US House passes Saipan post office bill

Sablan

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation yesterday naming the Chalan Kanoa Post Office in honor of Segundo T. Sablan, the first U.S. postmaster for Saipan, and for CNMI Fallen Military Heroes. Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) spoke on the floor in support of the bill, H.R. 5889, which he introduced in July.

“The bill recognizes Mr. Sablan, the first Chamorro and native of Saipan to be appointed a U.S. Postmaster,” the congressman said.

“The bill also honors the servicemen and women from the Northern Mariana Islands, who lost their lives while serving our great country.”

In his remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives, the congressman offered thanks to the postmaster’s family, who provided much of the information about the life of Tun Segundo, as he was fondly known, and who supported the idea of naming the CK Post Office after him.

And congressman Sablan recognized the contribution of Veterans of Foreign Wars Saipan Post 3457 Commander Michael Kelley, and Senior Vice Commander Matias Chargualaf and Departmental Quartermaster Peter Callaghan. Their endorsement was critical to getting the bill reported favorably by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and on to the floor of the House for a vote.

A dedicated postmaster
Segundo Tudela Sablan was born on May 27, 1919 on Saipan. Shortly after the United States’ victory over the Japanese in the Battle for Saipan during World War II, Tun Segundo was among a small group of Chamorros and Carolinians, selected by the U.S. military to serve as Marine Scouts for the 6th Provisional Police Military Battalion. His knowledge of the terrain and fluency in the Japanese language made him ideally suited for the task of searching the island’s caves and jungles for Japanese holdouts responsible for sniper and grenade attacks on American soldiers.

In 1951, Tun Segundo was appointed the first U.S. postmaster for Saipan by the U.S. Navy, which at the time had administrative responsibility for the Northern Marianas under the United Nations Trusteeship Agreement. A dedicated postmaster, he twice used his own home for postal operations after typhoons destroyed the post office building, and often neglected his farm and livestock to ensure families received their mail. A back injury sustained during the war eventually made it impossible for him to carry out the physical tasks required for the job. He resigned as postmaster in 1961.

Fallen Heroes
The post office name also serves as a tribute to sons and daughters of the Northern Marianas who have lost their lives in military service. Twenty young men and women have died during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I hope that knowing their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten brings a measure of comfort to their families and friends,” congressman Sablan said.

The bill now moves to the Senate for a vote in that body. (PR)