Saipan declared 'secure' 7/9/44

Interesting read about Saipan from an old Seabee to start your day.
Click here

Another interesting book is 'Robinson Crusoe USN' about the sole American on Guam to evade the enemy until liberation.

(quoted from post at 03:53:53 07/09/18) Interesting read about Saipan from an old Seabee to start your day.
Click here

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Great personal story!

I find it interesting that people wanted revenge on Admiral Nagumo.

In the first place he was simply following orders that had the shoe been on the other foot was all that an American commander would have done. Then he was supposed to launch at least one follow up attack on Pearl Harbor but withdrew because he didn't know where the US carries were. That was of great benefit to us! Then his decisions 6 months later lead to the loss of 4 Japanees carriers at Midway. Seems he was of great help to us! Had Admiral Nagumo been in the US Navy he would have been relieved of command for failing to follow through at Pearl Harbor. After Midway? Relieved and maybe tried for dereliction of duty.

The one person who should be blamed is also mentioned in the story. General Tojo. He was the one to blame as he had great hatred for the US and pushed for war against the US.

Rick

Saipan gave us a taste of what we would have faced if Operation Downfall had become reality. the decision to drop the atomic bombs in reality saved a million American lives, and probably five million Japanese in the invasion alone.
Given that Downfall was scheduled for December, there also would have been continuing raids, incindary bombings that killed tens of thousands of civilians, and General LeMay wanted to do those every night.
Thank GOD for the men who fought to crush Japan.
The poem at the end of the article is especially hard hitting. We could apply it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen today as well.

Thanks for posting this, my great uncle was with the 105th and survived until the end of the war. He fought in the thick of it, hand to hand at times. He was awarded 2 Bronze Stars. I don't think he shared much of his war experiences with anyone except other family members who were veterans of the war. One person being my grandfather who was a Navy veteran. My grandfather brought his family with him when they went to pick him up including my father and as much liquor he could carry to give to the other soldiers when my great uncle was discharged from a tent encampment in NYC or NJ during very cold/snowy weather. Was either Ft. Hamilton or Ft Dix.He felt terrible for all the soldiers freezing and huddling in this encampment, something my father always remarks about when recollecting his memories of this.

He took a few years to deal with the transition back to civilian life and became a great citizen of the community and an even better family man. He worked until he was 86 years old and held several patents related to his career. It was always an honor to be in his presence. He built his own home by salvaging lumber, raised 8 kids and my father always admired him for teaching him how to box while was growing up, my great uncle boxed as well while in the U.S. Army.