Japanese Bunkers, Desmond Doss & the Battle of Guam | History Traveler Episode 237

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  • Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
  • In the last episode, we were exploring the northern landing beaches on the island of Guam where the 3rd Marine Division landed in July of 1944. In this episode, we're shifting down to the southern landing beaches to see some Japanese bunkers and the spot where Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss (who would be the subject of the movie "Hacksaw Ridge") saw combat for the first time.
    This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburg...
    Support the effort to expand history education on PATREON: / historyunderground
    Set yourself up with a 10% DISCOUNT on all Origin gear and nutritional products by entering the code "history10" at www.originmaine.com!
    Opening song: "Bell" by Straight White Teeth
    Other episodes that you might enjoy:
    - The Suicide Cliffs of Saipan in WWII | History Traveler Episode 235: • The Suicide Cliffs of ...
    - The Bones of the WWII Dead in the Caves of Saipan | History Traveler Episode 234: • The Bones of the WWII ...
    - The LARGEST Banzai Charge of WWII & the Death Site of a General | History Traveler Episode 233: • The LARGEST Banzai Cha...
    - The Fight For Aslito Airfield in the Battle of Saipan | History Traveler Episode 231: • The Fight For Aslito A...
    - WRECKED TANKS & THE WWII INVASION BEACHES OF SAIPAN | History Traveler Episode 230: • WRECKED TANKS & THE WW...

Комментарии • 419

  • @TheHistoryUnderground
    @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад +10

    If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out.
    Also be sure to check out The Gettysburg Museum of History and their store at gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com. Thanks!!!

    • @s.porter8646
      @s.porter8646 Год назад

      Did you get a chance to your the bases

  • @TreeBu671
    @TreeBu671 Год назад +6

    I live on guam, less than a mile from Ga'an point. And it's nice to see someone talking about our history here. I appreciate this. Thank you.

  • @steveoconnor7069
    @steveoconnor7069 2 года назад +38

    Thank you for doing a program about Guam. I spent some time there a few lifetimes ago and was always humbled by how nice and genuine the Chamarro people were. When they realized I was part of the process of upgrading their telephone service they always brought us food & drink while we were working.

  • @greylion629
    @greylion629 2 года назад +127

    I wish my dad was alive to see this, as a member of the First Provisional Brigade. He would have been 100 on Agust 15. He had filariasis during this battle. A lot of the guys got that on Eniwetok in the Marshall islands which took place in February of 1944. Nothing would heal according to the old man. They had a lot of dogs that they used, he was always a big dog lover the rest of his life. The dogs could smell and hear the Japanese sneaking up on them at night.

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад +16

      Wow!

    • @BigLisaFan
      @BigLisaFan 2 года назад +9

      It must feel odd to see where your father was. I would wonder if he was there or over here, did he see this or that. I too wish he could see this but on the other side of the coin, would he want to?

    • @greylion629
      @greylion629 2 года назад +9

      @@BigLisaFan I'm sure he would. He was a guy that maximized the positive and minimized the negative. Plus I'm sure he'd love a beer.

    • @donnamccain4949
      @donnamccain4949 2 года назад +8

      Wow...My Dad was also! I miss him so much just as you miss yours!

    • @donb7113
      @donb7113 2 года назад +12

      There’s a great military K-9 cemetery on Guam. As a veteran myself, I cannot imagine what your father endured on these islands. With great gratitude 🫡🇺🇸.

  • @nashrunner
    @nashrunner 2 года назад +18

    You are living the dream man - thank you for visiting these places and sharing it with the rest of us

  • @basredant1500
    @basredant1500 2 года назад +41

    it's so amazing you make it possible for people like me who don't have the chance to visit these places themselves to see what it looks like and bring us along. Thank you!

  • @jinzo637
    @jinzo637 Год назад +12

    As a local who was born and raised in the beautiful island of Guam. This video shows how beautiful the island is n the rich history u provide. Love this keep up the amazing work.

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  Год назад

      👍🏻

    • @clarkcommando1983
      @clarkcommando1983 7 месяцев назад +1

      Do people go swimming in those waters

    • @jinzo637
      @jinzo637 7 месяцев назад +1

      @clarkcommando1983 yes we do. There are alot of beaches here that are clean n hot tourist spot. Some are a hike trail away while others are literally in the heart of the island Tumon. Most beach bars n clubs are in tumon. But if ur looking for surfing waters then u got the beaches up at ratidion and down south in merizo. The island has so much beautiful spots to enjoy. Perfect for a summer get away or if ur looking to get away from the cold. Guam is a very friendly and welcoming place

    • @clarkcommando1983
      @clarkcommando1983 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@jinzo637was curious sadly my terminal cancer doesn’t allow much travel but am doing some bucket list stuff. Used to fly in an out of Anderson when I was c-141 loadmaster 83-87 only got off base couple of times

    • @jinzo637
      @jinzo637 7 месяцев назад +1

      @clarkcommando1983 oh wow. I'm so sorry on ur condition. I do hope and pray you are Able to do the things on ur bucket list. I feel like everyone deserves a chance to live their lives to the fullest.

