D-Day in the Pacific: The Battle of Saipan

Index [Includes About the Author]

index Afetna Point, 54 African American soldiers, 203, 258:14n22 Agerholm, Harold, 187 Agingan Point, 36, 54 aircraft carriers: attacks on Japanese, 98–99, 244:2n2; as fast carrier task force, 19–20; naval warfare using, 21. See also Task Force 58 airpower: carrier air groups, 21; destruction of Japanese, 19–21, 25, 47, 53–54, 91–92, 211; Japanese wartime planning for, 90–91; learning the importance of, 17–18; “Marianas Turkey Shoot,” 97–98; naval warfare and, 95–96; U.S. vs. Japanese, 26. See also U.S. Army Air Forces alcohol/alcoholism: battlefield loss of good whiskey, 78; beer ration, 43; captured sake and beer, 132, 134–35; drinking Aqua Velva, 43; Japanese soldiers and, 178, 193; marine home brew, 50, 135; Navajo code talkers and, 135; poisoned sake, 136; PTSD and, 230; Turner’s abuse of, 40 Alexander, Joseph, 64 American Indians, 84, 135–36 amphibious landing: Battle of Saipan and, 210–11; beach sectors for, 62–63, 66–67, 74–75; confusion of, 142–44; landing vehicle problems, 16–17; LSTs and, 47–49, 245:3n25; tactics and procedure, 63–64; training and rehearsals, 44, 47–48; UDTs and, 55 amphibious vehicles: amtracs (LVTs), 57–58, 64–66, 83; assault and landing operations of, 64–65, 75–77; Higgins assault boat (LCVP), 40; LCI(G)s, 64; LCTs, 47–49, 245:3n25; LCVPs, 44 Armstrong, John, 146, 173, 183, 203, 236 Arnold, Henry “Hap,” 17 Arnold, Norman, 147 Asbill, Mac, Jr., 151 Aslito Airfield: 27th Infantry Division assault on, 145–46; Japanese construction of, 30–31; as military objective, 122; U.S. renaming of, 254:11n17 atomic bomb, 209, 249:7n3 Attu, 1 Australia, 24 Auxer, Arthur J., Jr., 49 Ayers, Russell G., 154, 157, 160, 164, 221 B-24 Liberators, 49 B-29 Superfortress, 17–18, 206, 208–209 Bailey, Walter, 231, 237 Baker, John “Jack,” 183 Baker, Thomas A., 147, 149, 212 Balsano, S. A., 65 “Banzai,” 72, 80, 89, 116, 172–73, 256:13n11. See also Gyokusai (“To Die with Honor”); suicides Banzai Cliff, 200–202 Baralis, William, 182 Baron, Jerry, 136 “Bastard Battalion.” See military units (USMC) Battle of Iwo Jima. See Iwo Jima Battle of Leyte Gulf, 102, 212 Battle of Saipan: 2nd Marine assault, 61–66; 4th Marine assault, 74–77; 27th Infantry Division landing, 141–44; 60th anniversary commemoration, 237; African American units, 258:14n22; beach landing sectors, 62–64, 66; casualties, 210; command strucPhotograph page numbers are shown in italics. Maps and caption information are identified by the suffix “f” (e.g. 15f). 268 index ture (Japan), 242; command structure (U.S.), 239–41; end of organized resistance, 199, 229; interservice rivalry, 14–16; Japanese counterattacks, 36–38, 88–89, 103–106, 172–73; Japanese losses in, 165–66; logistical challenges of, 210–11; mopping-up actions, 202–203; offensive strategy, 169–70; official marine history of, 1; Task Force 58 support of, 92–93; U.S. assault forces for, 245:3n31; veterans’ memories of, 229–30. See also Gyokusai (“To Die with Honor”); Mariana Islands; Operation Forager; Saipan maps; Saipan military objectives Battle of the Atlantic, 47 Battle of the Mountain, 113 Battle of the Philippine Sea: criticism of Spruance over, 100–102; Guam and, 154; impact on Battle of Saipan, 124, 146–47; Japanese defeat at, 98; Spruance vs. Mitscher controversy , 211. See also Operation A-Go Battle of Tsushima, 97 Best, Wendell, 55 Beverly, Paul, 77, 133 Biak Island, 25–26, 92 Bird, Byron, 69, 247:5n28 Bishop, Leonard, 150–51 Blaine, Harrison “Harry,” 79 “Bloody Tarawa.” See Tarawa Blount, Roy, 221 Bonaparte, Napoleon, 41, 159 Bonins (Chichi Jima), 32 booby traps, 138–40 Borta, Frank, 115 Bradley, Omar, 42 Brenner, S. E. “Gene,” 57, 116 British Joint Chiefs of Staff, 11 British navy, 245:3n37 Britt, Frank, 124, 196 Brown, Albert E., 259:An15 Browner, Ralph, 69, 117f, 174f, 192–94, 231 Brusseau, Gregory, 164 Buckner, Simon Bolivar, 221, 228, 259:An15 Buckner Board of inquiry, 221, 228 Buna, 1 Burke, Richard F., 55 Cairo Conference, 18 Caroline Islands, 14, 19–20, 23, 29 Carpenter, Merle B., 49 Carter, Winton, 49, 56–57 Casablanca Conference, 11–12 casualties (U.S.): 2nd Armored Amphibian Battalion, 65; 2nd Marine Division, 67, 73, 103–104, 117, 165, 210; 4th Marine Division, 87–88, 120–21, 124, 128, 130, 165, 210, 234; 10th Marines, 187; 27th Infantry Division, 160–62, 164–65, 182, 210; Battle of Saipan, 111, 165, 210; Battle of Tarawa, 42; commanding officers as...