| Original caption: “It appears that one Marine is relieving another on the beach at Saipan, but they are really crawling, under enemy fire, to their assigned positions. The wet leatherneck (closest to the camera) took a ducking when the landing craft he came in on was hit by Jap mortar fire. In the background are armored “Buffalos” which supported the Marines in their invasion of the Marianas.” Starting on June 11, 1944, the United States subjected Saipan to an air and naval bombardment; however, this softening up proved to be inadequate in neutralizing the Japanese. The 2nd Marine Division had orders to assault beaches just north of the town of Charan Kanga in the southwestern part of the island. Landing sites for the 4th Marine Division were located along beaches to the south of the city. The 8th Marines, now commanded by Colonel Clarence R. Wallace (January 11, 1897 – August 1, 1988), a veteran of the battle for Kwajalein, furnished 2 battalions — the 2nd and 3rd — for the initial assault. Other assault units came from the 6th Marines, whose commanding officer, Colonel James P. Riseley (May 7, 1898 – March 2, 1992), had been a member of the 8th Marines while it was stationed in Haiti and had also served as the executive officer of the regiment in the early phases of World War II. As the Navy bombarded the coast shortly before dawn on June 15, the assault units assembled and boarded their LVTs. The landing craft then moved into position to dash to the designated landing areas. The 1st wave headed for shore at 0812 Hours. As the LVTs neared the beach, they were met by intense fire from automatic cannons, anti-boat guns, artillery weapons, and mortars. Many of the tractors were hit and were either sunk or disabled, causing several casualties. Nonetheless, 8,000 Americans were able to land in the 1st 20 minutes. A devastating fire from the defenders, unfortunately, resulted in considerable confusion in the beach area as drivers of the LVTs came ashore in the wrong zones. The entire 2nd Division assault force landed hundreds of yards north of its assigned sector. Contact with the 4th Division was temporarily lost. Severe losses were sustained by the 2 battalions of the 8th Marines because of this error. Both units were put ashore on the same beach, and this accidental massing of troops provided enemy gunners with excellent targets. Shortly after reaching the beach, both battalions moved forward against enemy strongholds; the Japanese bitterly contested the 2nd Battalion’s advance toward Afetna Point. At 0950 Hours, the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence C. Hays, Junior (December 15, 1913 – October 14, 1975), was ordered ashore to assist the rest of the regiment in expanding its perimeter. Lieutenant Colonel Guy E. Tannyhill’s (November 27, 1905 – July 5, 1980) 1st Battalion, 29th Marines was attached to the 8th Marines for this purpose. By noon, other Marine units had moved a 1,000 yards (900 meters) inland. The Charan Kanoa airstrip near the beach was seized, and the enemy also lost its central radio station. By midday, the Japanese were battling to stop Americans from driving towards the swampy shores of Lake Susupe. Heavy fighting in the Afetna Point sector persisted through the day. By evening, G Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, after repeated tries, finally penetrated and captured şeyen anti-boat guns that had continued to fire on successive waves of incoming Marines. The company, in its assault on Afetna Point, had been supplied with Winchester Model 1912 12-gauge shotguns, unusual weapons for an infantry organization during combat operations. 1 out of 2 Marines was so equipped because G Company was attacking straight towards the 4th Marine Division’s left flank, thus making a short-range weapon and 1 with a wide dispersion pattern more desirable in this instance than the standard M1 rifle. Although the northern half of Afetna Point had been taken by nightfall, seizure of all the regiment’s D-Day objectives had fallen behind schedule because of the confusion in the initial landings. Progress had been made, but at a substantial cost to the Marines. The 8th Marines sustained heavy losses among the ranks of its senior officers, particularly among the battalion commanders. Lieutenant Colonel Hays was wounded shortly after reaching the beachhead. Lieutenant Colonel John C. Miller (December 25, 1912 – July 29, 2000), commanding the 3rd Battalion, was severely wounded by mortar fragments on the way to the beach and had to be evacuated. His successor, Major Stanley E. Larsen (April 7, 1909 – November 28, 2007), was also wounded but continued to command the battalion. Lieutenant Colonel Henry P. Crowe (March 7, 1899 – June 27, 1991), now in charge of the 2nd Battalion, was also hit. Crowe’s complete assurance and confidence in his own capabilities of surviving anything in combat was demonstrated in his pre-invasion vow that no matter what occurred on Saipan, he would remain on his feet, and this is precisely what he did despite a gunshot wound in the left lung. Later, at an aid station, the grizzled veteran was again seriously wounded when the Japanese attacked with mortars. Crowe’s chest, left arm, and shoulder, and right leg were pierced by shell fragments. He was evacuated on D-Day and was succeeded by Major William C. Chamberlin (February 10, 1916 – June 28, 1996), who, in turn, was also wounded but was able to continue in command of the 2nd Battalion. This was not Chamberlin’s 1st wound of the war, as he received a Purple