Wet Landing at Saipan

Central Pacific

bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Mariana Islands, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 15 Aug 2023.
The Mariana Islands, among the largest in the central Pacific, were ideally situated to be a a major base area for US operations against Japan in the last year of the War with Japan.

​The accompanying map, which is not to scale, shows the major islands of the Mariana chain, namely Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan. Below the Marianas, you see:

• The Republic of Palau, which includes the tiny island of Peleliu, site of one of the deadliest Pacific battles.
• The Federated States of Micronesia, formerly the Caroline Islands. Chuuk was called Truk in WWII.
• A portion of the Republic of Marshall Islands.

Micronesia Today

The Mariana Invasions

During the period 15 Jun - 10 Aug 1944, Saipan, Guam and Tinian, were invaded in turn by a combination of Marine and Army troops. Japanese defenders resisted vigorously but were eventually overwhelmed. Saipan was an especially brutal battle. Rota was not invaded.

Casualties were heavy. Estimates of the dead follow:

• 15 Jun - 10 Jul, Saipan: 3,400 Americans, 24,000 Japanese military, 5,000-7,000 Japanese civilians.
• 21 Jul - 10 Aug, Guam: 1,800 Americans, 18,000 Japanese military.
• 24 Jul - 1 Aug: Tinian: 300 Americans, 5,000 Japanese military; 4,000 Japanese civilians.

Starting in October, air bases in the Marianas, especially on Tinian, were used by the new B-29 very heavy bombers to fly strategic bombing missions over Japan.

Conquest of the Marianas

The Battle of the Philippine Sea

The battle on Saipan was already underway when the Japanese Navy arrived west of Saipan with a large striking force, precipitating the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Like the Battle of Midway two years earlier, this was an overwhelming American victory. Like Midway, the Japanese again lost a third of their aircraft carriers. Unlike Midway, the United States lost no ships.

Battle of the Philippine Sea

Today, Guam remains an American territory, while the other Mariana Islands to its north comprise the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, also considered as an external portion of the United States.

Sources for Big Pigeon's Central Pacific > Mariana Islands webpage:

• The webpage header photo, Wet Landing at Saipan, is courtesy of the Japan Times.
• The Micronesia Today map is courtesy of micronesiatours.com.
• ​The Gilbert & Marshall Islands map is courtesty of history.army.mil.
• The Battle of the Philippine Sea map is courtesy of Warfare History Network.

​
​Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Central Pacific > Mariana Islands:

• Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.​

07-03 - Central Pacific > Mariana Islands: (five dead, updated 7 Aug 2023)
† Chuda, Jack Richard, SN 371595, US Marine Corps, Douglas Co., NE & Pott. Co.

• Co. C, 4th Marine Regt., 1st Provisional Marine Brigade; KIA 26 Jul 1944 Guam, Mariana Is.; Battle of Guam - Central Pacific > Mariana Islands.​

† Jensen, Charles Eugene, SN 361395, US Marine Corps, Pott. Co.

• Co. C, 2nd Amphibian Tractor Bn., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 16 Jun 1944 Saipan, Mariana Is.; Battle of Saipan - Central Pacific > Mariana Islands.

† Jensen, Eldon Elmer, SN 887825, US Marine Corps, Audubon Co. (St. Paul's)

• Co. K, 4th Marine Regt., 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, III Amphibious Corps; WIA on first day of Guam invasion 21 Jul 1944 near Agat, Southern Landing Area, Guam, Mariana Is.; DOW 23 Jul 1944; Battle of Guam - Central Pacific > Mariana Is.

† Sluyter, Harry Alfred, SN 428233, US Marine Corps, Pott. Co.

• Co. B, 6th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; DOW 27 Jun 1944, Saipan, Mariana Is.; Battle of Saipan - Central Pacific > Mariana Islands.

† Steward, Gerald, SN 441664, US Marine Corps, Pott. Co.

• Co. F, 9th Marine Regt., 3rd Marine Div.; KIA 25 Jul 1944 Guam, Mariana Is.; Battle of Guam - Central Pacific > Mariana Islands.