Honoring Our Fallen: Community Seeks Families of 56 Unclaimed Medals of the Greatest Sacrifice
A remarkable and emotional discovery was recently made at the Guam Congress Building: 56 unissued “Medals of the Greatest Sacrifice” were found in storage, each engraved with the name of a civilian or service member who gave their life in service to the United States and Guam during wartime. These medals represent individuals whose ultimate sacrifice had not yet been formally recognized with the physical award they earned.
Upon this discovery, Senator Sabrina Salas Matanane, Chairperson of the Guam Legislature’s Committee on Health and Veterans Affairs, issued a public appeal seeking the community’s assistance in locating the families or next of kin of the 56 medal recipients. Her goal is simple but powerful: to ensure these long-unclaimed medals are delivered to the families who have waited, perhaps unknowingly, for this honor.
In recent weeks, Salas Matanane and community partners have stepped up outreach via social media and local news, urging residents across Guam and beyond to share information that could help identify and contact family members connected to each name inscribed on the medals.
For many families, the official presentation of these medals will be deeply meaningful, offering recognition and remembrance that has been long overdue. Local leaders, veterans advocates, and community members alike have expressed how important it is to bring closure and honor to families whose loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice.
How You Can Help
If you have information about the families of any of the 56 individuals whose medals were discovered, community leaders encourage you to come forward. Your assistance can make a difference in helping ensure each medal reaches its rightful home.
Sharing this story with friends, relatives, and community networks also expands the chance that someone will recognize a name or connection. Let us work together to honor our history and the legacy of those who gave everything for our freedom.
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