Saipan World War II 318th Fighter Group P-47, Zero, Isely Field National Archives NARA Airailimages

Описание: Saipan was more -- much more -- than just another island in the march toward Japan in World War II. Both the Japanese and the Americans knew Saipan was close enough to make long-range B-29 bombing missions to the Japanese home islands possible.

That fact alarmed Japanese planners, and gave emphasis to U.S. efforts to occupy Saipan. A landing from the sea by U.S. Marines and the U.S. Army began on June 15, 1944. Japanese defenders were well-emplaced on high ground, with access to concealed limestone caves providing additional protection. This caused serious losses to the American forces early in the attack, as artillery, machine gunfire, and mortar rounds rained down on the beaches. The tenacity of the Japanese, motivated in part by the gravity of what would ensue with the loss of Saipan, resulted in the deaths of more than 3,000 Americans and the wounding of more than 13,000. Japanese losses surpassed 25,000 dead.

Japan drew a perimeter in the Pacific, called the Absolute National Defense Zone, inside of which the country's planners believed no Allied bases could be allowed to exist, or Japan would ultimately lose the war. The Marianas islands, including Saipan, were in this zone.

Anticipating the American attack, Japan tried to resupply and reinforce Saipan in the weeks leading up to the invasion. But U.S. submarines intercepted and sank troop ships and freighters, leaving the Japanese on Saipan with a fixed amount of men and materiel with which to do battle, while the Americans had resupply capability.

The size of the Japanese garrison on Saipan was about 32,000 -- nearly twice as big as pre-battle U.S. estimates. As the combatants tangled on Saipan, the Japanese Navy unleashed another threat that became the aircraft carrier battle of the Philippine Sea on June 19 and 20, targeting the U.S. fleet that was intent on supporting the Marianas Islands landings. An American victory in the Philippine Sea battle seriously crippled Japanese aircraft carrier operations. The Japanese navy failed to thwart the relentless American push to occupy Saipan and other nearby islands.

On June 21, 1944, Army Air Forces P-47 Thunderbolts from the 318th Fighter Group launched from the escort carrier USS Natoma Bay, landing on Saipan while the fighting still raged. On June 23 and 24, P-47s brought to the battle aboard USS Manila Bay launched for Saipan.

Watch, at the end of our film, for a series of photographs of that remarkable Thunderbolt effort that saw the Army P-47s loaded aboard Navy carriers in Hawaii for the trip to the waters off Saipan.

The P-47s landed on the damaged former-Japanese airfield called Aslito Field until the Americans renamed it Isely Field in honor of TBM Avenger pilot, U.S. Navy Commander Robert H. Isley, whose aircraft was downed while strafing the airfield in preparation for the coming landings.
The sense of danger is evident in footage taken at the airfield, with steel helmets in use. The Thunderbolts quickly undertook ground attack missions, using improvised napalm tanks and triple tube rocket launchers.

The M10 rocket launcher cluster for M8 rockets is seen in the film as it is loaded from the rear. Each M8 rocket was 33 inches long, and weighed about 40 pounds. Velocity was measured as 850 feet per second. Range was considered to be 800 yards, after which accuracy diverged from aim point.

The 804th Aviation Engineer Battalion, awaiting the Saipan attack, enjoyed some recreational swimming in the week before the battle. Antiarcraft gunners practiced, as the men prepared for battle. The 804th was dispatched to rebuild and improve the air base on Saipan, and perform other tasks, including blasting reefs to facilitate the shore landings. Scenes of troops going ashore represent the 804th.

The battle for Saipan, launched shortly after the headline-generating Normandy landings, has been in the shadows of public recognition ever since. But, as military planners and historians have long understood, Saipan's critical importance to the prosecution of the war in the Pacific should not be underestimated.

I'm Fred Johnsen for the Airailimages Channel. Thank you for watching, and thanks especially for giving this video a Thumbs-Up Like! And have you subscribed to the Airailimages Channel so you don't miss future uploads?