More than 30 families of fallen service members were honored Thursday in a solemn ceremony at the Guam Congress Building, where they received I Milåyan i Mås Takhilo’ na Sakrifisiu — The Medal of the Greatest Sacrifice. The award recognizes Guam’s sons and daughters who lost their lives while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces across multiple conflicts.
The event was led by Sen. Sabrina Salas Matanane, who chairs the Committee on Health and Veterans Affairs. Her office launched an extensive outreach effort after 56 unissued medals were found earlier this year in boxes stored inside the Legislature. Authorized more than 15 years ago, many medals were never delivered to families for reasons that remain unclear.
To date, 33 families have been located and presented their medals. Sen. Salas Matanane said the ceremony honored not only the fallen but also the resilience of the families who stood behind them. She vowed to continue searching for remaining next of kin until every medal is delivered.
The medals honor service members from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The senator’s office continues asking the public for help in locating additional families to ensure the remaining medals reach their rightful recipients. The senator's office can be reached at 671-989-2572 for more information.
