Stars and Stripes, which published its first newspaper in the Pacific on May 14, 1945, is celebrating its 80th year of serving the military community in the theater. (Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON — Two senators have introduced a resolution recognizing the 80th anniversary of Stars and Stripes continuously reporting in the Pacific region and for serving as the “hometown newspaper” for the military community.
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, are sponsoring the measure, which commemorates the milestone for Stars and Stripes Pacific and for the military newspaper’s role in reporting on U.S. military activities, including major conflicts, in the region.
“This resolution honors Stars and Stripes’ legacy and the journalists who keep it alive. Now more than ever, it’s vital that we protect independent, trusted journalism for those who serve,” said Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran. He introduced the resolution last week in the Senate, where it was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
The first Pacific edition was published on May 14, 1945, in Hawaii. The edition expanded Stars and Stripes’ military coverage, which was reactivated in 1942 as a newspaper for military personnel during World War II.
Yukichi Ono (right), pressman, adjusts the printing machine setting while Kensuke Oizumi (left), pressman checks a Stars and Stripes Pacific edition newspaper coming from the printing machine at Hardy Barracks in Tokyo, Japan, Nov. 1, 1956. (U.S. Army Signal Corps)
Actress Marilyn Monroe poses with Pfc. John Fenesy of Caldwell, N.J., 3rd Div. air section, left, and Cpl. Dick Armstrong of Williston Park, N.Y., 13th Helicopter Co, at the 3rd Division airstrip on Feb. 18, 1954. (Bob Jennings/Stars and Stripes)
Stars and Stripes photographer John Olson on patrol with the cavalrymen of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment as they conduct sweeps through Que Son Valley to root pockets of North Vietnamese. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Shel Silverstein, artist (1954-1956), works on drawing cartoons at his desk. Shel Silverstein worked for the Pacific Stars and Stripes as a cartoonist from 1954 to 1956 and drew the cartoon “Take Ten”. (Stars and Stripes)
The October 3, 1945 front page of the Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, printed in Tokyo, Japan, on the presses of the Asahi Shimbun. (Stars and Stripes)
The first Stars and Stripes newspaper, a single issue, was published during the Civil War. Union soldiers printed the edition on Nov. 9, 1861, on an abandoned printing press in Bloomfield, Mo. Stars and Stripes was published as a weekly during World War I but discontinued at the end of the conflict.
The Pacific edition was “established in Honolulu to provide an independent, uncensored news source for members of the Armed Forces fighting in World War II,” according to language in the resolution. Newspapers were delivered via air transport to troops on Pacific islands and across Asia.
“Amid the turmoil of the Pacific theater, Stars and Stripes emerged as a vital source of information, reporting the battles, the hardships, and the triumphs of American service members,” Max Lederer, the Stars and Stripes publisher, wrote in an essay on the 80th anniversary of the news organization’s continuous Pacific coverage.
The Pacific edition of Stars and Stripes today is published in Tokyo, Japan. It has been available online since 1999.
(Stars and Stripes)
“Welcome to the Pacific” is a guide for military personnel and their families who PCS (permanent change of station) to South Korea, mainland Japan, Okinawa and Guam. (Stars and Stripes)
Stars and Stripes has grown into a multimedia news organization, reaching 1.4 million readers every day. Its Asia-Pacific coverage includes dedicated community websites for Stars and Stripes in Japan, Korea, Okinawa and Guam.
“The Indo-Pacific of today is a vastly different place than it was in 1945,” Lederer wrote. “Nations that once stood as bitter enemies are now steadfast allies, bound by shared interests and a common commitment. American military families have spent generations calling this region home, forging friendships and deep cultural ties.”
An independent news organization authorized by Congress, Stars and Stripes is part of the Defense Department. It operates multiple bureaus in the U.S., as well as in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Stars and Stripes Publisher Max Lederer speaks during Stripes’ 80th Anniversary Gala in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 12, 2025. (Stars and Stripes)
Marines stand at attention with the passing of the color guard during a ceremony marking change of command of Marine Corps Forces Pacific at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Army Secretary Eric Fanning loads a rocket onto a Kiowa Warrior helicopter ahead of a demonstration flight Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016, at Rodriguez Live Fire Range in South Korea. (Kim Gamel/Stars and Stripes)
The head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. Philip Davidson, reviews Japanese troops outside the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo, Monday, April 12, 2021. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)
The organization’s mission is to provide firsthand reporting from bases around the world and independent world, national and local news to America’s military.
Stars and Stripes “has remained a trusted source of news for our military, veterans, and their families, wherever duty calls,” said Sullivan, who, like Gallego, is a Marine Corps veteran.
