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WWII Hub

Naval War

bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Marianas Naval War, © 2026 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 29 Dec 2025

The Battle of the Philippines Sea was the only major naval combat during the 1944 US Mariana Islands offensive.

The land 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.
• Aircraft losses on both sides were high.

Battle of the Philippine Sea

Sources for Big Pigeon's WW II Japan > Central Pacific > Marianas Naval War webpage:​​

• The Battle of the Philippine Sea map is courtesy of Warfare History Network.

​Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Marianas Naval War:

• Access full individual records through bigpigeon.us > WWII Dead > Roster Records.

07-03 - WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Marianas Naval War: (no area dead)