Solomon Islands and the U.S. commemorate the 84th anniversary of the Guadalcanal Campaign and honour World War II heroes
The 84th anniversary of the U.S. Marines’ landing on Guadalcanal and Tulagi during World War II has been commemorated at the Guadalcanal American Memorial in Skyline, Honiara.
The landing on 7 August 1942 marked the beginning of the Guadalcanal Campaign, a seven-month military operation that became a significant turning point in the Pacific theatre of World War II.
Speaking at the memorial ceremony, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Solomon Islands P. Daniel O’Hara said the anniversary recognised the service members who lost their lives during the campaign and the historical links between the United States and Solomon Islands.
“Together with Marines from Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, those present reflected on the courage of U.S. Marines, sailors, Coast Guardsmen, airmen, and their Solomon Islander partners. We have not forgotten,” O’Hara said.
O’Hara said many service members who fought during the campaign never left the islands, having lost their lives during the conflict.
He also reflected on the continued efforts to remember those who served, including a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., where a delegation from Solomon Islands led by Prime Minister Matthew Wale met with a surviving World War II veteran and his family at the Guadalcanal marker on the National Mall.
The commemoration also highlighted ongoing efforts by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to locate and identify the remains of missing service members in Solomon Islands.
O’Hara said the recovery efforts depend on cooperation with Solomon Islands institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Solomon Islands National Museum, and local communities.
The ceremony also acknowledged the impact of the Guadalcanal Campaign on all sides of the conflict, including American, Allied, Solomon Islander and Japanese personnel.
O’Hara said the historical relationship between Solomon Islands and the United States continues to develop through areas including maritime security cooperation, unexploded ordnance clearance, and the planned return of the Peace Corps programme.
The 84th anniversary commemoration was attended by Solomon Islands government officials, U.S. representatives, members of the diplomatic community and personnel from Marine Rotational Force – Darwin.
By: Steven Kamoa, Tavuli News Online
