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Ground Command List
The Marine and Army units assigned to the Saipan operation were under these senior commanders:
- V Amphibious Corps—LtGen Holland M. Smith
- 2d Marine Division—MajGen Thomas E. Watson
- 2d Marines—Col Walter J. Stuart
- 6th Marines—Col James P. Riseley
- 8th Marines—Col Clarence R. Wallace
- 10th Marines—Col Raphael Griffin
- 18th Marines—LtCol Russell Lloyd
- 4th Marine Division—MajGen Harry Schmidt
- 14th Marines—Col Louis G. DeHaven
- 20th Marines—LtCol Nelson K. Brown
- 23d Marines—Col Louis R. Jones
- 24th Marines—Col Franklin A. Hart
- 25th Marines—Col Merton J. Batchelder
- 27th Infantry Division—MajGen Ralph C. Smith, USA
- 105th Infantry—Col Leonard A. Bishop, USA
- 106th Infantry—Col Russell G. Ayres, USA
- 165th Infantry—Col Gerard W. Kelley, USA
- Division Artillery—BGen Redmond F. Kernan, Jr., USA
- XXIV Corps Artillery—BGen Arthur M. Harper, USA
- Saipan Garrison Forces—MajGen George W. Griner, USA
D+4–D+7, 19–22 June
The most critical event of 19 June (and perhaps the most important of the whole Saipan campaign) took place at sea, well out of sight of the infantrymen ashore. The opposing carrier task forces clashed in a gigantic air battle. When it was over that night, the Japanese had suffered the catastrophic loss of 330 out of 430 planes they had launched. Exultant U.S. Navy fliers labelled it “The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.” With the help of American submarines and additional carrier plane attacks the next day, the Japanese attempt to relieve Saipan by a decisive naval victory was smashed. As an official account summarized the impact ashore, “the eventual doom of the enemy garrison was assured.” And the American supply ships were able to return offshore to unload their vital cargoes.
During the four-day span of D+4 to D+7, the 105th Infantry moved slowly along the south coast and then joined the 165th Infantry in sealing off the die-hard Japanese survivors in Nafutan Point, in the southeastern corner of the island. Once the enemy was penned in, the 105th was assigned to eliminate him. The rest of the 27th Division, now including the 106th Infantry, was ordered north to be the Corps reserve.
This period, 19–22 June, marked a total shift in direction for the American troops. Pivoting on the 2d Marines on the far left flank along the western shore, the other Marine regiments swung around from their drive which had reached the east coast to face north, with their right flank on Magicienne Bay.
On 20 June, the 4th Division confronted a key objective. Lieutenant Chapin had a ringside seat: