The surrender of 1,500 soldiers and civilians on Saipan in 1944 is attributed to the bravery and ingenuity of WWII veteran Guy Gabaldon, earning him the moniker “Pied Piper of Saipan.” Although he convinced hundreds to lay down their arms and capitulate to the Americans, Gabaldon’s heroism went beyond the battlefield. Despite being recommended for a Medal of Honor, he was awarded the Navy Cross for his extraordinary actions.
Enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps at the tender age of 17, Gabaldon trained at Camp Pendleton before being assigned to the 2nd Regiment, Second Marine Division. His unique ability to speak Japanese, acquired through his interactions with first-generation Japanese immigrants in Los Angeles, California, proved to be a crucial asset once he arrived on the island of Saipan.
On his first night on the island, Gabaldon immediately sprang into action, working alone to bring back two prisoners using his fluency in the “backstreet Japanese” dialect. Navigating the treacherous jungles of Saipan, he overheard vital intelligence about a major Japanese attack, allowing him to thwart a potentially devastating blow to the American forces.
However, amidst the chaos of war, Gabaldon witnessed harrowing scenes of Japanese civilians, including children, leaping to their deaths from cliffs to avoid capture by the Americans. Despite his efforts to intervene and prevent these tragic deaths, fear and propaganda fueled the civilians’ resolve to face their fate.
In one particularly poignant encounter at the stockade, Gabaldon encountered a woman whom he had saved from jumping off a cliff with her child. Reflecting on the horrors of war, Gabaldon lamented the tragic loss of life and the toll it took on the human psyche.
Gabaldon’s remarkable wartime experiences and courageous exploits in the jungles of Saipan would later be immortalized in the movie “Hell to Eternity” and the book “EAST L.A. MARINE: THE UNTOLD TRUE STORY OF GUY.” Despite his heroic deeds, Gabaldon remained humble, living with his family on Saipan for two decades before passing away from a heart attack in his Florida home on August 31, 2006, at the age of 80. His ashes were scattered on Mt. Tapochau, a fitting tribute to a true American hero.
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