U.S. Department of State Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman will travel to Honiara, Solomon Islands, on August 6-8, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal and meet with Solomon Islands officials. She will lead a delegation that will include U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, State Department Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Kin Moy, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Stephen Sklenka, Deputy Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. In Honiara, Deputy Secretary Sherman will deliver remarks at a U.S.-organized ceremony on Skyline Ridge, the site of the U.S. Guadalcanal Memorial. She will also deliver remarks at a Solomon Islands-hosted memorial at Bloody Ridge and attend additional memorial events organized by Solomon Islands and Japan. These events will recognize the service and sacrifice of those who fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal, including U.S. and Allied forces, the people of Solomon Islands, and the people of Japan. The Deputy Secretary will also meet with Solomon Islands government officials to highlight the enduring relationship between the United States and Solomon Islands and the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Honiara.
