Location
The Guadalcanal Memorial is located at the summit of Hill 73 on Skyline Ridge near the north coast of Guadalcanal in Guadalcanal Province in the Solomon Islands. Also known as the "Guadalcanal American Memorial" or simply as the "U.S. Memorial" or "U.S. Memorial on Guadalcanal".
Construction
During the early 1990s, this location was selected as the site of the Guadalcanal Memorial because it provided excellent views over the north coast of Guadalcanal and overlooks many of the battlefield areas. This memorial was created with funds raised by Guadalcanal veterans and private donations.
Discovery of Human Remains
In 1992 during the construction of the Guadalcanal Memorial, American remains were discovered on the hilltop. A memorial plaque for the unknown soldier was placed at the center of the memorial. Later, the remains were identified by historical research by John Innes and DNA testing by the Department of Defense (DoD) DNA testing confirmed the remains belonged to U.S. Marine Sgt John Harold Branic who was killed on August 19, 1942 and buried on the hilltop.
Memorial
Dedicated in 1992 on the 50th anniversary the Guadalcanal Memorial includes a large U.S. Star on the ground with a plaque to the unknown solider. The memorial is comprised of five memorial walls that detail the history of the Guadalcanal campaign. At the center of the memorial is a large obelisk flanked by two flagpoles with the American flag at the left and Solomon Islands flag at the right. The entire memorial is enclosed by a white wall with an entry gate.
Today, the Guadalcanal Memorial is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) with local maintenance and upkeep performed by Solomon Islanders.
References
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Guadalcanal Memorial, Solomon Islands
Guadalcanal American Memorial - American Battle Monuments Commission [PDF]
Thanks to John Innes for additional information
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Last Updated
March 20, 2022
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