  • @greendragon4058
    @greendragon4058 2 года назад +61

    As a marine I approve of this video. I just love this kind of stuff it's fascinating and you're keeping history alive

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад +6

      👊🏻🇺🇸

    • @greendragon4058
      @greendragon4058 2 года назад +2

      @@TheHistoryUnderground thank you for mentioning the first provisional Marine Brigade not too many people know about that and they need some of the honor

    • @alexmclean760
      @alexmclean760 2 года назад +2

      Hoorah devil dog

    • @greendragon4058
      @greendragon4058 2 года назад +2

      @@alexmclean760 4th Force Recon baby

    • @jaredevildog6343
      @jaredevildog6343 2 года назад +2

      Ooh Rah Killer ! But the name Marine is always supposed to be capitalized. SEMPER FI !

  • @Nagini1031
    @Nagini1031 2 года назад +5

    I’m working on a book about the men and women from my town that served in WWII and one of them was in the 1st Provisional Brigade at Guam and was wounded. So glad that they’re getting the attention and respect they deserve!

  • @neilschipper3741
    @neilschipper3741 2 года назад +6

    Thank you for making this video documentary. My father was a marine tank commander. He was the second tank on shore. He would have been the first but he got stuck in the sand. He documented everything by taking photographs. He donated all the photographs to the Anvets post when he was a commander.

  • @obizzil
    @obizzil 2 года назад +5

    I literally just got done watching The Pacific series on HBO this really brings it full circle and is a stark reminder of the sacrifices that our brave service members had to endure to protect freedom. Again my hat’s off to you for another great video and my hat’s off to our brave service members.🇺🇸

  • @elibyrd2112
    @elibyrd2112 2 года назад +10

    Another cave, another knot on JD's head... Thank you for all you do to bring history alive, sir!

  • @davidreichel3394
    @davidreichel3394 2 года назад +7

    Fascinating. My father was in the USAF and we were stationed at Andersen AFB in '63-'65, when I was in the 6th & 7th grades - so only 20 years after the liberation. I remember Liberation Day events in some of the local villages. Wish your videos were available back then; I would have done a lot more exploring! Thanks so much.

  • @geekazoid1983
    @geekazoid1983 2 года назад +10

    My best friend is currently stationed there on Guam. I've been linking these videos over to him. I've been anxiously anticipating this series of videos from you. Its very exciting to watch.

  • @henrybarron7580
    @henrybarron7580 2 года назад +3

    My father was in the 77th division. He was an infantry company commander. He took a machine gun bullet through the thigh about three weeks into the campaign on Guam.

  • @howardmielcarski6683
    @howardmielcarski6683 2 года назад +17

    I have seen both your videos of Guam. I had many friends from the island of Guam while I was growing up in Long Beach, Ca. They all knew the name George Tweed. He was the only American on the island during the occupation. Many of the islanders died protecting him. I hope you can do a history of his endeavors while you are there.

  • @travismayes4547
    @travismayes4547 2 года назад +5

    I spent 2 weeks in the Mariana last March. Guam to Saipan. As a 37yo that served in the Marines it was humbling visiting these hollowed grounds. Keep up the good work. It's history that should not be forgotten.

  • @clarkkoch4723
    @clarkkoch4723 2 года назад +3

    These videos of the Pacific campaign are awesome. The Desmond Doss story is so important to the legacy of these brave selfless men. Your videos are so good. Thanks.

  • @robertmoyer175
    @robertmoyer175 2 года назад +20

    JD, of all the videos of yours, this one had the most personal meaning for me. My father was a member of the 1st Provisional Brigade and was wounded on Guam. When you indicated they were hit hard, in viewing the list of casualties on the Historical Park website of Guam the list for this brigade goes on forever. The photo of the individual operating the flame thrower capped the personification of the video for me. His name was Raymond Weiser.

  • @steves1112000
    @steves1112000 2 года назад +28

    I can't say enough about medics. Desmond was an indescribably brave man. My grandfather was a medic with th 29th on Omaha. Some of the things that man saw haunted him to his grave. Mere words cannot describe the bravery of our medics. In my own time, I saw a few medics awarded Bronze start.with 'V' devices all for acting without thinking.

