FINIDNG LIFE IN A CEMETERY

Pigo' Cemetery was in existence since Spanish times and, as you can see from the photo, was badly damaged in the American bombing of July 1944.

When the Chamorros started crossing into American lines and into American hands in the closing days of July and the beginning of August, they were directed to a number of civilian refugee camps.

One of them was in Aniguak, which then spilled into the neighboring cemetery.

Chamorros camped out there, some even sleeping in vacant niches.  Medical teams treated the people and basic food was served.  The people found life in the midst of the tombs.

Later, the area reverted to a cemetery, but the old graves and niches are gone.

It's a shame because, had those gravestones survived, we'd have a lot more data to help us with our family trees.