WALKING ON HALLOWED GROUND

Walking up hills and mountains, over quiet territories that were once World War II battlefields, Fort Pierce resident Dana Beach saw firsthand the battle sites while visiting Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands. Here, he stands at Mount Austin, where Japanese troops observed American soldiers. DANA BEACH PHOTOS

Veterans tour battlefields on Guadalcanal and other surrounding Solomon Islands

BY JERRY SHAW

During a casual moment, Beach greets Miwa Yoshiaki, Japan’s ambassador to the Solomon Islands, who participated in the ceremony for the 80th anniversary of the battle. Representatives from both sides came to honor their dead.

Visiting the beautiful Solomon Islands is a pleasant vacation for many people, but for Fort Pierce resident Dana Beach, it was another walk through history.

Beach, a retired Air Force chief master sergeant who served with the pararescue unit and also retired from the St. Lucie County Fire District, has honored World War II veterans with the Liberty Jump Team [Indian River Holiday Issue, 2018], parachuting over battles in Europe, including jumps over Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

The World War II aficionado and fellow jumpers decided to visit the Solomon Islands for the 80th anniversary of the battle in Guadalcanal, America’s first land war against Japan. The battle had raged from August 1942 to February 1943.

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