Mum & Dad in Guam (1969)
My Mum and Dad used to live on Guam. Here's some film they took which we’ve just unearthed. It was 8mm film, so no sound, but when we watched it for the first time I gave Mum a microphone to record a commentary. It makes it a little more interesting when you know what’s being shown! Unfortunately I messed up on the volume levels so you’ll have to turn up your speaker to the max to hear it.
There’s a real mix of footage here, including:
***Mum and Dad’s house – the outside area and inside. They lived right near the Bayview Baptist Church and the serviceman’s club which you can see in the footage.
***A social picnic / volleyball game – organised by the club & church.
***Lovely white beach, near Anderson Air Force Base
***Driving round the island on Dad’s motorbike. This includes driving through the capital Agana… overall, the whole place seems very unspoilt and beautiful.
In terms of timeframe, the film is in 2 parts.
The first section is various footage taken during the second half of 1969 (June onwards). My Mum and Dad - Dawn and John Webb - had just been married in Australia and returned to Guam where Dad was based (he was in the US Navy during the war). For the first six months or so of their marriage they lived on Guam. Mum then returned early to Australia at the end of 1969 when she was pregnant with me, and Dad stayed on until he was let out of the military and then came to join us.
The second section is footage from Mum’s visit in early 1969, when Mum went to Guam to meet Dad for the first time. I didn’t switch the order because it would have messed up the commentary, but this is at least 6 months earlier than the first section. It’s an amazing story actually… Mum and Dad were penpals through their churches and Dad proposed to Mum in a letter before they’d even met! Mum went to Guam from Australia to meet Dad before she accepted properly and this is that trip, which was a pretty intrepid thing to do in those days. I think my favourite bit of this footage is of Dad shimmying up a palm tree, obviously trying to impress Mum!
posted by Lynette @ 12:35 pm
19 Comments:
Lyn, I'd like to thank you for posting your Guam video, and especially for having the foresight to have your mom narrate the film for you. I'll be forwarding your link to friends and family around the country. I was a military brat living on Andersen AFB and in the town of Dededo (after my father retired) and we lived on Guam from 61-63 and 65-72.
brianthorn@gmail.com
I really enjoyed your Mom and Dad's 1969 Guam film. I lived in Guam from 1970 to 75 and Bayview Baptist was our church. I remember all of the potlucks and your Mom and Dad's house along with all of the other buildings. I used to play on the stairs that led down to the main road from the church. I went to the school shown and I lived in several areas shown. My Dad worked for Guam Power Authority (GPA). I can remember my Dad having to leave the house when the power went down. He had to get the power plant back on-line. I believe the monument shown was for Magellen. It was on the South end of the Island. Tarage (sp) Beach was fantastic. Thank you! Tim.
brasspass@comcast.net
Hafa adai, I was feeling qite homesick for my island home; I now live on the US mainland. I decided to try Google's new video search engine, and up came your family's old footage of la isla bonita. Though I grew up on Guam in the early '80s, I could still recognize most every place your family filmed back in 1969. This footage brought back so many vivid memories of days I spent driving around and exploring Guam with family and friends. I went to church at Bayview a few times, so I recognized the film's vantage point immediately. My favorite part of the film would have to be the Tarague Beach footage. Tarague was and is still my favorite place in the entire world; it is, quite simply, magic. Just seeing your family drive down that long, winding road brought back a flood of memories and along with the memories, a flood of tears. I have longed to drive that road again for years now. I know it may sound crazy, but when your family started driving down the cliff, I felt as if I was riding along with them! All I can say is, thank you from my heart for posting this video. Watching it has certainly filled a little hole that has been in my heart. *a
What an amazing find. :) Just to let you know, Bayview Baptist church is quite different. In fact, we are having our bulding dedication THIS Sunday (8/27). The old church building was destroyed after a typhoon hit in Dec 2002. I'm sure your mom would love to see the old/new photos. (www.bayviewguam.com)
In response to the person who said I might like to see the new Bayview Baptist being built after the cyclone (typhoon as they are called there) destroyed the old one - I did follow the link and it is not only the church that has changed! When I was there it was all dirt tracks, no properly laid out roads, and VERY few buildings higher than single storey. I was staring at the background orf each shot more than the church building almost. Looks like our old home is now a carpark!
I want to first tell you...thank you for making me cry!!!! I really cant believe I am watching this FROM 1969! My name is Michael Chen and I am/was a local resident in Guam. I was born in 1983 and the Bayview Baptist Church was MY local playground! My childhood was literally there for 18 years!....I have countless memories spending my time at the lookout point. I am appalled that my memory of this place is in this vintage film.
Amazingly I stumbled into this film and I very glad you have this.
