Hagåtña, Guam – The Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration announces the opening of the Guam War Claims Processing Center on April 1, 2022 at the Guam Museum. The application filing period begins April 1, 2022, and closes on March 3, 2023. Claimants may pick up hard copy application packets at the Guam Museum and their village mayors’ offices. Online applications are available for download through the Department of Administration’s website at doa.guam.gov.
“Our Administration championed war reparations three years ago. When the claims of some of our manåmko’ went unanswered, we renewed our efforts to ensure justice is delivered for remaining claimants,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “Hundreds of survivors and descendants will be recognized and compensated for the atrocities they and their families endured. Josh and I stand committed to helping our island and people finally heal from the wound of this generational trauma.”
The Guam War World II Reconciliation Act of 2021 established a locally-implemented program to compensate those survivors and descendants who missed the initial deadline for the filing of war claims under federal law. The sum of $10 million has been appropriated from the general fund to the Guam War Claims Fund to pay certified claims to compensable Guam victims and survivors of compensable Guam decedents as duly adjudicated by the adjudication committee.
Pursuant to Guam Public Law 36-73, payments to survivors of compensable Guam decedents shall be made after all payments to compensable Guam victims have been completed. To follow up on claim status, claimants may visit justice.gov/fcsc/guam-claims-status or contact the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission at info.FCSC@usdoj.gov or judgement.fund@fiscal.treasury.gov or 866-277-1046.
Claim Categories:
1) Compensable Guam Decedent: an individual determined under section 1705 to have been a resident of Guam who died as a result of the attack and occupation of Guam by Imperial Japanese military forces during World War II or incident to the liberation of Guam by the United States military forces, whose death would have been compensable under the Guam Meritorious Claims act of 1945 if a timely claim had been filed under the terms of such Act.
2) Compensable Guam Victim: an individual who is not deceased as of the date of the enactment of this Act (December 23, 2016) and who is determined under section 1705 to have suffered as a result of the attack and occupation of Guam by the Imperial Japanese military forces, any of the following: a. Rape or severe personal injury (such as loss of a limb, dismemberment, or paralysis) b. Forced labor or personal injury not under subparagraph (such as disfigurement, scarring, or burns); c. Forced march, internment, or hiding to evade internment
For more information, visit the DOA website at doa.guam.gov or contact the Guam War Claims Processing Center at 671-989-9277 / 9278 or guamwarclaims@doa.guam.gov.
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