| Original caption: “Scenes of wreckage in the town of Garapan.” The coastal plain along the western shore contains most of Saipan’s settlements, including the 2 largest: Garapan, the largest urban area and the 2nd-largest in the Marianas, and Charan Kanoa, the 2nd-largest on the island. In these 2 towns, there were some well-constructed buildings, most of which were made of wood and tile, although some of the better structures used masonry. A narrow-gauge railroad ran around most of Saipan’s coastal areas. The Imperial Japanese Navy’s 5th Special Base Force was responsible for the area around Garapan, including Mount Tapotchau, the island’s highest point. Among the naval contingent were men of the 55th Guard force and the equivalent of the American Marines, the Yokosuka 1st Special Naval Landing Force. Beyond them in the landing area were troops of the Imperial Japanese Army 136th Infantry Regiment. Garapan was spontaneously evacuated by its Carolinian, Chamorro, and Japanese residents on June 15, 1944, when the American invasion appeared offshore. The civilians took the caves in the central highlands of Saipan. During the campaign, and even before the Battle of Saipan, the town was reduced by aerial bombardment and artillery shelling. The United States Navy 5th Fleet bombed the city repeatedly. Along the beach, Colonel Walter J. Stuart’s (July 17, 1900 – February 26, 1969) 2nd Marine Regiment spent July 1, 1944, in routine patrolling. On July 2, Flametree Hill was seized, and the 2nd Marines stormed into Garapan. What the regiment found was a shambles; the town had been completely leveled by naval gunfire and Marine artillery. The official Marine history pictures the scene: “Twisted metal rooftops now littered the area, shielding Japanese snipers. Several deftly hidden pillboxes were scattered among the ruins. Assault engineers, covered by riflemen, slipped behind such obstacles to set explosives while flamethrowers seared the front. Assisted by the engineers and supported by tanks and seventy-five millimeter (three-inch) self-propelled guns of the regimental weapons company, the Second Marines beat down the scattered resistance before nightfall.” The 2nd Marines attacked with the 1st and 3rd Battalions abreast; the 1st Battalion was on the right, and the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, was in reserve. Stuart’s men made excellent progress. The days and weeks of pounding Garapan with artillery paid dividends. Supported by C Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, the 3rd Battalion swept through the rubble-strewn flatlands at a steady pace. Encountering rifle and machine gun fire, men of the battalion took grateful advantage of the protection afforded by the torn hunks of concrete littering the area. With tanks ricocheting rounds among the shattered ruins, the Marines moved into the very heart of what had once been Saipan’s largest town. LVT(A)s of the 2nd Armored Amphibious Battalion provided close fire support against targets near the beach. For the United States 2nd Marine Division, the objective for July 3 was the 0-7 line, which included the town of Garapan and the seaplane base at Tanapag Harbor. With half of shattered Garapan behind it, 2nd Marines readied itself to complete the seizure of the city and Muicho Point, jutting from Garapan’s northwestern outskirts. Dodging their way through the rubble, men of the 2nd Marines made good progress: by noon of July 3, despite abortive efforts of a few Japanese who determined to make a street fight of it, the 3rd Battalion, on the left, had swept nearly 700 yards. In the center of the regiment’s zone, several pillboxes were encountered, slowing movement there but allowing both flanks to advance. Light flamethrower tanks and medium tanks seared and plastered the front of the pillboxes, while assault engineer teams, covered by riflemen and machine gunners, moved to the flanks or rear and placed their shattering explosives. Thus, the enemy positions were systematically reduced. Duty in the town had little to commend it: haltered skeletons of what had once been buildings, and humans, and animals, dotted the area; the choking smell of death hung about like a fog. And everywhere were the pieces of corrugated iron which the Japanese and na(ivcs had used as roofing for almost every structure from the hen house to the bank. To step on 1 of these huge rattling sheets was to inform everyone nearby of 1’s presence. Garapan’s trash and garbage dump appearance was further enhanced by the presence of odd clothing, shoes, papers, books, and miscellaneous bric-a-brac scattered throughout the area. The only bright point was the copious wells, providing adequate Water for the 2nd Marines to bathe away some of the filth on their bodies. Garapan’s property lines were based on historical memory, family ties, and handshake agreements. The few existing records were destroyed when Garapan was leveled. The American occupation authorities imposed a new street grid over Garapan, sparking arguments over land rights that continue to this day. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1514.jpg |
| Image Size | 1,000.59 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2924 x 2348 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Air Force |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 1, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Garapan |
| State or Province | Saipan |
| Country | Marianas |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NRE-338-FTL(EF)-2802(11) |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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