Lone Sailor statue unveiled at Adelup

SOURCE: Nick Delgado / KUAM News

Posted: Dec 16, 2018 8:26 PM EST

Standing at seven feet tall and gazing toward the Pacific Ocean, the Lone Sailor statue was unveiled during a ceremony at the Governor's Complex on Saturday.

The effort to place a statue on island was an initiative of the Vietnamese-American community and the U.S. Navy Memorial to demonstrate the special relationship between the Navy, the sea services, Guam and thousands of Vietnamese citizens who found refuge in Guam in the closing days of the Vietnam War during Operation New Life.

Guam's Lone Sailor is the western-most in the nation and is the 16th installed by the organization. It stands alongside the Guam Seal and is surrounded by 19 benches that represent each village on the island.