In the Spanish American War, one of the most important things to the American Army was the capture of Guam, which was considered one of the most strategic places in the globe due to its location. Now in order to access Guam, the U.S. navy had to travel there and occupy it. To get Guam, you had to travel by sea since it is an island surrounded by nothing but water. The navy had to be strong also to fight off the Spanish army that was protecting Guam.