Saipan in WW2 History | World War II Database

2 Sep 1942

Mariana Islands

Destroyer Yukikaze departed Saipan, Mariana Islands to escort carrier Unyo to Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Yukikaze | Saipan | CPC]

1 Sep 1943

Mariana Islands

Japanese 21st Air Flotilla at Saipan, Mariana Islands was disbanded. Its two air groups, Air Group 253 (fighters) and Air Group 751 (medium bombers) were reassigned to Rabaul, New Britain. ww2dbase [Saipan | CPC]

10 Dec 1943

Mariana Islands

Irako arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Irako | Saipan | CPC]

22 Feb 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on enemy airfields and installations on Saipan, Mariana Islands. That same day, she cleared the area on her way back to Majuro, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Yorktown (Essex-class) | Saipan | DS]

29 Apr 1944

Mariana Islands

Tanikaze began escorting a convoy from Saipan, Mariana Islands to Tawi-Tawi, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Tanikaze | Saipan | CPC]

13 Jun 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Alabama bombarded Japanese positions on Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Alabama | Saipan | CPC]

15 Jun 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Corregidor began operations off Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | Saipan | CPC]
USS New Mexico bombarded Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | New Mexico | Saipan | CPC]
USS Corregidor began operations off Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Corregidor | Saipan | CPC]

Photo(s) dated 15 Jun 1944

LVTs off Saipan, Mariana Islands, 15 Jun 1944

US Marines landing on Saipan, Mariana Islands, 15 Jun 1944

Map of the Battle of Saipan Jun 15 through July 9, 1944

US Marines on a beach on Saipan, Mariana Islands, 15 Jun 1944

See all photos dated 15 Jun 1944

20 Jun 1944

Photo(s) dated 20 Jun 1944

US Marine flamethrower tank in action, Saipan, Mariana Islands, Jun 1944

US Marine Corps 37 mm Gun M3 and crew, Saipan, Mariana Islands, Jun 1944

US Marines throwing grenades, Saipan, Mariana Islands, Jun 1944

Lieutenant General Holland Smith, Brigadier General Graves Erskine, and other US Marine officers, Saipan, Mariana Islands, Jun 1944

See all photos dated 20 Jun 1944

24 Jun 1944

Photo(s) dated 24 Jun 1944

US Navy Chaplain O. David Herrmann preparing to hold religious service for US Marines on Saipan, Mariana Islands, 24 Jun 1944; note wrecked Type 95 Ha-Go light tank used as altar

25 Jun 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Corregidor completed operations off Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | Corregidor | Saipan | CPC]

28 Jun 1944

Photo(s) dated 28 Jun 1944

Maj General Willis H Hale (front seat) and Vice Admiral John H Hoover tour Aslito Field, Saipan, Marianas (later Isley Field), Jun 28, 1944, ten days after the area was captured from the Japanese. Note P-47 Thunderbolt.

29 Jun 1944

Photo(s) dated 29 Jun 1944

Japanese searchlight position with a dummy operator, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 29 Jun 1944

3 Jul 1944

Photo(s) dated 3 Jul 1944

US Marines running through streets of Garapan while engaging in street fighting, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 3 Jul 1944

5 Jul 1944

Photo(s) dated 5 Jul 1944

Men of 2nd Regiment, 2nd Division, US Marine Corps coming off the front lines after 20 days of combat, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 5 Jul 1944

6 Jul 1944

Mariana Islands

Chuichi Nagumo committed suicide for his failure to hold Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Chuichi Nagumo | Saipan | CPC]
Yoshitsugu Saito announced that he would fight to the death alongside his troops on Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Yoshitsugu Saito | Saipan | CPC]

10 Jul 1944

Mariana Islands

Yoshitsugu Saito committed ritual suicide in a cave near Tanapag, Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Yoshitsugu Saito | Tanapag, Saipan | CPC]

Photo(s) dated 10 Jul 1944

Raymond Spruance and Holland Smith at Charan Kanoa, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 10 July 1944

13 Jul 1944

Mariana Islands

US Marines gave Japanese Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito a military burial near Tanapag, Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Yoshitsugu Saito | Tanapag, Saipan | CPC]

Photo(s) dated 13 Jul 1944

Funeral of Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito, near Tanapag, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 13 Jul 1944

19 Jul 1944

Photo(s) dated 19 Jul 1944

Armorers SSgt George Townsend and Sgt George Barker make ready the dorsal quad Browning .50 caliber machine guns of a P-61 Black Widow night fighter, Saipan, 19 Jul 1944.

