When Tom and I decided to move to Saipan, we had no idea that there would be so many remnants from WWII still visible on the island. First a little history about the Battle of Saipan.
Bombardment of Saipan began on June 13, 1944. Fifteen battleships were involved, and 165,000 shells were fired. Seven modern fast battleships delivered 2,400 sixteen-inch shells, but to avoid potential minefields, fire was from a distance of 10,000 yards or more, and crews were inexperienced in shore bombardment. The following day the eight pre-Pearl Harbor battleships and eleven cruisers replaced the fast battleships but were lacking in time and ammunition.
The landings began on June 15, 1944. More than 300 LVTs landed 8,000 Marines on the west coast of Saipan. Eleven fire support ships covered the Marine landings. Careful Japanese artillery preparation — placing flags in the bay to indicate the range — allowed them to destroy about 20 amphibious tanks and the Japanese strategically placed barbed wire, artillery, machine gun emplacements and trenches to maximize the American casualties. However, by nightfall the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions had a beachhead about 6 miles wide and 1/2 mile deep. The Japanese counter-attacked at night but were repulsed with heavy losses. On June 16, units of the U.S. Army’s 27th Infantry Division landed and advanced on the Aslito airfield. Again the Japanese counter-attacked at night. On June 18 Saito abandoned the airfield.
The invasion surprised the Japanese high command, which had been expecting an attack further south. The Japanese used the many caves in the volcanic landscape to delay the attackers, by hiding during the day and making sorties at night. The Americans gradually developed tactics for clearing the caves by using flamethrowers. Without resupply, the battle on Saipan was hopeless for the defenders, but the Japanese were determined to fight to the last man. Saito organized his troops into a line anchored on Mount Tapotchau with teams supported by artillery and machine guns.
However, General Holland Smith had not inspected the terrain over which the 27th was to advance. Essentially it was a valley surrounded by hills and cliffs under Japanese control. The 27th took heavy casualties and eventually, under a plan developed by General Ralph Smith and implemented after his relief, had one battalion hold the area while two other battalions successfully flanked the Japanese
By July 7, the Japanese had nowhere to retreat. Saito made plans for a final suicidal banzai charge. On the fate of the remaining civilians on the island, Saito said, “There is no longer any distinction between civilians and troops. It would be better for them to join in the attack with bamboo spears than be captured.” At dawn, with a group of a dozen men carrying a great red flag in the lead, the remaining able-bodied troops — about 3,000 men — charged forward in the final attack. Amazingly, behind them came the wounded, with bandaged heads, crutches, and barely armed. The Japanese surged over the American front lines, engaging both Army and Marine units. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 105th U.S. Infantry were almost destroyed, losing 650 killed and wounded. However, the fierce resistance of these two battalions, as well as that of Headquarters Company, 105th Infantry, and elements of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines (an artillery unit) resulted in over 4,300 Japanese killed. Numerous others fought the Japanese until they were overwhelmed by the largest Japanese Banzai attack in the Pacific War
By 16:15 on July 9, Admiral Turner announced that Saipan was officially secured. Saito, along with commanders Hirakushi and Igeta, committed suicide in a cave. Also committing suicide at the end of the battle was Vice-Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, the naval commander who led the Japanese carriers at Pearl Harbor and Midway Atoll, who had landed on Saipan to help lead the ground defense.
Many hundreds of Japanese civilians committed suicide in the last days of the battle, some jumping from Suicide Cliff and Banzai Cliff. Efforts by U.S. troops to persuade them to surrender instead were mostly futile. Widespread propaganda in Japan portraying Americans and British as “devils” who would treat POW’s barbarically, deterred surrender.
In the end, about 22,000 Japanese civilians died. Almost the entire garrison of troops on the island — at least 30,000 — died. For the Americans, the victory was the most costly to date in the Pacific War. 2,949 Americans were killed and 10,364 wounded, out of 71,000 who landed.
Below are just a few pictures that we have taken showing some of the reminders of the war. There are many, many more things scattered around the island. I understand that at the floor of the ocean is also covered with reminders from the war.
U.S. Bomb Storage Bunker
Japanese Air Raid Shelters
Japanese Tank & Bunker
Banzai Cliff
Suicide Cliff
