| 2010 Feb 18 - 21: WWII 65th Reunion of Honor & Battle of Iwo Jima |
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Iwo Jima Association of America, Inc.
65th Anniversary Battle of Iwo Jima
Reunion of Honor Tour
Dear Iwo Jima Veterans, families and friends:
Fred E. Haynes
Main Itinerary for Guam & Iwo Jima 26 Feb - 5 Mar 2010
Day 1 - 25 Feb Arrive Los Angeles for overnight. (Make your own hotel reservations. Room block @ Sheraton 4 Points 800-529-4683.)** Unless you arrange thru MHT for direct connect flights.
Day 2 - 26 Feb Depart Los Angeles for Guam (Cross dateline, lose a day)
Day 3 - 27 Feb Arrive Guam. Transfer to Outrigger Guam Resort. Enjoy a traditional Island “Chamorro” Welcome!
Day 4 - 28 Feb Breakfast and full briefing. we will tour Spanish sites and visit the Gef Pa’go Cultural Village for tour and traditional Chamorran meal. Evening at leisure. B, L provided
Day 5 - 1 March Half the group will tour south end of island to include Asan Beach, Asan Overlook, COMNAVMAR - Museum and the War Dog Memorial. The other part of the group will tour Andersen Air Force Base, including Andersen Wives Club Boutique, Arc Light Memorial, Heritage Museum. Lunch at Top of the Rock at Terague Overlook. B, L, provided.
Day 6 - 2 March Today, we participate in a full day Educational - Historical Symposium on the Battle of Iwo Jima, co-hosted by the Pacific Aviation Museum, Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, HI. American and Japanese Historians and Veterans will offer their perspective on different aspects of the battle, including roundtable discussions and luncheon. Additionally, a comprehensive pre-tour briefing on “Iwo Jima Today” will be conducted. Tonight, we gather for the 65th Anniversary Reunion of Honor Banquet, with honored local guests and Military and Civilian Dignitaries. B, L, D provided.
Day 7 - 3 March Return to Iwo Jima. Early in the morning we will depart Guam on our charter jet flight for a day-long Memorial Tour and Observance on Iwo Jima. Upon arrival, you will be met by the official U.S. and Japanese Government delegation consisting of representatives from the Armed Services and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, as well as other dignitaries. (We will land on the site of Motoyama airfield #2.) At approximately 1200, Veterans and their families will gather near the landing beaches to conduct Memorial Services at the Anniversary Monument. These services, conducted by Dignitaries and Veterans of the United States and Japan, will remember and memorialize those young men who gave their lives during the savage campaign for the island. Following the memorial services, the opportunity will be available for individual, Unit or Ship Associations to place wreaths in remembrance of their fallen comrades. Following a box lunch, we will continue touring the island, to include Mt. Suribachi, the Landing Beaches, and other memorable sites made famous during the campaign. At approximately 1600, we will return to the airfield where this historic day began, to gather one last time in friendship and camaraderie on the sacred soil of Iwo Jima.
Day 8 - 4 March Half the group will tour Andersen Air Force Base, including Andersen Wives Club Boutique, Arc Light Memorial, Heritage Museum. Lunch at Top of the Rock at Terague Overlook. The other part of the group will tour south end of island to include Asan Beach, Asan Overlook, COMNAVMAR - Museum and the War Dog Memorial. Fiesta dinner @ John Gerbers Ranch - hosted by 3rd Mar Div Assn. B, L, D provided.
Day 9 - 5 March Guam & Saipan groups depart for home or Hawaii post tour. (Cross International date line - gain a day) ** Peleliu Battlefield tour depart this evening for their flight to Koror, Palau and overnight.
Basic Tour Price: $ 4,895 (based on Los Angeles Departure, double occupancy)
Iwo Jima Tour Includes:
Pre-Tour to Saipan and Tinian: 23 - 27 Feb 2010 Day 1 - 22 Feb: Arrive Los Angeles for overnight (Make your own hotel reservations at Sheraton 4-Points Airport Hotel, 800-529-4683.) .**Unless you arrange through MHT for direct connect flights.
Day 2 - 23 Feb: Depart Los Angeles for Saipan (via Honolulu and Guam). (Cross International Dateline - lose a day.)
Day 3 - 24 Feb: Arrive Saipan in evening with a traditional Saipan island welcome. Check into the Pacific Island Club hotel and relax remainder of evening.
Day 4 - 25 Feb: A full day WWII history tour of Saipan beginning at the American Memorial Park Visitor Center. Next , the 2d and 4th Marine Division beaches where you can feel how exposed the Marines were to Japanese observers on Mt Tapotchau towering 1500 feet above us. Follow the progression of the battle south to Aslito/Isley Airfield. Next proceed through the infamous "Death Valley," flanked on the east by "Purple Heart Ridge" and on the west by the ever-imposing Mt Tapotchau. Following the flow of the 1944 battle northward, pass the notorious battle site of the mass banzai attack. End the day at "Suicide Cliff" and "Banzai Cliff," the sites of mass suicides. Here, where the battle for Saipan ended, are impressive memorials to peace. Group dinner on the beach in the evening. B,L,D provided.
