▁after ▁its ▁creation , ▁to ▁organ ize ▁a ▁status ▁refer endum ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ 4 9 % ▁of ▁vot ers ▁chose ▁a ▁closer ▁relationship ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁via ▁Commonwealth . ▁ ▁Tw enty - six ▁percent ▁voted ▁for ▁State hood , ▁while ▁ten ▁percent ▁voted ▁for ▁the ▁Status ▁Qu o ▁( as ▁an ▁Un in cor por ated ▁territory ). ▁A ▁subsequent ▁run - off ▁refer endum ▁held ▁between ▁Commonwealth ▁and ▁State hood ▁saw ▁ 7 3 % ▁of ▁Gu am ▁vot ers ▁choosing ▁Commonwealth ▁over ▁State hood ▁( 2 7 %). ▁Today , ▁Gu am ▁remains ▁an ▁un in cor por ated ▁territory ▁despite ▁refer end ums ▁and ▁a ▁United ▁Nations ▁mand ate ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁permanent ▁status ▁for ▁the ▁island . ▁ ▁Contempor ary ▁Gu am ▁ ▁Gu am ' s ▁U . S . ▁military ▁install ations ▁remain ▁among ▁the ▁most ▁strateg ically ▁vital ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean . ▁When ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁closed ▁its ▁Naval ▁and ▁Air ▁Force ▁bases ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines ▁after ▁the ▁exp iration ▁of ▁their ▁le ases ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁forces ▁station ed ▁there ▁were ▁re located ▁to ▁Gu am . ▁ ▁The ▁removal ▁of ▁Gu am ' s ▁security ▁clear ance ▁by ▁President ▁John ▁F . ▁Kennedy ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁allowed ▁for ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁tour ism ▁industry . ▁The ▁island ' s ▁rapid ▁economic ▁development ▁was ▁fue led ▁both