Heart on Tarawa, where he also won the Navy Cross. Casualties for the division were extremely high during the 1st day of the battle for Saipan. Nearly 1,300 men had either been killed or wounded, and over 300 were listed as missing. That evening, several units that had advanced eastward toward Lake Susupe were pulled back to strengthen the 2nd Marine Division’s perimeter. Along the lines of the 8th Marines, the Japanese launched a series of minor counterattacks that lacked significant force behind them. These probing attacks were not severe but were mainly irritants that kept the men awake and alert, thus depriving them of much-needed rest. The 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines renewed its attack at 0700 Hours the following morning. The rest of the regiment, meanwhile, stayed in those positions that were taken on the previous day. By noon, the 2nd Battalion secured the entire Afetna Point zone and made contact with elements of the 4th Marine Division at the Charan Kanoa pier. Other 2nd Division units attempted to force their way inland in the general direction of Mount Tapotchau, a peak approximately 1,500 feet above sea level and the island’s highest point. The severe losses incurred by the Marines on D-Day and the continuation of heavy fighting compelled United States Marine General Holland M. “Howlin’ Mad” Smith (April 20, 1882 – January 12, 1967) to order the United States Army 27th Infantry Division ashore. All reserve Marine units had already been committed. Soldiers began landing that night; however, the 27th Division did not complete its movement until June 20. The tempo of fighting for the 8th Marines increased on June 17 when the 1st and 3rd Battalions moved out of their positions and struck inland. Rapid advances were made across all objectives. The attached 1st Battalion, 29th Marines, was an exception as it encountered strong resistance in the marshy land surrounding Lake Susupe. On June 18, elements of the 4th Marine Division reached the east coast of Saipan, thus cutting the island in 2. The 2nd Marine Division, now with Saipan bisected, prepared. To swing north. The United States Army’s 27th Infantry Division was assigned the tasks of reducing the Japanese-held areas bypassed by the 2 Marine divisions and of destroying the remnants of enemy units trapped on Nafutan Point, the island’s southeasternmost peninsula. While preparations were underway for a strike northwards, the American Navy secured a significant victory far out to sea. A powerful enemy armada, including aircraft carriers, had been dispatched to the Marianas to destroy the American invasion force. On 19 June 1944, the United States Navy’s Task Force 58 met the Japanese off Guam. In the ensuing engagement, known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Japanese lost 3 carriers and hundreds of aircraft, with the remainder of the enemy fleet retiring to more friendly waters. No further outside threat to the assault troops took place after the victory. The battle resulted in the United States having uncontested control of the seas around Saipan—the potential for a counterlanding ended. General Smith ordered a major offensive for June 22 with both Marine divisions participating in the attack. Most of the 27th Infantry Division was scheduled to be brought up for added muscle. Both Marine divisions jumped off at 0600 Hours, with the 2nd Marine Division on the left flank and the 4th Marine Division on the right flank. The 8th Marines, marching north, made excellent progress until Tapotchau. Reaching the lower slopes of Mount Rugged terrain impeded any further advance, and the regiment had to bivouac for the night along the base of the mountain. The offensive resumed the next morning with Army units committed to the center of the American drive. Only light resistance was initially encountered, but the attack failed to gain momentum due to the rough terrain. Additionally, the new advance could not proceed as quickly as desired since the right flank of the 8th Marines was left exposed after Army units lost contact with the regiment. Contact was reestablished at dusk when elements of the 106th Infantry Regiment had been located. The Army’s primary attack in the center had been halted in an area known as “Death Valley.” There, the enemy had emplaced strong fortifications. The 8th Marines, nevertheless, pressed on with their own attack on Mount Tapotchau. The Jagged, craggy landscape, choked with heavy foliage, time and again prevented the Marines from achieving their goal; in fact, Japanese defenders proved to be less of a hindrance than the terrain. Photographer Marine Sergeant James L. “Larry” Burns (December 31, 1919 – June 21, 1994) enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 23, 1941, and was a public relations photographer. Burns extensively documented the Saipan landings. He was honorably discharged on October 19, 1945. He worked for the Cedar Rapids Gazette after World War II. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1519.jpg |
| Image Size | 753.94 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2936 x 2290 |
| Photographer | James L. Burns |
| Photographer Title | United States Marine Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 15, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Afetna Point |
| State or Province | Saipan |
| Country | Marianas |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | 127-GR-113-83260 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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