Guam is a beach paradise, and is also so full of great history that anyone interested in the good old stories of yesteryears will find the island and the stories here very interesting and intriguing. One such story is of the World War I when, on April 7, 1917, German cruiser SMS Cormoran II was scuttled in Guam’s Apra Harbor during WWI. For 26 years she would rest undisturbed until August 27, 1943 when Japanese freighter Tokai Maru was torpedoed during WWII. As it happened, the Tokai Maru had been moored.
Apra Harbor is reputedly the only site in the world where wrecks from both world wars share the same site. The wrecks have become a popular dive site for divers around the world ever since. In July 1974, the SMS Cormoran II was listed on the Guam Register of Historic Places, and a year later, the vessel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well.
In honor of its history and the lives that have perished on SMS Cormoran II, the Guam Visitors Bureau plans to hold a memorial ceremony on Friday, April 7, 2017. The Festivities will include wreath-laying ceremonies at Apra Harbor and at the US Naval Cemetery in Hagåtña, and a series of lectures and an exhibit in a weeklong celebration. This is GVB’s attempt to bring into spotlight, yet another historic monument of Guam. As you travel to Guam to soak in this historic moment, book your hotel at Days Inn and enjoy unparalleled hospitality.
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