    • @all.day.day-dreamer
      @all.day.day-dreamer 2 года назад +5

      Well, we can thank these men for their sacrifice by living a life worth living, filled with purpose. You don't have to be rich or smart, you just have to be an asset to yourself, family and community along with being mindful and aware of their sacrifices, not just for the men and women of the past and today, but in the future as well. I've always viewed the United States as a righteous nation standing firm against the evils of this world, past, present and future. Some of you might scoff at that notion when you consider and take into account corrupt politicians, greed, the decline of democracy, etc but I will say this. You have to get your hands dirty and do bad things sometimes, maybe even often to come out on top. The bad guys have never played fair and neither should our country.

    • @steves1112000
      @steves1112000 2 года назад +1

      @@all.day.day-dreamer Never heard it more well put.

  • @jimjessie2704
    @jimjessie2704 4 месяца назад +2

    my son was stationed on guam when he was in the navy 17 yrs ago -- marrying his wife that was born and raised there--a lot of ww2 history on the island --got to see all the sites shown and a whole lot more as he was a navy diver i got to see much history that was below water--some very nice beach sites ,especially the navy one--a shame that not many americans will ever get to experience this historical and beautiful island

  • @ponderingthepast
    @ponderingthepast 2 года назад +5

    Another riveting video! I grew up in the city where Doss is buried, so have known about his story for some time, but it was particularly interesting to see where he first saw combat. Love how you're telling these untold or glossed-over stories and bringing them to life. I keep running out of adequate words when trying to describe your channel to my friends and family...the best I've come up with is "a cross between Great Courses and Ken Burns"; love the in-depth knowledge dump + on location aspects of your productions.

  • @billwolfe7244
    @billwolfe7244 Год назад +1

    My Dad served with the 3rd. Guadalcanal, Iwo, Guam and Marshalls. He etched the each campaign in his canteen cup. Thanks for the tour.

  • @carlenlanser2276
    @carlenlanser2276 2 года назад +7

    Another excellent episode JD. Thanks for taking the time to explore all of these historical sites to teach all of us what happened during those turbulent times. This series of the Pacific theater is helping me to understand what happened there. It is a part of WWII that is not know a lot about. Keep up the excellent work!🇺🇸

  • @markmark8042
    @markmark8042 2 года назад +4

    Was stationed at Anderson AFB from 78-80
    and did a lot of exploring while there. May historic sites if you can brave the jungle to find them

  • @roadlizardcu8664
    @roadlizardcu8664 2 года назад +6

    Fascinating what the Japanese had accomplished in an effort to defend the Island. Wonderful footage and enjoyed the archival footage inserted as well showing the location during the event. So many brave souls lost. Thank you for another great video!

  • @cinccave5459
    @cinccave5459 2 года назад +3

    As a huge history buff and former military man I love this series you are doing.

  • @thewacokid6459
    @thewacokid6459 2 года назад +25

    Love these videos thanks for doing these.
    “I can’t go past a Japanese cave without sticking my head in” 😂🤣😂 I’m thinking you may not have survived the invasion 😂🤣😂

  • @southc4463
    @southc4463 2 года назад +3

    Your pacific episodes are officially my favorite series so far

  • @streamster54
    @streamster54 2 года назад +8

    My Dad fought with 77th on Guam after he fought with the 27th on Saipan, he told me about all the Marine casualties they encountered when they landed. He was with the 147th engineers construction battalion, he would have been 105 years old this coming December 17th. His final service during the War would be the assault on Okinawa 🇺🇸🙏

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад +1

      Holy smokes!

    • @streamster54
      @streamster54 2 года назад +2

      @@TheHistoryUnderground Thank you for all that you do! Watching your videos really got me thinking about all my Dad went through again👍

  • @MrEaglesfan40
    @MrEaglesfan40 2 года назад +8

    Another great video on the pacific war my Grandfather fought in the Philipines and on Okinawa thank you Sir for your dedication to the history of the Pacific theater

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад +1

      My pleasure!

    • @kelseyyoung6588
      @kelseyyoung6588 2 года назад +1

      My grandpa was also in the Philippines and Okinawa! He was in the Navy and he served on the LSM-10. He didn’t like to talk about his time there much, as it was extremely upsetting for him. It’s so interesting to learn more about the pacific theater, and I’m so thankful for this channel and all the work behind bringing us these stories that should always be remembered!

    • @MrEaglesfan40
      @MrEaglesfan40 Год назад

      @@kelseyyoung6588 absolutely Fantastic channel, He does a great job

  • @DannyPepprs
    @DannyPepprs 7 месяцев назад +1

    I was stationed in Guam(US Navy) in the late 80s , got to explore some of these pillboxes /caves . Beautiful island , and people .

