Battle of Saipan order of battle

On 15 June 1944, United States Marine forces landed on the southwest coast of the island of Saipan in the central Marianas chain; these were followed a day later by US Army forces. This invasion was part of Operation Forager, an effort to recapture the entire Marianas chain from the Empire of Japan. The island had been a Japanese possession since it was captured by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War I. As military conflict with the United States became increasingly likely during the 1930s, Japan expended great effort in fortifying Saipan. In mid-1944, nearly 30,000 troops were based on the island, almost double the estimates of US intelligence. US forces declared Saipan secure on 9 July 1944. United States Pacific Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz HQ at Pearl Harbor United States Fifth Fleet Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in heavy cruiser Indianapolis Joint Expeditionary Force (Task Force 51) Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner in amphibious command ship Rocky Mount Northern Attack Force (Task Force 52 – Saipan and Tinian) Vice Admiral Turner Southern Attack Force (Task Force 53 – Guam) Vice Admiral Richard L. Conolly in amphibious command ship Appalachian Expeditionary Troops (Task Force 56) Lieutenant General Holland M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith Chief of Staff: Brig. Gen. Graves B. Erskine Personnel Officer (G-1): Lt. Col. Albert F. Metze Intelligence Officer (G-2): Col. St. Julien R. Marshall Operations Officer (G-3): Col. John C. McQueen Logistics Officer (G-4): Col. Raymond E. Knapp Plans Officer (G-5): Col. Joseph T. Smith Northern Troops and Landing Force (Task Group 56.1 – Tinian and Saipan) Consisting of V Amphibious Corps Southern Troops and Landing Force (Task Group 56.2 – Guam) Consisting of III Amphibious Corps V Amphibious Corps Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith Chief of Staff: Brig. Gen. Graves B. Erskine XXIV Corps Artillery (Brig. Gen. Arthur M. Harper) 1st Provisional Gun Group 225th Field Artillery Howitzer Group 2nd Marine Division (21,746 officers and enlisted) Major General Thomas E. Watson Asst.