2019 American Memorial Park Quarter
Northern Mariana Islands
American Memorial Park honors the 5,204 American servicemen who lost their lives in the Marianas Campaign in World War II. The Japanese occupied the Northern Mariana Islands and neighboring Guam and Palau early in the war, and the Marianas Campaign from June to November 1944 was the successful U.S. effort to liberate the islands. Due to their strategic position in the Pacific Ocean, the islands were key to U.S. control of the Pacific and the eventual plans to attack the Japanese mainland.
The central attractions at American Memorial Park are the Court of Honor and Flag Circle, which were dedicated on June 15, 1994, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first U.S. landings on Saipan. The Flag Circle in the center features the U.S. flag and the flags of the U.S. military services, while the Court of Honor consists of granite panels inscribed with the names of those who died in the campaign.
The design of the American Memorial Park Quarter depicts a local Chamorro woman in traditional dress standing in front of the Court of Honor and Flag Circle.
U.S. Mint artists originally came up with eight design suggestions, most of which focused on the Flag Circle as the central element. The final design was a variation of an original suggestion that showed a young Chamorro boy and his father instead of the young woman. Some designs also incorporated plumeria, the official flower of the Northern Mariana Islands, to honor the sacrifices made by local residents in the wat.
The American Memorial Park Quarter was released by the U.S. Mint in April, 2019.
2019 American Memorial - Philadelphia - Gold Plated
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