  • @214TwoOneFo
    @214TwoOneFo 2 года назад +6

    Dude why the hell do you not have millions of views on all of your videos. I think this is the best channel I’ve ever found dude. And your partnership w Gettysburg museum is stellar. You should have a show on Netflix or something

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад +2

      Thanks. I appreciate that. I figure that if I earn it, the views and subscribers will come.

    • @214TwoOneFo
      @214TwoOneFo 2 года назад +2

      @@TheHistoryUnderground ld really like to just get a chance to talk to you one of these days. You’ve reinvigorated my desire to travel and get back into history. I fell onto hard times post 2013, and lost all interest in anything that didn’t require survival, but before I was a history geek and knew the summaries of many of the places you’ve been, and since finding your channel a bit more than a year ago, Its struck the vigor in me to find time to get back into doing things like you do. Your videos, and their quality have saved and restored a big part of my quality of life.
      Ain’t trying to come off all weird, but fr. You and Gettysburg history museum rock. I may be broke consistently after paying what’s needed to be paid, and not trusting a car to do cross country drives, and traveling like you do is may be an impossible dream for a 25 year old Texan like me, but you’ve really brought a dream - thatI once thought was dead and gone- back.
      Thanks JD

    • @ricardoaravena1539
      @ricardoaravena1539 7 месяцев назад

      Sería genial que tradujera al español ,lo que él habla ..somos muchos los que no entendemos lo que dice.... gracias

  • @chrisbyard29
    @chrisbyard29 2 года назад +2

    So awesome to see you exploring and showing the history that happened on Guam. I was stationed there from 1993-1996, did some exploring myself but never had the story behind some of it with the exception of the sign.

  • @cyndiebill6631
    @cyndiebill6631 2 года назад +5

    It’s amazing how the jungle takes everything back. If you didn’t know those caves and bunkers were there you could walk right by them. Love the preservation of the guns. Beautiful place and another awesome video. TY👍

  • @edwardh1591
    @edwardh1591 2 года назад +5

    Wow! What a amazing documentary. I’m glad you get to travel so you can share these places with us.

  • @matthewturner7888
    @matthewturner7888 2 года назад +7

    I’m stationed on Okinawa and have been to hacksaw ridge many times. It’s really a humbling experience to see. The funny part about the ridge is it’s really not a ridge it’s actually on an castle ruin which gave the Japanese alot better fighting positions.
    Btw if you end up going to Okinawa let me know and I can show you some of the battle areas

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад

      That’s definitely on my list. Thanks!

    • @CattooButt
      @CattooButt 2 года назад +1

      When I was stationed on Okinawa a bunch of Marines went on battlefield tours and saw some barred off collapsed caves some with bunkers some not. Some bunkers at the top of a small valley. Saw the suicide cliffs and the jagged rocks below. It was amazing seeing these old sites. Wish I had gone on more and remembered more of what we were told on tour. I’ve got a bunch of photos I took on the tours though.

    • @matthewturner7888
      @matthewturner7888 2 года назад

      @@CattooButt I honestly havent gone on any of the tours though I do want too eventually! At Kadena, they have the old japanese kamikaze hangers near one of the gates and I drive by it daily.

  • @bradthorne2381
    @bradthorne2381 2 года назад +2

    Love this series as an Australian I have been interested in the Pacific war as family served in the aussie army from kokoda through all the battles aussies fought against the Japanese and survived to return home inspired me to join the aussie army as well I even met a former us ww2 marine who's first battle at 21 yrs of age was iwo jima man his stories where as tho one was there with him
    on that day he said they were under no illusions that on that day many would never see the end of the day he also said that days end he had become a man much respect I have for those men who fought and died during the war in the Pacific and to those who survived it all a true generation of hero's thank you for telling their stories from the eto to the pto much appreciated at 56 yrs old I believe we need to keep this part of history alive through ppl like your self

  • @1psychofan
    @1psychofan 2 года назад +5

    Watching this a second time. This is so good. Seeing the camouflage, latrine, interesting..I totally love how you blend actual footage in with the video ~very nice touch! Well done JD!

