Fitial thanks NPS, Interior for maintaining AMP

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial thanked yesterday the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior for the maintenance of the American Memorial Park on Saipan as a historic and sacred site.

“Thank you for being the responsible stewards and custodians of this important national park, where the lives of so many are recorded, and where memories and reminders of the past are maintained,” Fitial told guests and over a hundred attendees at the wreath laying ceremony marking the park’s 30th anniversary at the Court of Honor and Flag Circle yesterday.

Fitial said it is important to remember that the park is not just a tribute to the sacrifices of war but also an enduring reminder of the importance of peace and the value of freedom.

He said the park is a significant and noteworthy site for many visitors to enjoy.

“For many years after World War II ended for the people of the Northern Marianas, there was no national monument to pay tribute to the thousands of U.S. servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice for the liberation of the Northern Marianas,” Fitial noted.

He said these gallant men made the ultimate sacrifice not only for the liberation of these islands but for the conclusion of the most destructive war in history.

The CNMI also had no monument to honor its local civilians who perished in the epic battle of 1944, he said, thanking the patriots and community members who worked to make this park a reality for all visitors and local residents to appreciate.

“Here in this national par, we have the names of the sailors, airmen, soldiers, coast guard men, and Marines who battled valiantly in 1944. Here, we also have the names of many local residents who lost their lives during the battle,” Fitial said.

Many local families, he said, can look upon this monument and see the names of their parents, great-grandparents, or great-great grandparents, uncles and aunts.

“It is here, also, that we have welcomed the returning World War II veterans, as well as other visiting veterans. It is here. With the flags and the names, we remember the historic events that took place decades ago—the events which transformed our lives today, and which gave birth to a freedom our people had not experienced before 1944.”