Watched part of the video. During WW2, my late father served as a marine radar operator on Tinian, which is maybe a 5 minute puddle jumper flight from Saipan.
25 years ago or so, while I was living in Japan, he came to visit, as Saipan is just a 3 hour flight away, I took him back to tinian via Saipan.
Geographically, Saipan has running through most of its longitudinal middle so tall mountains. Thus what flat open space is relatively limited. Towards the end of the battle, at the northern end, the remaining Japanese troops did stage a banzai charge and were slaughtered. I am told relics of that part of the battle still lie there if one is willing to strike out into the bush.
Do recall reading a history of the tank attack and that all were quickly destroyed. One relic remained on the northern part of the island.
Today, Saipan is to the Japanese as Berumda or other Caribbean Islands are to use, a warm weather destination to play. So it's no surprise there's very little physical evidence of the American sacrifices during the war. My father became upset walking through the grounds of one hotel, built on one the site of one of the landing beaches, on seeing young Japanese women on the hunt for a 'good time'.
Last recall too as I drive my father around Saipan, stopping at a Quonset hut and taking a peek inside. Inside was a vintage field radio and a neat stack of vintage ordinance. As I stated to get a closer look at the ordinance stack, my father quickly told me to get the hell away from it.
Watched part of the video. During WW2, my late father served as a marine radar operator on Tinian, which is maybe a 5 minute puddle jumper flight from Saipan.
ReplyDelete25 years ago or so, while I was living in Japan, he came to visit, as Saipan is just a 3 hour flight away, I took him back to tinian via Saipan.
Geographically, Saipan has running through most of its longitudinal middle so tall mountains. Thus what flat open space is relatively limited. Towards the end of the battle, at the northern end, the remaining Japanese troops did stage a banzai charge and were slaughtered. I am told relics of that part of the battle still lie there if one is willing to strike out into the bush.
Do recall reading a history of the tank attack and that all were quickly destroyed. One relic remained on the northern part of the island.
Today, Saipan is to the Japanese as Berumda or other Caribbean Islands are to use, a warm weather destination to play. So it's no surprise there's very little physical evidence of the American sacrifices during the war. My father became upset walking through the grounds of one hotel, built on one the site of one of the landing beaches, on seeing young Japanese women on the hunt for a 'good time'.
Last recall too as I drive my father around Saipan, stopping at a Quonset hut and taking a peek inside. Inside was a vintage field radio and a neat stack of vintage ordinance. As I stated to get a closer look at the ordinance stack, my father quickly told me to get the hell away from it.
My father in law was there. He is long dead now but he came home pretty wild.
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