General Hideyoshi Obata's Mataguac Hill Command Post

 Second World War 1939-1945, shrine, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, historic landmark, tourist cave

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Lt. Gen. Hideyoshi Obata, commander of the 31st Army and Marianas Area commander, was returning from an inspection tour of the Palau Islands when he was trapped on Guam by the American invasion of Saipan. The General had intended to lead the defense of Saipan himself. On Guam he left responsibility for the island's defense in the hands of Lt. Gen. Takeshi Takeshina, commander of the 29th Division, while he supervised the defense of the Marianas area.

After the death of Gen. Takeshina on July 28th, Gen. Obata assumed command of the scattered Japanese forces. It is unknown precisely when he and his staff moved into the command bunkers on Mataguac Hill. Civilians reported the existence of the command post to the advancing Americans. Several attempts to check the area drew heavy fire from concealed ambushes.

On August llth the 306th Re­giment, 77th Infantry Division, attacked with supporting tanks and a mortar barrage. After giving the order that his forces should fight to the death, Obata committed seppuku on 11 August 1944. Obata was promoted posthumously to the rank of general. The Americans advanced into the hollow and attacked the bunkers. Throwing white phosphorus grenades and using pole charges and more than 400 blocks of TNT, they blew up the front of the caverns, closing them. Three days later engineers reopened the caves and found the bodies of 60 Japanese including that of General Obata.

This command post marks the last organized resistance by the Japanese to the American liberation of Guam during World War II and therefore is considered a highlight of the invasion of Guam.

Rediscovered and opened up in late 1960's, this location served as the primary military command post for Japanese forces operating on Guam during the Second World War. At the time of its rediscovery, the site contained numerous artifacts from the soldiers stationed there at the time of its fall, and now houses a shrine.

focus.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/75002122.pdf