Governor Carlos Garcia Camacho
1924-1979
One of the many things Governor Camacho did during his term as the first elected Governor of Guam visited our Chamorro people serving the military. He was well known for his Vietnam visits.
This particular photo was from the San Diego Union newspaper as he visited the "Guam Platoon" Marine recruits prior to their graduation from basic training.
Although he was supportive of the military and national interests, he was also concerned of Guam's past history of being a major battleground of World War II and a key staging area for the Vietnam War. He made efforts to try and get Guam to not depend on the military supporting the economy.
During that time, Guam was also experiencing a boost in the economy resulting from investments from Taiwan, Japan and Australia.
In addition to his desire for economic expansion, Camacho had hoped to see a political evolution for Guam that might lead to statehood.
Below is a copy of the 1972 article from the Dallas Morning News of Camacho searching for potential industries for Guam.