  • @jimhutchinson9223
    @jimhutchinson9223 Год назад +1

    Thanks for this awesome video about the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade Guam liberation.
    My late father was a member of the 22nd Regiment 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. He was wounded in action (shot) on July 28th during the liberation of the Naval Air Station and Marine Barracks on the Orote peninsula. He was not a big talker about his war service so most of what I know about the Guam liberation is from his discharge certificate, an aunt and my own research. Dad suffered from a biologic infection that would flare up on his hand maybe twice a year. It was from a coral reef cut on his hand and it took until 1969 or so for him to finally get ahold of an antibiotic that killed the infection for good. This was also the year he quit smoking, another vestige of the war. I often wonder if his coral reef cut was from Guam. Several of the early wave amtracks were hit by an undetected gun that survived the US Navy shore bombardment prior to beach landing, could have been in that bunker facing the beach that is in the RUclips video. Many of the guys had to ditch and wade ashore. They faced fierce resistance and pretty significant bonsai charges. The 77th came in later in the Higgins boats and faced the same. After sealing off the entrance to Orote peninsula the 1st Provisional stayed behind to take the peninsula and the 77th joined up with the 3rd Marine Division to head north and clear the island of the Japanese.
    On the 28th the 1st Provisional was ready to clear the peninsula; come hell or high water they were going to take the Marine barracks from Japanese control. Dad was scouting ahead and dropped his radio from a tree, breaking it. He found a Sherman and was talking on the outside phone when shot at and wounded. There were also Navajo wind talkers there that reported intelligence via their radios back to the ships. I also heard about the Doberman dog units. They were very popular with the guys and valuable members of the operation.
    I heard Dad, while high on morphine, felt so good he got up from the medical unit and went and found his unit. Luckily, they made sure he got back to the medical unit. He never saw combat again because he was chosen for officer training. He was in the states when the bombs were dropped ending the war. He would be 98 now but passed in 2006.
    I tip my hat to all the 1st Provisional members that served at Guam and later Okinawa as members of the 6th Marine Division.

  • @paulmellon7598
    @paulmellon7598 2 года назад +6

    Interesting to see how cultural differences may have shaped military approaches. The design of a Japanese garden is intended to blend in seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.

  • @patrickmccrann991
    @patrickmccrann991 2 года назад +7

    JD, FYI the 4th Marine Regiment was reconstituted from the original 4th Marines that had served in China pre-war and evacuated to the Philippines in November 1941. The 4th Marines were destroyed defending Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. As a kid, my Dad was stationed in the Philippines (Navy) and I lived there for two years. I was lucky to visit Corregidor and Bataan including hiking 50 miles of the Bataan Death March route on the 30th anniversary (1972) with the Boy Scouts.

  • @brutusbuk
    @brutusbuk 2 года назад +2

    I canot express how much I am enthralled by this series. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!

  • @lwovert8148
    @lwovert8148 2 года назад +2

    I was stationed in Guam with the Navy and got a chance to visit these places. I just didn't have the full story of each area. Great job again.

  • @andreguillette6293
    @andreguillette6293 2 года назад +5

    Desmond Doss , he is someone i have learned a lot about since the first time i had heard of him and even though Hacksaw ridge is a great movie i also recommend The Conscientious Objector made in 2004 . He is one of my favorite heroes of WW2 and of all time as well. Great Man , Great Soldier.

  • @cooktravelers
    @cooktravelers 3 месяца назад +1

    My teacher, who went through Guam and the rest of the Marianas as a Marine. He said that they used flame-throwers to clear out the caves before going into the caves.

  • @wth_strubel
    @wth_strubel 2 года назад +2

    Hello and Hafa Adai friend! I’ve been following your journey through the Northern Mariana Islands and got particularly excited when you found your way to Guam. As a resident of the island since birth I couldn’t help feeling a sense of pride whilst watching you tour the sites. If you’re going to be on island for a little while or you have any questions feel free to reach out and I’d be happy to let you in on some of local secrets.

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад +1

      Thanks! Unfortunately, this was filmed back in June. Definitely hope to return though!

    • @wth_strubel
      @wth_strubel 2 года назад +1

      @@TheHistoryUnderground oh no worries. Hope you enjoyed your time on the island, be safe on your travels and keep up the good work 🙏

  • @thomassmythe8258
    @thomassmythe8258 2 года назад +1

    Thanks for the work you guys do to help the country remember our history when the enemy is trying to get rid of it.

  • @mindyl1019
    @mindyl1019 2 года назад +3

    My seabee unit was deployed to Guam from Feb 2019-Aug 2019 we did PT at that beach and received a huge history lesson that day and visited many times just so we could get all the history that happened

  • @fredv7487
    @fredv7487 2 года назад +3

    Excellent video JD. You make history interesting again. Hope to see more folks watching. Thanks for taking us along. 👍👍👍👍👍🤕

  • @joeritchie4554
    @joeritchie4554 2 года назад +2

    Thank you for showing us this battle and landing sites. I never heard or read of the fight for Guam in all of my history studies. You have taught me something new. Thank you so much!

  • @littlebitseaton2925
    @littlebitseaton2925 2 года назад +1

    JD,your history series is fabulous. Keep up the great work.

  • @garymckee448
    @garymckee448 2 года назад +1

    What amazes me is how little damage Naval gunfire did.

