Everyone has a story and some people have a vision. Once in a while the vision becomes the story. That is the case with Fermin B. Flores who revealed both in his book: Vision Fulfilled  is a 38-page auto biography focusing on Flores' role in the rescue of Chamorro families by the United States Navy on the Palau island of Babeldaob on December 23, 1944.

His birth name is Fermin Brugenmann Flores, born in Ngetmel on June 17, 1923, but everyone calls him Fred. He is the grandson of Jose Taitano and Josepha Quintanilla Flores whose family and other close relatives on Guam migrated to Yap in 1896 on the admonition of a Spanish sailor and relative, Ramon Aguon.

While in Yap, Fermin’s father Joaquin met and married a German woman named Guillerma. Joaquin moved his household to Palau in the early 1900s and was accompanied by his father Jose Flores and family. They settled in Ngetmel on the island of Babeldaob.

He worked closely with Japanese during their occupation of Palau because he spoke their language fluently and that is how he overheard their plan to kill the people before the Americans arrived.

His vision is a brave example of putting the interest of others before self. His actions were courageous, devising a plan to use his cousin’s ten-foot row boat to intersect a US PT Boat patrolling the eastern coast of Babeldaob, Palau - ten miles out in the open ocean toward the end of the World War II.

Now 82, Flores tells his war story in gratitude to the United States navy for rescuing Chamorro families at Ngetmel. The event was life changing for Flores who says in his book, “I am proud to be an American.” Flores is also a Korean War veteran.

He is currently on Guam to present his book to family members, Admiral, Governor and Lt Governor, the director of the Micronesian Area Research Center at the University of Guam, the Museum Board and the director of the Department of Education. 

Flores dedicated his book to the U. S. Navy and the P.T. Boat skipper and the crew. Author House in Bloomington, Indiana published 25,000 copies of the book and distributed them in May of this year. The books are available at Internet bookstores.

To order Vision Fulfilled click on the following links: Barnes & Nobel and Amazon.com