On 15 June 1944, United States Marine forces landed on the southwest coast of the island of Saipan in the central Marianas chain; these were followed a day later by US Army forces. This invasion was part of Operation Forager, an effort to recapture the entire Marianas chain from the Empire of Japan.
The island had been a Japanese possession since it was captured by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War I. As military conflict with the United States became increasingly likely during the 1930s, Japan expended great effort in fortifying Saipan. In mid-1944, nearly 30,000 troops were based on the island, almost double the estimates of US intelligence.[1]
US forces declared Saipan secure on 9 July 1944.
United States Pacific Fleet[2]
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz HQ at Pearl Harbor
Expeditionary Troops (Task Force 56)
Lieutenant General Holland M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith[a]
V Amphibious Corps
Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith[c]
Central Pacific Area Fleet HQ[6]
Vice Admiral Chūichi Nagumo (self-inflicted gunshot 6 July)
Chief of staff: Rear Adm. Hideo Yano (seppuku 7 July)
Orders of battle involving United States Marine forces in the Pacific TheatreofWorld War II: