On July 21st, 1944, American forces began their assault on the island of Guam against the heavily entrenched Japanese. It would take 20 days of intense fighting for the Americans to reclaim the island.
However, isolated Japanese units and solders continued their own war for months and, in some cases, even years (28 years to be exact)
March 10, 1945: U.S. troops in the Pacific islands continued to find enemy holdouts long after the main Japanese forces had either surrendered or disappeared. Guam was considered cleared by August 12, 1944, but parts of the island were still dangerous half a year later. Here, patrolling Marines pass a dead Japanese sniper. These Marines may belong to the Fifty-second Defense Battalion, one of two black units sent to the Pacific. (Charles P. Gorry, AP Staff/AP Archives)