22 Jul 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Yorktown (Essex-class) anchors at Garapan Roads, Saipan, Mariana Islands to load bombs and ammunition. ww2dbase [Yorktown (Essex-class) | Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | Saipan | DS]

27 Jul 1944

Photo(s) dated 27 Jul 1944

A US Marine having a moment of relaxation with a lion statue, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 27 Jul 1944

5 Aug 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Parche arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Parche | Saipan | CPC]

14 Aug 1944

Photo(s) dated 14 Aug 1944

Lieutenant General Holland Smith and other officers paying respect to the fallen of US 4th Marine Division, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 14 Aug 1944

4 Sep 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Whale arrived at Tanapag Harbor, Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Whale | Tanapag, Saipan | CPC]

Photo(s) dated 4 Sep 1944

Enterprise anchored off Saipan, 4 Sep 1944

5 Sep 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Whale departed Tanapag Harbor, Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Whale | Tanapag, Saipan | CPC]

28 Sep 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Alabama arrived in Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Alabama | Saipan | CPC]

29 Sep 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Miami arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Miami | Saipan | CPC]

10 Nov 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Sterlet departed Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Sterlet | Saipan | CPC]

12 Nov 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Gabilan arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands, ending her third war patrol. ww2dbase [Gabilan | Saipan | CPC]

15 Dec 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Spot arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Spot | Saipan | CPC]

24 Dec 1944

Mariana Islands

USS Kete departed Saipan, Mariana Islands, resuming her first war patrol. ww2dbase [Kete | Saipan | CPC]

5 Jan 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Boarfish departed Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Boarfish | Saipan | CPC]

31 Jan 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Sennet arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands, ending her first war patrol. ww2dbase [Sennet | Saipan | CPC]

7 Feb 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Sennet departed Saipan, Mariana Islands for her second war patrol. ww2dbase [Sennet | Saipan | CPC]

7 Mar 1945

Photo(s) dated 7 Mar 1945

Col James Beckwith, commander of the 15th Fighter Group, in his P-51 Mustang “Squirt” leading P-51s of the 45th Fighter Squadron from their base on Saipan to their new base on Iwo Jima, Mar 7, 1945. Note the VLR tanks.

11 Mar 1945

Mariana Islands

Submarine USS Tinosa arrived at Tanapag Harbor, Saipan. ww2dbase [Tinosa | Tanapag Harbor, Saipan | DS]

16 Mar 1945

Photo(s) dated 16 Mar 1945

A North American P-51D Mustang of the Vll Fighter Command taking off from Saipan, Mariana Islands for the newly-captured airfield on Iwo Jima, Mar 16, 1945. Note the twin oversized VLR drop tanks.

17 Mar 1945

Mariana Islands

Submarine USS Tinosa departed Saipan on her ninth war patrol. ww2dbase [Tinosa | Tanapag Harbor, Saipan | DS]

23 Mar 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Spot arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Spot | Saipan | CPC]

26 Mar 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Hoe arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands and ended her eighth and final war patrol. She came alongside of submarine tender USS Fulton. ww2dbase [Hoe | Saipan | CPC]

27 Mar 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Spot departed Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Spot | Saipan | CPC]

15 Apr 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Ancon arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Ancon | Saipan | CPC]

4 May 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Spot arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands, ending her second war patrol. ww2dbase [Spot | Saipan | CPC]

8 May 1945

Mariana Islands

The crew of USS Segundo held a celebratory dinner at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Segundo | Saipan | CPC]

2 Jun 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Spot departed Saipan, Mariana Islands for her third war patrol. ww2dbase [Spot | Saipan | CPC]

16 Jun 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Springer arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Springer | Saipan | CPC]

17 Jun 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Springer departed Saipan, Mariana Islands for her third war patrol. ww2dbase [Springer | Saipan | CPC]

21 Jun 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Whale arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Whale | Saipan | CPC]

18 Jul 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Spot arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands, ending her third war patrol. ww2dbase [Spot | Saipan | CPC]

19 Jul 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Spot departed Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Spot | Saipan | CPC]

6 Aug 1945

Photo(s) dated 6 Aug 1945

B-29 Superfortress “Gravel Gertie” with the 882nd Bomb Squadron squats on the runway after suffering a main landing gear collapse, Isley Field, Saipan, Aug 6 1945

14 Aug 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Whale arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Whale | Saipan | CPC]

17 Aug 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Dragonet arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands, ending her third war patrol. ww2dbase [Dragonet | Saipan | CPC]

29 Sep 1945

Mariana Islands

USS Ancon departed Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Ancon | Saipan | CPC]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis

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