PALAU...A DESTINATION OF HISTORY FOR WORLD WAR II BUFFS

Known to many as the location for the bloodiest battles of World War II, war buffs will appreciate Peleliu’s plethora of historical and commemorative elements.

Available year-round, Palau’s World War II/Peleliu Excursion is an integral part of Palau’s truly unique history, rounding out the varied interests and attractions found within the destination’s natural “habitats.”

Peleliu Island was the scene of one of the Pacific's bloodiest battles when U.S. Marines made an amphibious assault on the beaches of Peleliu in 1944 to liberate the island from Japanese forces. Peleliu was heavily fortified with massive concrete bunkers and over 300 man-made and reinforced natural caves used to shelter the Japanese forces during massive naval bombardments prior to the assault. Remnants of Japanese headquarters buildings, incredible cave systems, gun emplacements, tanks, planes and weapons can still be seen today.

Sam's Tours works closely with Peleliu Adventures, a small locally-owned tour company based in Peleliu that offers professionally guided tours to battles sites, tanks, shrines, historical monuments and the Peleliu WWII Museum. For more information, contact Sam’s Tours at (680) 488-1062 or reservations@samstours.com or Fish ‘n Fins at (680) 488-2637 or info@fishnfins.com.

Additionally, for those planning ahead, Sam Scott, founder of Sam's Tours, leads his Annual Wreck Expedition Week in March to dive and explore Palau's historic WWII “Forgotten Fleet” of Japanese ships and planes which were sunk by U.S Forces during Operation Desecrate One in March 1994. The program includes guest speakers, historians, slide shows, movies and historical presentations. For more information, contactinfo@samstours.com or visit www.samstours.com/wreckdiving.

Local operator, Neco Marine Tours, also offers a scenic boat ride to the island of Peleliu and a guided tour around the island, which can be combined with diving there. Guests will visit the World War II battlefields; see the old tanks, gun emplacements, bunkers, communication centers, the Japanese HQ and airplane wrecks; as well as a stop at Peleliu's War Memorial Museum, where WWII artifacts are on display. There's also an opportunity to spend time at the memorials to both American and Japanese soldiers lost during the war. For more information, contact (680) 488- 1755 or info@necomarine.com or visit www.necomarine.com/landtours.html.