I JUST watched a beautiful fireworks display conducted along Tinian’s Sanhalom Bay. It was a memorable end to another gorgeous 4th of July. Thank you to the organizers (and the funding source)!
I could not help thinking about the U.S. Marines who were stuck in the mountainous pinnacles north of Garapan this night, 80 years ago. They didn’t have rock and roll, pretty ladies, or cold beer.
Some senior Navy type from “higher up” must have decided to give his Marines a 4th of July fireworks show — on a much, much larger scale. The Marines were ordered to dig in as deep as they could.
Then the show began.
Out of the thousands of cannons on the hundreds of battle ships offshore came Star Shells, lighting the island in an eerie false-dawn. Then came the monster high-explosive shells from 14- and 16-inch cannons from the battleships and cruisers. No doubt a few destroyer captains took the liberty to join the midnight salute.
Marines who had been shot at from island to island across the Pacific, sat up in their foxholes — very carefully.
And there it was, right out the Star Spangled Banner — “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.”
That panicle-top theater, where our Marines watched their fireworks, was named 4th of July Hill.
DON A. FARRELL
Marpo Heights, Tinian
