Route 3 has officially been designated the Ben Blaz Memorial Highway following a special ceremony held Monday morning in Dededo. 

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero was joined by Senator Chris Duenas and members of the 38th Guam Legislature, leadership from Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, and other island dignitaries to unveil the new signage honoring Brigadier General Vicente “Ben” Blaz. 

The designation was made possible through Public Law 36-85, authored by Senator Duenas, ensuring that one of Guam’s most storied sons will be remembered for generations to come.

“Brigadier General Ben Blaz fought for Guam in war and in peace,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. “He carried the weight of our history on his shoulders and used it to lift our people higher, from the battlefields of the Pacific to the chambers of Congress. This highway will now stand as a permanent reminder of his courage, conviction, and sacrifice.”

Leon Guerrero extended her gratitude to Senator Duenas for authoring the legislation and thanked the leadership of Camp Blaz, Mayor Peter John Benavante, Vice Mayor Ann San Agustin Leon Guerrero, and the Department of Public Works for helping to bring this lasting tribute to life.

The ceremony comes just one week after Guam marked its 81st Liberation Day and as the island prepares to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Organic Act, making this tribute to General Blaz especially meaningful.

Blaz was just 13 years old when World War II reached Guam. During the Japanese occupation, he was forced to labor, planting rice, building airstrips, and digging trenches. 

He lived to see Guam’s liberation and used that experience to fuel a life of service. After graduating from Notre Dame, he became a commissioned Marine Corps officer and joined the 9th Marine Regiment—the very unit that helped liberate Guam. 

He later made history as the first CHamoru Marine to achieve the rank of Brigadier General and went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he became a powerful voice for Guam.