Arrival

Upon arrival into Honolulu International Airport, transfer to the five-star Westin Moana Surfrider, where you are welcomed by the Museum’s travel team. This evening, enjoy a welcome reception and dinner with your fellow tour guests on the Diamond Lawn of the Moana Surfrider as you watch a lovely island sunset.

Accommodations: Westin Moana Surfrider (R, D)

USS Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, andPearl Harbor National Memorial

Begin your exploration of the War in the Pacific where it all ended, on the USS Missouri, site of the formal surrender of the Japanese Empire to the Allied powers. Next, visit the Pearl HarborAviation Museum, an internationally recognized aviation museum on Ford Island that educates about and preserves aviation history while honoring aviators and their support personnel who defended freedom in the Pacific region. After an included lunch, spend the afternoon at the very place where a Japanese attack brought the country into the war. At the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, pay tribute to the 1,177 men who were killed when the USS Arizona forward magazine exploded causing the ship to sink in a matter of minutes. Also visit the USS Bowfin (SS-287), a fleet attack submarine that fought in the Pacific during World War II and helped to make famous the term “Silent Service.” Bowfin was launched on December 7, 1942, exactly one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was nicknamed “Pearl Harbor Avenger,” so it’s fitting that Pearl Harbor is her permanent home. The evening is free to enjoy Waikiki’s many shops and restaurants.

Accommodations: Westin Moana Surfrider (B, L)

Journey to Saipan

After a relaxing morning at leisure in Waikiki, fly to Saipan, where a ferocious battle waged for over three weeks from June 15 to July 9, 1944. Granted to Japan after World War I, the island was home to the Japanese forces that attacked Guam on December 8, 1941. At the same time the Allies secured Rome and were fighting in Normandy in 1944, American troops had advanced within striking distance of Saipan. Once captured, Saipan and the neighboring island of Tinian offered airfields from which B-29s could attack the Japanese home islands. Once ashore on Saipan, Americans faced challenges in the tiny island's formidable geography, a significant civilian population, and the Japanese military’s willingness to fight to the last man.

Accommodations: The Kensington Hotel Saipan (B, D)

Explore Saipan

The Battle of Saipan moved from south to north with the invasion beaches located on the southwest coast. After American forces secured the southern third of the island along with the airfield, the Japanese continued their relentless defence. Today, guests will stand on the landing beaches, explore the bomb magazine used to supply the planes attacking Guam on December 8, 1941, and participate in an incredibly moving visit to the cliffs where thousands of civilians and Japanese soldiers committed suicide upon realizing that Saipan was lost. Tour stops also include a scenic drive through Purple Heart Ridge,Suicide Cliffs, American Memorial Park, the remains of Aslito Airfield, Kilili Beach, Last Command Post, and Tank Beach.

Accommodations: The Kensington Hotel Saipan (B, L, D)

Tinian and the atomic bomb

The island of Tinian is just minutes away from Saipan by air. After arriving at Tinian International Airport by privately chartered aircraft, embark on a tour of iconic North Field. The airfield today is a mixture of modern monuments and memorials with buildings and vehicles in varying states of preservation and decay. Explore a massive Japanese fuel storage facility where damaged oil drums still remain today. Stand above the bomb pits from which the atomic bombs “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” were loaded onto the B-29s Enola Gay and Bockscar. Walk the surprisingly narrow White Beach where the US Marine Corps landed to secure the island, and where debris from the battle remains today. Upon departure from Tinian to return to Saipan, your plane will embark on a scenic flyover of Tinian and the places you visited, giving you an aerial perspective of the day’s touring.

Accommodations: The Kensington Hotel Saipan (B, L, D)

Journey to Guam

After breakfast, bid farewell to Saipan and board a short flight to Guam. A US territory since the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Guam was attacked by the Japanese onDecember 8, 1941—technically the same day as Pearl Harbor, due to its location across the International Date Line. The Japanese occupied Guam until August 1944, when the island was liberated by the US 3rd Marine Division and 77th Infantry Division. This afternoon, tour the landing beaches of the Marines and Army soldiers at Agat Beach, Asan Beach, and Ga’an Point, and learn about their struggle to recapture the island and liberate American civilians fromJapanese occupation. A trip up to the Asan Bay Overlook reveals a commanding vantage point and exquisite views of the island. This evening, check into Dusit Thani Guam Resort and enjoy dinner at leisure.

