Christian Peterson
reporter@riverbendnews.org
On Saturday, Nov. 12, the Suwannee County Historical Commission and Museum hosted a World War II Pacific Theater of Action event, which was part of the museum’s events program. Events take place every second Saturday of the month, except for December, which is focused on educating the public on different parts of history – especially from those who were there for the actual historical event.
For the World War II Pacific Theater of Action event, Veterans Jennings Bunn II and Steve McDevitt were invited to discuss their experiences in Guam. The spoke about the various World War II Veterans, American and Japanese soldiers, officers of the imperial Army, Navy and Marines that they met during their combined 14 years of living in Guam. The pair also discussed what the world was like in Saipan, Tinian, Peleliu and Iwo Jima. McDevitt went into extensive detail about the aircrafts used throughout his time there and beyond, as he flew World War II aircrafts for 15 years. In fact, his knowledge of the aircrafts is so extensive that he has even crated aircraft models for the Marianas Military Museum.
Bunn discussed the culture of Guam and how it changed over time, especially during World War II. Together, the duo shared pictures from their time in Guam, showing different aircrafts, ships and even bases. This allowed attendees to have a visual understanding of what it was like being a part of the military living in Guam. The two even brought book recommendations for those wanting a deeper understanding of the culture and life of World War II Guam. Recommendations included “Hell to Eternity” by Edward Aarons and “United States Navy and Marine Corps Bases, Overseas” by Paolo Colletta.
The event was a success, as joy could be seen written across all attendees faces, including McDevitt and Bunn, who enjoyed sharing their experiences. There was plenty of curiosity after the initial presentation, as hands went up with questions asking more about life in Guam.
The next museum event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Suwannee County Historical Commission and Museum, located at 208 Ohio Ave. N, in Live Oak.