I am currently in the military and I extremely homesick... and this film just made my day. Thank You, Thank You!
Michael Chen
gofigan@hotmail.com
2LT, AV
Hi there and thanks for showing off this clip. I am local on guam and really appreciate you putting this up on the web. Would it be possible for me to have a copy of your clip? I would also want to link to your video and blogger on my website at www.islandcontact.com so others can find your video clip. Contact me at ian@islandcontact.com. Thanks again.
Hafa Adai Lyn,
Simply incredible, you brought me back to when I was only 8 years old. A wonderful simply life for many, marbles, little toy soldiers, jacks and holahoops for the girls.
You don't know how many lives you've touched in a very good way!
thank you again and Love and God Bless you and your family this Christamas 2006.
MarkM
I WAS REALLY GLADE TO SEE YOUR VIDEO OF GUAM. I AM RON BOHMAN AND I KNEW YOUR MOM AND DAD ONE WEEK BEFORE THEY GOT MARRIED. I HELPED AL BURROWS BUILD THE STAIRWAY DOWN THE HILL.I AM IN YOU VIDEO FOR ABOUT ONE SECOND. I WAS IN THE CHRISTIAN SERVICEMEN VAN WHEN I HEARD THE STORY OF HOW YOUR . MOM AND DAD MET BY WRITTING AS PEN PALS IN HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS ON THE USS PROTEUS AS 19 FROM JAN. 1969-FEB 1970. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND SOME PICTURES OF THE Q-HUTS AND OTHER OLD HOUSES ON THE GROUNDS. THE CHRISTIAN SERVICEMEN CENTER WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART. THE MILLERS ,ROES. SCHOFIELDS, PAULSONS,WETTHERS ETC. I WOULD LIKE TO FINE AL BURROWS ADDRESS. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND THAT YOU WILL BE SERVING HIM UNTIL HE RETURNS.
Ron - wow... talk about a small world. I never envisaged someone actually IN the video would come across it. I hope you enjoyed the blast from the past. :-) I've forwarded your comment onto my Mum & Dad.
Message for "COOK" Ron Bowman who left a message on our Guam video.. my email address is dawnwebb@optusnet.com.au if you would like to be in more contact. I don't feel right about putting John's email address on the internet but will pass it on if you contact me directly.
Wow its been along time!!!!!!!!!13 yrs and as all the comments have said you hit it right on the head with this video and the thing is its so unique because your parents captured (with your narration and hers) the (TIMELESS) aspect of GUAM AND THATS HARD TO DO thank you soooo much for putting the time into this, BM3 May USS Holland AS-32 , Guam 1993-95 Servicemen Center Regular and friend of the Moyer family Celeste Johnathen, addison and many others ETERNALLY GOD BLESS YOU .
In Christ Mike
I was stationed on Guam from late 1969 to1971 and the film brought back many memories.
Thanks
WKozachek@aol.com
Wow! This certainly brought back memories. Much of what your video showed was how it was when I was stationed on Guam in 1974-1975. I attended the Bayview Baptist Church then. I lived on the house across from the servicemen's center with my roommate, Carl Wedge. I loved my time there...I miss it and would love to return. Thanks for the memories! My name is Rob Pesola.
I lived in guam from 1968 to 1972 your film brought back many found memories of my childhood
Michael May! There are no dates on these posts, so I'm not sure how long ago you left this message. My Facebook account is Barbara Moyer; our e.mail address is guambalm@gmail.com. It would be great to be in contact with you. Barb
My Name is Ed Colvin I was stationed on the USS Proteus AS-19 there on Guam from Jan.69 to May 70 and was in on building the stairway from behind the Christian service men's center down to the roadway below. I was a new Christian when I went over to Guam and really grew a lot under the teaching of Pastor Webb. I had a lot of fun while I was there and this video brought back a lot of great memories. thanks for putting this on line. I also got to go to the Phillipines for a Christians service men's retreat and your dad is the one who talked us into going.
Thanks again. I would really like a copy if that is possible to get.
Ed
Hi Ed, thanks for your comments (and to everyone else too). The video is on Vimeo so I think you can get it from there. I also messaged you direct with my Dad's email in case you want to be in touch with him direct.
My now husband was in guam from 67 to 70. I have so many pictures. I know you Ron bohman! You gave me a Bible once. You also met my husband since I gave you his name and address right before you left for Guam. My Christian walk has been ongoing and glorious because our Lord never let go of me or my family. Steve was a high school student and loved diving. He left in 70 for school in Annapolis. I miss my Hawaii so much having lived there most of my life. You were a good friend! We’ve been married for 51 years. Vietnam, Desert storm and Somalia! God bless you!
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