The Other Guam Story – George Ray Tweed

From:  [article] Together We Served – [photos] Guam History Project

Most everyone knows or vaguely remembers Sgt. Yokoi finally surrendering in 1972, but another soldier was hiding on that island too…..

Lt. George Ray Tweed

 

Lieutenant George Ray Tweed, U.S. Navy After the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, Japanese forces soon overran Guam Island in the Pacific. Tweed, then serving as a Navy chief radioman with several other U.S. personal slipped into the jungle rather than surrender. He became the only survivor after the others were captured and killed. He managed to elude Japanese soldiers for two years seven months, providing information to American forces that recaptured Guam Island in July 1944. His survival effort is considered one of the greatest feats in war history to date. For his contributions to the Pacific War victory, he was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal, Silver Star Medal and a Presidential Citation. He retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant. His story was told in the best selling 1945 book, ”Robinson Crusoe USN” and in the Universal Studios 1962 movie, ”No Man is an Island,” starring Jeffrey Hunter as George Tweed. Cause of death, an automobile accident at Crescent City, Del Norte County, northern California. Tweed’s cave Other Comments: Legion of Merit with Combat ‘V’  Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat “V” to Radio Electrician George Ray Tweed, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while isolated on Guam following the seizure of that island by enemy Japanese forces on 10 December 1941, until rescued by an American Destroyer during the bombardment by our surface and aerial forces on 10 July 1944. Courageous and resourceful under relentless stalking by the Japanese, Radio Electrician Tweed succeeded in escaping capture and, with the aid of friendly and loyal natives managed not only to subsist during this prolonged, grueling period but to obtain much valuable information concerning the Japanese occupation of the Island. Ingeniously attracting the attention of an American Destroyer operating two miles off shore on 10 July, he subsequently signaled messages by semaphore, revealing information of an undamaged hostile battery of six-inch guns concealed at Point Adelup. After being rescued by our warship, Radio Electrician Tweed turned over a detailed log on enemy movements, troop concentrations, the results of our bombardment on hostile objectives beginning 11 June, and Japanese preparations to repel an amphibious landing, thereby making a vital contribution to the recapture of this strategic American possession.Radio Electrician Tweed is authorized to wear the Combat “V”. Action Date:  December 10, 1941 – July 10, 1944 Service:  Navy Rank:  Radio Electrician

Guam under Japanese rule.

Check out this short description of Tweed’s 3 years in hiding….

The idea for using the video was from John Howell.

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Military Humor – 

 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Marco Alleruzzo – Boston, MA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, ball turret gunner

Kenneth Cringle – Kingfisher, OK; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-24 nose gunner

William Gannon – Westernport, MD; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Lt.Col.

Harvey Hansen – Fryeburg, ME; US Army, WWII, PTO, SSgt., 154th Infantry Regiment

Miriam Jacques – brn: Tel Aviv, ISR; W.British Army, WWII, ETO

Jack Meehan – Christchurch, NZ; RNZ Air Force # 426895, WWII, 75th Squadron

Lewis Miner – Salt Lake City, UT; US Army, 11th Airborne Division

Eddie Ott – Clarksville, TN; USMC, Vietnam, Cpl.

Jock Moffat – Swinton, UK; Royal Navy, WWII, ETO, Lt. Cmdr., HMS Ark Royal

Dee Simpson – Alamogordo, NM; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS Brownson, gunner’s mate

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