Day 5 - 26 Feb: Depart to Tinian Island. Marvel at the small, narrow invasion beaches where the Marine landings surprised the Japanese defenders. and see pillboxes and the rusted hulk of a landing craft. Explore the now abandoned North Field…in 1944-45 the most active airfield in the world with hundreds of B-29 bombers and tens of thousands of airmen and support troops. Visit the "bomb pits" where the atomic bombs were loaded and see Runway Able where the Enola Gay took off for Hiroshima. Fly to Saipan late afternoon. B,L provided.
Day 6 - 27 Feb: Participate in a moving ceremony at the American Memorial Park. Each veteran will be individually honored by Saipan..Today we will also visit the CMMI museum, spanning all periods of Saipan history, as well as recovered Spanish treasure. The remainder of the day will be at leisure to take care of any unfinished shopping, take a swim, and to pack for an early evening flight to Guam. After check-in at the Guam Outrigger Resort, the evening is at your leisure. B,L provided.
Saipan & Tinian Pre-Tour Price: $ 1,495 (Based on double occupancy)
Saipan & Tinian Tour Includes: Post Tour to Peleliu 5 - 10 Mar 2010 5 Mar: Fly to Koror & overnight in Koror, capital of Palau. **Unless you arrange through MHT for direct connect flights.
Day 1 - 6 Mar: Peleliu - Boat through the beautiful Rock Islands on way to Peleliu. Check into rooms with lunch on the beach. After lunch explore The Point and White Beach One and Two and adjacent areas. As time allows, a bus tour of the island will give the group the overall picture and layout of the island. Cross talk session in the evening after dinner for those who want to participate. Evening at leisure.
Day 2 - 7 Mar: Peleliu - Trek into Wildcat Bowl to view artifacts (Japanese artillery piece, napalm tank, water catch basin etc) of the battle and explore caves. After lunch we will trek into the jungle to view the Sherman tank destroyed by a land mine and aircraft wreckage.
Day 3 - 8 Mar: Peleliu - Trek into the Horse Shoe Valley to view fighting positions of the Japanese, the air compressor used by the 81st Infantry Division to clear caves as well as and other artifacts of the battle. In the afternoon we will trek into Death Valley to view the Last Command Post of the Japanese commander of the island.
Day 4 - 9 Mar: Peleliu & Koror - This morning we walk from the village to Hill Row and explore the. Caves, gun bunkers and artillery pieces on the north face of Hill Row, called Hills 1, 2 and 3. We observe Radar Hill is just across the road to the east. Lunch will be followed by our return to Koror by boat.
Day 5 - 10 Mar: Koror - Depart for home at 0200, cross the date line and gain a day. Arrive in Los Angeles this same day.
Notes: There are a number of artifacts of the battle located around the island that we will visit as time allows, to include: Betty Bomber wreckage, 200mm gun in a cave, Zero wreckage, big gun bunkers and caves, Japanese tank and Headquarters Building and of course the Museum of the battle for Peleliu. This tour utilizes tourist class accommodations on Peleliu to maximize the battlefield touring. The activities listed are of an “adventure” nature, requiring minimal good physical fitness. Please contact our office with any questions.
Peleliu Post Tour (approx): $ 1,795 (Based on double occupancy)
Peleliu Tour Includes:
Post Tour - Honolulu & Pearl Harbor 5 - 9 Mar 2010
5 Mar - Depart Guam for Hawaii
Day 1 - 4 Mar: (Cross International Dateline - gain a day.) Arrive Honolulu early evening and check into hotel. Dinner on own.
Day 2 - 5 Mar: USS Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri. While on historic Ford Island, tour the new Pacific Aviation Museum., including lunch at the museum. Breakfast and lunch provided. Dinner on own. Optional: Polynesian Dinner Show.
Day 3 - 6 Mar: Breakfast at the Marine Corps Base, Kaneohe Bay, followed by a visit to the Pacific War Memorial. Travel to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific “Punchbowl” - for a private ceremony. Remainder of day and evening at leisure. Lunch and dinner on own.
Day 4 - 7 Mar: Day of leisure. After breakfast enjoy a fun filled day on Waikiki Beach or sightseeing in downtown Honolulu . The adventurous can book optional day tours to the other islands in the Hawaii chain like the Big Island and Maui. Lunch and dinner on own.
Day 5 - 8 Mar: Day of leisure. Late checkout. Depart Honolulu on evening flight. Breakfast provided. Lunch and dinner on own.
Day 6 - 9 Mar: Arrive Los Angeles (LAX) 5:00AM
Hawaii Post Tour: $ 1,235 (Based on double occupancy)
Hawaii Tour Includes:
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