  • @cleverusername9369
    @cleverusername9369 2 года назад +8

    Had to write another comment, I found something interesting: I like to follow your adventures on Google Earth to get a sense of place and scale, and I noticed that all along that coast in certain areas, there are what look like collections of craters just feet off the beach underwater. Makes me wonder if those are remnants of the naval artillery bombarding the coastline, they look organized, they're perfectly circular, and having looked a map of the invasion, they tend to correlate with the landing beaches.
    Also I was able to locate the latrine structure you pointed out.

    • @vw2112
      @vw2112 2 года назад +1

      those are probably the piti bomb holes its a protected reserve and great for diving.

  • @jaredevildog6343
    @jaredevildog6343 2 года назад +2

    Another great video ! Your videos are very well made , the music, the way you speak, camera shots. As a Marine who recently saw combat I appreciate the quality of stories of what my fellow Marines went through. Thanks for providing such quality. SEMPER FI !

  • @ryanpayne7864
    @ryanpayne7864 Год назад

    Wow, talk about a memory bring back. Loved exploring the WW2 sites when I lived there. Haven’t seen all of those in 25 years. One thing I will always remember is going to a crashed Corsair on Orote behind the runway in the jungle, and diving on a crashed Japanese Val. So many cool things there. Thanks for the video! Gonna rummage through some artifacts and some photos now. Lol.

  • @tonpalacios2964
    @tonpalacios2964 Год назад

    I'm prior army and a local of guam, never knew Desmond Doss was part of the retaking of Guam. Cool stuff

  • @Ugnaught82
    @Ugnaught82 2 года назад +2

    My Father was a searchlight crewman in the Marines' 4th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, he spent time on Saipan, Tinian and Guam in 1945. Several times his platoon was attached to a company that was sent off into the jungle searching for the Japanese holdouts. They mostly met isolated Japanese and only once did they have a run in with a sizable group of Japanese, who were all killed. His best friend was killed during one of these ops. He didn't recall ever seeing a natural cave, all were hand dug. I have an Arisaka rifle he picked up during one of these trips, along with the paperwork stating that it was a battlefield pick up.

  • @matthewmiller5133
    @matthewmiller5133 2 года назад +1

    At North Training Area on Okinawa, we were doing a patrol thing and walked up to a Japanese bunker from WWII. We got up to about 10 yards from it before we saw it. The instructor got us away from it right away because of the possibility of hidden munitions that could have been buried near it. They said because of the lack of metal in Japan near the end of the war they used ceramics to build the body of the grenades and were hard to pick up with metal detectors.

  • @reloadncharge9907
    @reloadncharge9907 2 года назад +3

    Another superb episode….have investigated a few “caves”….ala your adventures…in the Truk area. Great stuff! Thx, Andrew

  • @mato5758
    @mato5758 2 года назад +1

    I read on the History Traveller Facebook page recently, that it's not an episode unless JD bumps his head.
    Well, he bumped his head twice, so this episode must be twice as good!!

  • @rogerkern
    @rogerkern 3 месяца назад

    I know it’s been a year but. Great video. When I was there from 85-88 the one rule of scuba diving was to never ever pick up coal that was four to six inch diameter and about eight to ten inch long. Chances are that’s a grenade but love it there

  • @michaelbyrne1596
    @michaelbyrne1596 2 года назад +2

    In other videos you and Eric show helmets and flags where soldiers display where they fought. Maybe you could do a whole episode telling everyone where all the bumps on your head were inflicted...having watched all of your videos you may need a couple of episodes. Another great video bringing history into our sitting rooms well done.

  • @ronaldwhalen8143
    @ronaldwhalen8143 2 года назад +2

    Just love your videos of WW2 . They are informative beautifully made and you my friend should be on tv the big screen doing this. Your knowledge is amazing and it also helps me to put to gather what my dad went through. I would of loved to hear about the tank battle from behind that attack thought concrete bunkers . My dad was a tank gunner . Great job.

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад +1

      Oh wow! Would loved to have heard some of his stories.

    • @ronaldwhalen8143
      @ronaldwhalen8143 2 года назад

      @@TheHistoryUnderground is he a navy seal? Not sure if you know or not .

  • @ED-ti5tc
    @ED-ti5tc 2 года назад +2

    Love these series. Appreciate it. I wish my Grandpa was still here. He was in WW2 in the Pacific. That's all I know and he got on an island and brought home a little bit of Japanese money. Wish I knew more.

  • @Ro6entX
    @Ro6entX 2 года назад +1

    Sadly I don’t think I’ll ever be able to visit those places but like many others, I enjoy being able to virtually tag along in your travels. Whenever you to go Peleliu, depending if you can get on a boat, there is a “secret” refueling cave used for sea planes by the Japanese, which came to a end when the Americans used skip bombs right through the entrance, setting the fuel cans on fire. No idea the death toll but the cans are still there.

