U.S. FORCES LAND IN CENTRE OF MARIANAS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 141, 16 June 1944, Page 5

U.S. FORCES LAND IN CENTRE OF MARIANAS

A message from Pearl Harbour announced that strong United States forces have landed on Saipan, inJhe centre of e Marianas Admiral Chester W. Nirnitz, commander ot AUiea naval "orces in the Pacific, said that wELSS by against strong opposition under cover of heavy bombardment by our air and surface forces. "The initial rep°rts, he added "indicate that our casualties are moderate. Saipan Island is only 1500 miles south-east of Tokyo. It is revealed that in the landings on Saipan specially trained assault troops were first ashore under an umbrella of carrier-based aircraft and devastating naval gunfire. ■ Tokyo official radio says the ».te m pted land.n g , were made from 20 transports which appeared about 6.30 a.m. Heavy figh ing is proceeding. t mon i to rs picked up the following United States r knowled of the English broadcast from Mjo f ™ invaders to annroach w poS and then opened concentrated fire approaches near P enemy barges, or what was left of ihrc£n into confnsion by the accurate fire and swiftly relu „ aW 1000 of the en°my Attempted a landing but Japanese forces inflicted heavy iepml3 Ul)lte(J Slalet , r oops , , i on'saupan Island, officials in Washington described had landed on Saipan lsian , reDorts s t a te that AmeneSbePtw,en TruU and Tokyo. . The prise 14 islands with a total a since thgn haye come under discovered by IVlagellan in in o uence After the Great War Japan Spanish, French and German influence. th large st island and was given jurisdiction over the Saltan me faroad The the centre of administration, J« e ™ te^ n | ho^e of Saipan, on the harbour t oF Tanapac. the next largest island, has an area of about 18 square miles.