Service members from multiple nations, veterans, government officials, diplomats, and civilians gathered Aug. 7 at the American Battle Monuments Commission’s Guadalcanal Memorial in Honiara to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice 83 years ago during the Battle of Guadalcanal.

Remarks were provided by U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu Ann Marie Yastishock; U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jason Armas, commanding officer, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin; and Ryan Blum, superintendent, Manila American Cemetery, American Battle Monuments Commission.

“Every branch of our armed forces fought here—soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and even Coast Guardsmen,” Blum said. “To this day, units from the Marine Corps and Army proudly honor the legacies forged on these beaches, and in these very hills that surround us.”

The Battle of Guadalcanal, codenamed Operation Watchtower, lasted from Aug. 7, 1942, to Feb. 9, 1943, and marked the first major Allied offensive and a turning point in the Pacific theater. More than 7,000 service members gave their lives during the battle.

Today, the Guadalcanal Memorial is one of 31 ABMC monuments worldwide dedicated to honoring the courage and service of the U.S. armed forces. The memorial consists of an inscribed central four-foot square pylon rising 24 feet above its base. Four radiating directional walls point toward major battle sites. Descriptions of the battles are inscribed on the walls. The inscription on its central pylon reads: “This memorial has been erected by the United States of America in humble tribute to its sons and its allies who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the liberation of the Solomon Islands 1942-1943.”