  • @pigybak
    @pigybak 2 года назад +1

    Thanks to you, I paid my respects to Doss while at the Chattanooga National Cemetery.

  • @GhostofSicklesleg
    @GhostofSicklesleg 2 года назад +1

    What a way to end my birthday then a History Underground video, thanks for the cherry on top! It made the day complete with another stellar video.

  • @wrangler70jkujeep74
    @wrangler70jkujeep74 2 года назад +1

    Great job JD this have to another place on my bucket list. Captivating series.

  • @baleksander000
    @baleksander000 Год назад

    Great to see videos about my island. As a I retired history teacher lol, I feel the need to help you with the pronunciation of local place names.

  • @benjaminrush4443
    @benjaminrush4443 2 года назад +2

    People do not realize that Desmond Doss received Battle Citations before his CMH on Okinawa. Thanks for your great Videos.

  • @JamesinAZ
    @JamesinAZ 2 года назад

    Really hits home of the fact that each subsequent invasion just got worse for the PTO. After Guam and Tinian, it was off to Peleiu. Ferocious fighting.

  • @billdennis2993
    @billdennis2993 2 года назад +1

    Thanks HU for an informative and entertaining video FWIW I served in USN '72/73 on a patrol gunboat PG92 that was home ported on Guam. Made many outings on the island exploring WW2 relics also went to Saipan and other Trust Territories when not deployed to patrol duties in Vietnam on Market Time patrols. Not sure if your aware but during that time there was a Japanese soldier holding out in the jungle that was finally repatriated with his homeland IIRC in '74. I hope your given access to the military installations as alot of relics were located there especially around Arote point where bull dozers were used to dump aircraft and other vehicles n the sea. Watch for stone fish if you go in water as they are deadly. I had a 400 Suzuki trail bike and rode all over the island accumulated great memories. Hafai Dai.

  • @bullhead900
    @bullhead900 2 года назад

    Thank you for taking us to these places.

  • @Cutter-jx3xj
    @Cutter-jx3xj 7 месяцев назад

    My dad was stationed at Guam. He could tell some very strange stories about things the took place and that he saw at night on Guam.

  • @marcmiller3219
    @marcmiller3219 2 года назад

    Love your incorporation of original footage on these videos. Great as usual.

  • @Musiquedecor
    @Musiquedecor Год назад +1

    Good coverage of Guam ! Cheers from Guam

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  Год назад +1

      Thanks!

    • @Musiquedecor
      @Musiquedecor Год назад +2

      @@TheHistoryUnderground My only feedback is randomly ask a Local how to pronounce the village names, just for a bit of accuracy. They're pronounced differently than what you spoke, but much respect when I say that.

    • @Musiquedecor
      @Musiquedecor Год назад

      @@TheHistoryUnderground with that said, if you're ever in the area again for any other episodes, don't be shy to reach out.

  • @Broski1318
    @Broski1318 2 года назад +4

    I feel that stories like Lieutenant Lengfeld's are overlooked when looking for heroes. "People say there are no heroes in today's world, they just don't know where to look." Ronald Reagan said that, and it's the truth. Doss was a hero, but what'd I'd like to see is more people talk about Lieutenant Lengfeld (I hope I spelled that right.) and others like him. Anyways, thanks for the video. Cheers!

  • @Wreckdiver59
    @Wreckdiver59 2 года назад +1

    To just have to move from island to island starting all over with the same type of defenses, I don't know how they did it. Not to mention the heat and humidity. I think of that every time I see the soldiers in your historical footage in full uniform 🥵 Just incredible what they accomplished.
    My first impressions of bunkers was formed a long time ago based on Japanese bunkers rather than the coastal defenses in Europe. Probably because of some old John Wayne movies I watched as a kid 😉

  • @hilarys.1659
    @hilarys.1659 2 года назад

    I love this! I love this channel and live on Guam. Glad you were able to cover this!

  • @SoCal780
    @SoCal780 2 года назад +1

    Fascinating historical facts, I love these stories and these videos! 👍

  • @acecombatandres04
    @acecombatandres04 2 года назад +1

    I never comment but if it helps support your channel I will. You're doing incredible work to bring history into as much perspective as possible without having to go there ourselves! Ps, watch your head 😅

  • @jonathanlewis8018
    @jonathanlewis8018 Год назад +1

    I found a Japanese cave in the countryside of Hong Kong. It is quite large, and has living quarters for the Japanese troops living there during the war. The cave also has a staircase carved out of the stone leading to another exit.

