War in the Pacific National Historical Park
A national historical park in Guam honoring the Pacific front of World War II.
War in the Pacific National Historical Park is located on Guam, an island in the Pacific. It is a park created to honor the fierce battles that took place on the Pacific front during World War II and the soldiers and residents who were sacrificed in them. Guam is a U.S. territory, and it carries the painful history of having been occupied by Japanese forces during the war before being retaken by American forces.
On the reverse of the coin is the image of American soldiers landing during the “Second Battle of Guam.” It captures the tense scene of soldiers wading through the seawater and climbing up onto the shore.
This image honors the landing operation American forces carried out in 1944 to retake Guam. Battles like these, fought across the many islands of the Pacific, were crucial moments that changed the course of the war, and many people lost their lives as the price of them. The landing scene on the coin holds the wish never to forget that sacrifice and courage.
This park was designated on August 18, 1978, and preserves the shores and remains that were once battlefields while conveying the preciousness of peace. In this way, the “America the Beautiful” series engraves not only natural scenery but also the weight of the history that unfolded in the Pacific.
Through a single coin, we naturally learn that the events that took place on the distant shores of Guam are connected to the history of all of America.