Accommodations: Dusit Thani Resort (B, R)

Guam

This morning, guests are invited to attend the Iwo Jima Symposium, an engaging series of talks hosted in conjunction with the Iwo Jima Association of America and Military Historical Tours in preparation for the next day’s visit to Iwo Jima. After an included lunch, the afternoon is free for relaxation or independent exploration.This afternoon, a panel discussion featuring WWII veterans, moderated by James Scott and Jon Parshall, will bring to life the horrors these heroes faced during the war in the Pacific. This evening is free in preparation for an early morning departure to Iwo Jima.

Accommodations: Dusit Thani Resort (B, L)

The 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima

Board an early morning, privately chartered flight to Iwo Jima* to take part in the 75th anniversary commemorations on the island. The island of Iwo Jima, now named Iwo To, is open to American civilians only one day each year for this very special Reunion of Honor. On arrival, guests may take the opportunity to hike to the top of Mt. Suribachi, where the iconic flag-raising photo was taken, or attend a joint American and Japanese Water Blessing Ceremony and explore the nearby black ash landing beaches afterwards.

Today, guests reflect on the extreme American loss in this battle: over 26,000 casualties in 36 days of combat. Roughly one American out of every three who landed on Iwo Jima became a casualty. This day provides a unique opportunity for each guest to honor the men who fought in this historic battle, as well as the Gold Star Families who also gave so much for the capture of this island. Return to Guam this evening, with dinner served on the flight.

Accommodations: Dusit Thani Resort (B, L, D)

Hafa Adai – Half A Day Tour

“Hafa adai,” pronounced hå-FUH day, is a greeting used on all the inhabited Mariana Islands (Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan). This native Chamorro greeting is similar to “Aloha” used on the Hawaiian Islands. The final day of the tour is designed to provide additional optional touring during a “hafa adai, half-day” tour of Guam. Spend time atThe T. Stell Newman Visitor Center part of the War in the Pacific National Historical Park, experience the highly interactive exhibits, and view the compelling 10-minute movie, The Battle for Guam.

Next, venture to Apaca Point, known for its natural beauty and intricate Japanese defensive fortifications from World War II. Next, at the Pacific War Museum, dive deeper into the Marines history on Guam. End the touring day at Fort Apugan and take in exquisite views of the island.

The afternoon is free for independent exploration or relaxation. Join the group this evening for a reception and farewell dinner at the hotel.

Accommodations: Dusit Thani Resort (B, R, D)

Depart to the US

Depart the Dusit Thani Guam Resort this morning and transfer to the Guam International Airport for flights home or onward to one of our optional extension programs.

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The Battle for Peleliu

March 30 - April 3, 2020 - 4 night post-tour program

Join the Museum on a journey of a lifetime to an island populated with so many WWII artifacts that it is a living battlefield museum in its own right. Explore the landing beaches and relics of an island visited by only a handful of tourists each year, and walk the landscape that continues to embrace the souls of the thousands of American soldiers who perished here. A combination of local battlefield guides, expert WWII Museum historians, and international war in the Pacific expert and featured historian Jonathan Parshall will illuminate the sights and sounds of an island frozen in time. 

Part of the independent nation of Palau, Peleliu measures roughly six miles long and two miles wide. The island's infrastructure is built upon roads constructed by the Seabees in the months after the battle ended. Just beyond the roads lies a network of runways, bunkers, and caves that all tell a story. Our tour highlights include stopping at key sights that are immortalized in the HBO miniseries The Pacific, including the heavily defended landing beaches and airfield, as well as the accompanying administration building, Bloody Nose Ridge, the remains of a Japanese Zero, Japanese bunkers and caves, and numerous American landing craft scattered throughout the island. 

On the last day on Peleliu, choose between an excursion to the mud baths of the Rock Islands, enjoy the Palau Pacific Resort, or explore independently. 

Accommodations are at the five-star Palau Pacific Resort on the nearby island of Koror, and transportation each day to Peleliu is aboard a comfortable, privately chartered ship sailing through the Rock Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and past a submerged Japanese Zero. Don't miss this unique journey into one of the hardest-won victories in the Pacific.