Tinian

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TINIAN

TINIAN (from 24 July to 1 August 1944). The invasion of Tinian by American forces was necessary to secure the occupation of its neighbor Saipan, captured the previous month. Landing beaches on northern Tinian were chosen to take advantage of field artillery based on Saipan. On the morning of 24 July, following several days of bombardment, the Fourth Marine Division came ashore and pushed rapidly inland, surprising the Japanese force of 8,000. Reinforcements from the Second and Fourth Marine Divisions landed on 25 July and swept to the southern tip by 1 August, killing most of the Japanese garrison. American casualties were 328 killed and 1,571 wounded. Tinian became a major U.S. Air Force base for the strategic bombardment of Japan.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Crowl, Philip. Campaign in the Marianas. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1960.

Hoffman, Carl W. The Seizure of Tinian. Washington, D.C.: Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1951.

Hoyt, Edwin P. To the Marianas: War in the Central Pacific, 1944. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1980.

Philip A.Crowl/a. r.

See alsoAir Power, Strategic ; Marine Corps, United States ; Philippine Sea, Battle of the ; Saipan ; Trust Territory of the Pacific ; World War II ; World War II, Air War against Japan .