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American Memorial Park
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
World War II
Virtual Museum
Lead-Up To The Battle Of Saipan:
Marshall Islands and Truk Lagoon 
In late January and early February 1944, the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division assaulted Kwajalein
Island and the other small islands in the southern half of Kwajalein Atoll.
Simultaneously, the U.S. Marine Corps in the northern half of Kwajalein Atoll assaulted Roi
Island and Namur Island, then the remaining smaller islands of northern
Kwajalein Atoll.
Following the battles for Kwajalein Atoll, U.S. forces assaulted and secured Enewetak
Atoll and Majuro Atoll. These three bases served as staging points for air and naval
forces moving onward in later months to attack the vast Japanese naval base at Truk
(Chuuk) and other lesser Japanese installations enroute to the Mariana Islands.
The situation map on January 31, 1944 as
U.S. forces were about to invade Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Click
here for full-size map. Note the American flags on Tarawa and Makin Atolls, and
Japanese flags on all other islands to the north and west.
From: Island Victory, The Battle For Kwajalein. By S.L.A. Marshall. Zenger
Publishing Co. Inc., Washington D.C., Copyright 1945, reprinted 1982. |
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"7th Infantry Goes Ashore, Kwajalein
Atoll" (1944).
Official U.S. Army Signal Corps Photograph, Graflex-Made. Donated by Joseph
Garofalo - 121st Seabees, 4th Marine Division. |
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U.S. Army infantrymen of the assault units
rest after being withdrawn from the front lines. Note the completely demolished landscape
of what before was a lush tropical island.
From: Island Victory, The Battle For Kwajalein. By S.L.A. Marshall. Zenger
Publishing Co. Inc., Washington D.C., Copyright 1945, reprinted 1982. |
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Infantrymen moving up to battle on Kwajalein
pass a fallen comrade.
From: Island Victory, The Battle For Kwajalein. By S.L.A. Marshall. Zenger
Publishing Co. Inc., Washington D.C., Copyright 1945, reprinted 1982. |
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"Closing In, Kwajalein Atoll"
(1944).
Official U.S. Army Signal Corps Photograph, Graflex-Made. Donated by Joseph
Garofalo, 121st Seabees, 4th Marine Division. |
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Last Updated:Sunday, 05-Jul-98 01:08:26
http://www.nps.gov/amme/wwii_museum/marshalls_and_truk/marshalls_and_truk.html
Author:
(Volunteer) |
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Bill Bezzant,
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
Email: bill.bezzant
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