Battle of Saipan

Battle of Saipan
Part of World War II, Pacific War
LVTs heading for shore on 15 June 1944. Birmingham in foreground; the cruiser firing in the distance is Indianapolis.
Date 15 June–9 July 1944 3 weeks, 3 days Location Saipan, Mariana Islands Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Empire of Japan
Commanders and leaders
Richmond K. Turner Holland Smith	Yoshitsugu Saitō † Chūichi Nagumo † Takeo Takagi † Matsuji Ijuin  †
Units involved
V Amphibious Corps (Main article)	31st Army (Main article)
Strength
71,000	32,000
Casualties and losses
3,426 killed and missing 10,364 wounded	24,000 killed 5,000 suicides 921 prisoners
22,000 civilians dead (many of which were suicides)

V Amphibious Corps

31st Army

The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June to 9 July 1944. The Allied invasion fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on 5 June 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was launched. The U.S. 2nd Marine Division, 4th Marine Division, and the Army's 27th Infantry Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Holland Smith, defeated the 43rd Infantry Division of the Imperial Japanese Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito.

In the campaigns of 1943 and the first half of 1944, the Allies had captured the Solomon Islands, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands and the Papuan Peninsula of New Guinea. This left the Japanese holding the Philippines, the Caroline Islands, Palau Islands and Mariana Islands.

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