President Obama has signed into law Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo’s bill, H.R. 1843, designating the facility as the “John Pangelinan Gerber Post Office Building.”
Prior to the president’s signing of the measure, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1843 by a vote of 414-3 on July 20. The U.S. Senate passed the legislation by unanimous consent last month.
The measure was introduced by Bordallo in May in honor of Gerber for his dedication to helping his fellow Marines, veterans and service members.
“John’s tireless efforts on behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps and veterans on Guam made him a leader in our community,” said Bordallo in a statement.
“The John Pangelinan Gerber Post Office Building will serve as a lasting tribute not only to John’s contributions to Guam, our nation, and the Marine Corps, but also to those service members who sacrifice so much for our nation. I hope our community will always remember the Marines who fought to liberate our island from enemy occupation and other issues John championed during his life,” she adds.
Gerber is known for educating the community about Guam’s role during World War II and the role the U.S. Marine Corps played with regard to the liberation of Guam.
He is best remembered for his hospitality and generosity, along with the numerous fiestas he hosted for more than 20,000 service members.
Gerber also led the effort to rename Marine Drive to Marine Corps Drive in honor of the 1,548 Marines who lost their lives, in addition to the 6,000 Marines wounded during the fight to liberate Guam.
