Uploads from Saipan Pictures, tagged marianas, with geodata

Naftan WWII Artillery (Video)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:44:31 -0700

Having a 1944 aerial photograph is such a big help when searching the jungle for Saipan's forgotten history. This is on Naftan Point on the island of Saipan. This island was a Japanese strong hold before the Battle of Saipan in WWII. After the battle, the Americans built their military defenses right around the rubble of the destroyed Japanese instillations.

As time passes these photographs become declassified and are surfacing. Many thanks to my Flickr contact Michael for sending me this photograph that he bought on Ebay.

You can see the entire video, 21 minutes, near the bottom of my Blogspot page here:
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/naftan-peninsula.html

Laser Tag Championship (2)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:43:13 -0700

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

My fireteam consists of my son, daughter and myself. This was the first time we competed in Saipan's annual laser tag championship and we got second place. The location of this competition is on Invasion Beach where the Marines invaded Saipan at the start of the three week battle.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/

Laser Tag Championship (1)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:40:31 -0700

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

Moving in for the final termination. My fireteam consists of my son, daughter and myself. This was the first time we competed in Saipan's annual laser tag championship and we got second place. The location of this competition is on Invasion Beach where the Marines invaded Saipan at the start of the three week battle.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/

How to Open a Box of Ordnance:

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:11:20 -0700

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

Step 1) Turn the box of ordnance on its side.
Step 2) With the blunt end of a large ax, give the lid a swift and firm whack.
Step 3) Pick up all the hand grenades that flew out and buried your feet.
saipanhistory.blogspot.com/

Invasion Beach Saipan

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:38:10 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

June 15, 1944 (D-Day in the Pacific) U.S. Marines land on Invasion Beach in Saipan. Two thousand did not survive the day.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/invasion-beach.html

Tropical Drink (7)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 02:16:38 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

Happy hour on Invasion Beach in Saipan.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/saipan-sunsets_04.html

No Spitting

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 20:30:54 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

Darn! The middle of the Post Office seemed like a good place to spit.

You would think that a U.S. Post Office wouldn't need a sign like this but this sign is posted everywhere on the walls.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/

Wind Surfing (3)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 16:00:11 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

Wind surfing between Micro Beach and Managaha Island in Saipan.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/micro-beach.html

Dog's Life

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:35:27 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

Our Maltese/poodle spends the day at Ladder Beach in Saipan.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/ladder-beach.html

WWII Cave Grenade (Video)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:44:46 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a video:

We found another cave in Saipan which was like a time capsule to the last moments in the lives of many Japanese WWII soldiers and civilians. This is actually a sink hole about 30 feet deep and 100 feet in diameter with numerous natural caves all around the edge. This cave, like most caves in Saipan, was the last stand for the Japanese soldiers and civilians and they are still in there nearly 70 years later. You can watch my entire video called "WWII Cave Time Capsule" near the bottom of my Blogspot page here:
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2010/05/caves-in-saipan.html

Saipan's Hidden Grotto (Video)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 02:43:51 -0700

Saipan Pictures posted a video:

All tourists to Saipan knows about the grotto but they are thinking of the grotto on the north side of the island. There are other grottoes in Saipan. Today we found a grotto on the south side of Saipan in the Obyan area. During WWII the Japanese soldiers had some operation going on in this cave. We found 10 fuses from American 500 pound bombs that were dropped through the open ceiling that completely destroyed whatever was in this cave. You can watch the entire video near the bottom of my Blogspot page here:
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/obyan-beach.html

One Year After The Battle

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:25:50 -0700

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

I was just re-reading some of my Saipan WWII newspaper collection, most were given to me by my friend Al Sando who was stationed in Saipan at the time. I found one article dated 15 June 1945, exactly one year after the Marines hit the beaches of Saipan. 520 B-29s were launched on a single bombing mission. These B-29s dumped 3,000 tons of bombs on Osaka and Nagasaki.

Five-star Field General H. H. Arnold made the announcement. He also mentioned that America will drop 2,000,000 tons of bombs on Japan yearly. The article ended with a quote from the General, "If that is what Japan wants, by God that is what she is going to get."
saipanhistory.blogspot.com/2008/12/american.html

How to Open the Crate of a Large Bomb:

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:08:48 -0700

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

Step 1) With the sharp end of a large ax, give the band a swift and firm whack.
Step 2) No one ever got past Step 1.
saipanhistory.blogspot.com/

WWII Cave Helmet (3)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:46:34 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

A WWII helmet found in a small cave in the Obyan area of Saipan. These WWII artifacts left in the jungles and caves of Saipan for the past 66 years are decaying quickly now. Soon there will be no trace left.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/obyan-beach.html

Peace

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:42:48 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

At the Last Japanese Command Post in Saipan. By the time the American military reached this part of Saipan the three week battle was over at the cost of 57,000 lives.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/last-command-post.html

276 Inches

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 21:03:36 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

Driving iron please.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/

Old Japanese Jail (6)

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 22:21:35 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

This Old Japanese Jail was used up to the day the Battle of Saipan began. Once the American shelling of the town of Garapan started, the guards opened the cell doors then ran for the hills. The destruction seen today on this jail was caused by the American battleships, destroyers and cruisers that leveled the rest of Garapan. This is the larger of the two cell blocks with 16 cells and was used for the male prisoners.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2008/07/old-japanese-jail.html

Difficult Puzzle

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 19:17:20 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

A difficult puzzle to put together especially since I don't read the language. I'm not even sure if the pieces are right side up. These pieces were found in a not-well-known cave that some believe to be Japanese General Saito's last command post in Saipan. This could be the place where General Saito gave the order for the largest Banzai charge in history.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/2010/05/caves-in-saipan.html

Land Crab

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 01:23:32 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

This little monster took a wrong turn and ended up in the men's room in Saipan. With the help of my cane I was able to escort him back out. A few days later he, or his twin, wandered into my office.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/

Tropical Beer

nobody@flickr.com (Saipan Pictures) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 01:40:25 -0800

Saipan Pictures posted a photo:

It just doesn't seem right.
saipanpictures.blogspot.com/