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  Год назад

      Wow!

    • @jonathanlewis8018
      @jonathanlewis8018 Год назад

      The cave had a concrete bunker in front of one of the exits, but this had been destroyed and its ruins are scattered all over the hillside. This tunnel is one out of 7 others in the general vicinity, but this is the largest one

  • @GlasgowCeltic88
    @GlasgowCeltic88 2 года назад +1

    Once again an amazing video. I was hoping you were going to address the "elephant in the bay" as in the Mulberry Harbour-esque concrete casemate sat looking sorry for itself.

  • @Ronaldl2350
    @Ronaldl2350 2 года назад +1

    It amazes and saddens me the great amount of death and destruction it took to take the islands, that size wise are not that big.
    I saw a video from a plane that circled Iwo jima. It's not big at all, but the casualties where in the tens of thousands. I am sure Saipan, Guam etc are not all that big as well. So much sacrifice to preserve our freedoms.
    Mr Doss is one of my heroes.

  • @darkoflight4938
    @darkoflight4938 2 года назад +1

    You got to invest in one of those cap helmets! :) Just the thought of the contrast between the now calm, tranquil and crystal clear waters to the pure hell it was back in the day.

  • @xmanhoe
    @xmanhoe 2 года назад +1

    Love your work 😎 Thanks for showing us these amazing places . Hi from Belfast Northern Ireland 😎

  • @64maxpower
    @64maxpower 2 года назад +2

    You do a great job making these videos

  • @MrFrankturbo1
    @MrFrankturbo1 2 года назад +1

    Very interesting again .. I know a little again about the Pacific war but am still learning more watching you vids and look forward to more !

  • @phantomtitan9792
    @phantomtitan9792 2 года назад

    Those bunkers looks very cool

  • @matthewmoneypit1558
    @matthewmoneypit1558 2 года назад

    Another great video about stories I have never heard. Nice work JD.

  • @jaratt85
    @jaratt85 Год назад

    I hope you get to do one of these about Korea someday.. It really is the Forgotten War. (my grandfather was there for the duration starting as an Army 1st Lt in 51 at Pusan where he got a Bronze Star for taking over the entire division's supply books and going all the way up to Captain in charge of a M39 Armored Utility Vehicle.. they knocked him down to Sgt after the war and he made E6 Specialist 6 in Alaska before retiring in 1960 at 36.. He lied about his age to enlist in 1940 at 16.. He spent 43-45 in New Guinea as a motorcycle mechanic.)

  • @Goodvibesyeetus
    @Goodvibesyeetus 2 года назад +2

    I can’t stop laughing at the fact you said you’d love to have an anti aircraft gun, what a quote

  • @user-uv3yv4vv5y
    @user-uv3yv4vv5y 11 месяцев назад

    I lived on Guam from 1968 until l1964. My brother and I and some other "Statesider" kids used to go into the jungle looking for WWII relics, including live ammo, hand grenades, moarter shells, land mines, etc. We would bring them back home without our parents knowing what we were doing, and unload the ammo. My brother was killed in 1961 trying to unload a Japanese moarter...he was only fifteen years old. (I was 12 at the time). That stuff is very unstable after years in the jungle. Even now, in places around the world, people keep finding bombs and grenades and other explosives from the war. I hope this serves as a warning to anyone who may think relics from the war are cool things to find...

  • @brianlclayton
    @brianlclayton 2 года назад +1

    You should have a blooper reel of just head bumps…lol

  • @legobatman8353
    @legobatman8353 2 года назад +1

    My real passion is the European conflict but its nice to see some focus on Pacific campaign. My father was in the British Army as a Sapper in what we call the Far East. He often said they felt like the forgotten soldiers.

  • @PeterOkeefe54
    @PeterOkeefe54 2 года назад +1

    JD does Eric travel with you?? your blessed my friend to see all this. Thanx for bringing it home

    • @TheHistoryUnderground
      @TheHistoryUnderground  2 года назад

      He and I traveled together on a trip to Normandy last year. We’ve got another trip planned but for the most part, I travel by myself.

  • @bryanquichocho1280
    @bryanquichocho1280 2 года назад +1

    Hafa adai and welcome to Guam🤙🏾, thank you again for the vids bro.

  • @The.Original.Potatocakes
    @The.Original.Potatocakes 2 года назад

    I heard a story about a Japanese Solider talking about Desmond. I guess the Japanese guy had Desmond in his sights and for some reason his rifle wouldn’t fire. I think he even tried to clear it and put in a new round and that didn’t work either. All I know is Desmond is definitely in heaven.

  • @dr.lareme7737
    @dr.lareme7737 2 года назад +1

    That 20cm coastal gun looks more like a large caliber mortar.