| With Saipan in Allied hands, and the Japanese naval
threat neutralized, there was little to stop U.S. forces from landing on the other two important
islands of the Marianas chain, Guam and Tinian. Nevertheless, each island held considerable numbers
of Japanese troops, the vast majority of whom were willing to fight to the death. Nevertheless,
by August 10 both Guam and Tinian were fully under U.S. control, bringing both the Philippines
and the Japanese home islands within reach of Allied heavy bombers.
Western Pacific
The Return to Guam
Allied
Seizure of Marianas and New Guinea, 1944
“We Need to Exterminate Them”: A Marine
Describes the Battle of Guam
Rutgers
Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with James T. Wells
Rutgers
Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with Morton M. Rosenberg
Rutgers
Oral History Archives of World War II: Interview with W. Wallace Kaenzig
The
crew of the USS SOUTH DAKOTA stands with bowed heads, while Chaplain N. D. Lindner reads the
benediction held in honor of fellow shipmates killed in the air action off Guam on June 19, 1944
A
Water Buffalo, loaded with Marines, churns through the sea bound for beaches of Tinian Island
near Guam
Two
U.S. officers plant the American flag on Guam eight minutes after U.S. Marines and Army assault
troops landed on the Central Pacific island on July 20, 1944
|