American Vernon Richard turned over the amount to Palau President Johnson Toribiong and officials from Peleliu State during a ceremony held at the M-Dock in Koror, Palau on Wednesday.
Also present during the occasion were Peleliu Governor Kangichi Uchau and Delegate Jonathan Isechal, who represents Peleliu in the House of Delegates.
Isechal, in a phone interview Thursday, said that Richard decided to donate the large amount after seeing the efforts of the state government in maintaining and improving the museum.
“He was touched deeply by the efforts of the state government to preserve and maintain the place. So, he decided to help them by extending this donation,” he disclosed.
According to Isechal, Richard has been in Palau since more than a year ago
“He came to love the place and made many friends here. The donation was also his way of saying thank you to Palau,” he said.
The Peleliu War Museum was established several years ago in a former Japanese storage bunker which was used during the Battle of Peleliu as command post.
The museum hosts a collection of war mementos which consist of many relics found on the battlefield, such as helmets, weapons and personal belongings.
Peleliu was the site of a major battle between American troops and soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army during the closing stages of World War II. Several thousand American and Japanese soldiers died in Peleliu during that epic two-month battle.
