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75th anniversary commemoration
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Posted on Jun 14 2019
The Friends of the National World War II Memorial will host a Battle of Saipan 75th Anniversary Commemoration at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 15, starting at 11:30am.
The ceremony and wreath presentation at the Memorial’s Pacific Arch will commemorate 75 years since the battle, which is referred to as “D-Day Pacific” due to its important strategic impact on the Pacific War.
Among those who will be present at the commemoration are World War II veteran Harry Miller; Douglas Domenech, assistant secretary Insular and International Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior; Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans; Molly Pomroy, whose late father, Sgt. Thomas J. Quirk, served in the Battle of Saipan; Javier Abril, whose maternal grandfather, James W. Gabisch, served in the Battle of Saipan; Chaplain CDR Garry R. Thornton, Jr., USN; and Master Gunnery Sgt. Matt Harding of the U.S. Marine Band.
Family members of veterans who served in the Battle of Saipan, a representative of the Mariana Islands from the Department of the Interior, and representatives from the Military District of Washington will lay wreaths at the National World War II Memorial in honor of the 71,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers who landed on the island and to remember the nearly 3,500 killed and more than 10,000 wounded. (PR)
