Louis R. Machala, Steve Vajda, and Bentley.  

      Okay, talk about a bunch of ex-Marines telling their war stories.  Each of them told
      me their own account of landing on the beach (Asan Point), racing towards the cliff
      line, under extreme gun fire and bombing.  One of them told me about his entire
      platoon getting wiped out by their own.  He said when the landed on the beach, there
      were 24 in their platoon.  They all made it to the cliff line, fighting to stay alive.  But a
      mishap in communications ended in disaster.   

      Radio contact broke down, and instead of the American bomber killing the enemy, the
      bomb was dropped on them.  Out of the 24 to make it to the cliff line, only 8 survived,
      him being one of them. I knew it pained him to tell that story, his voice cracked many
      times and his eyes filled with tears.  And yet, he told me his story!  And I felt like the
      luckiest person to hear of my own island's history from the people who liberated us. 

      Another guy had a different tale to tell.  This guy must've been a gung-ho G.I. Joe! 
      His account of the war was a little different from the rest.  He told me of all the bomb
      holes and ditches that he was responsible for.  He told me where his bullets hit, and
      where his exact tracks were from the beach.  We even got into a debate about locations
      and directions.  He knew Guam like the back of his hand.  Pretty sad of me to lose
      that debate, being from Guam.  I actually stood there and said, "Okay, you're right, I
      know what road you are talking about."  And he got most of the pronunciation
      correct too!  You would've thought that he was the Chamorro and I wasn't. 

      Anyway, we talked the night away.  I also got some photos of a couple of them as
      proof that I met Guam Liberators.  I know, I'm kind of weird.  It's just that I wanted
      to remember the night.  I wanted to learn more about Guam's war history.  I thought
      to myself that when I returned back home, the first thing I was going to do was pick
      up a book and see if I could find their names.  And then when I found their names,
      brag to everyone that I met them in the flesh.  I even thought about going to those
      places that they mentioned, to look for those bomb holes and stuff.  I was just excited
      to be in the company of my island's war heroes.  I sat there very attentive, enjoying
      every word they uttered.   

      As I listened to them tell their stories, I could see the bitter sweetness of their
      memories in their eyes.  Bitter because of the horrific aspects of war-time, but sweet
      because they saved lives.  I could hear it in their voices how the distant memories of
      years past still remained fresh in their minds.  And in the end, these heroes of Guam
      told me one thing I'll always remember for the rest of my life!!!   

      Each one of them gave me a hug and said, "Thank You!"  I couldn't understand
      because if anyone should've been thankful, it should've been me!  But from their faces
      I understood what they meant.  Simply, being from Guam, it reminds them what they
      fought hard for.  To the rest of the world, I'm just a simple island girl.  To the Guam
      Liberators, I'm a reminder of who they risked their very own lives for.  We all are!!!