On 15 June 1944, United States Marine and Army forces landed on the southwest coast of the island of Saipan in the central Marianas chain. US forces declared Saipan secure on 9 July.

Marine Corps forces landed on the nearby island of Tinian on 24 July. Tinian was declared secure 1 August.

The naval forces involved can be summarized as follows:

Combat ships: 7 escort carriers, 7 old battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 5 light cruisers, 69 destroyers, 28 destroyer escorts 150+ amphibious landing and support ships 85+ auxiliaries

Command structure

The roles of Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA) and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC), were both exercised by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz from his headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Theater and Operational Command Since the Marianas lie in the Central Pacific, their capture was the responsibility of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, led by Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance from aboard his flagship, heavy cruiser Indianapolis.

The ships and embarked troops of Operation Forager were under direct operational command of Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner aboard amphibious command ship Rocky Mount.

The Marine and Army landing forces for Operation Forager were under the command of Maj. Gen. Holland M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith, USMC. Smith directed the ground troops from aboard Vice Adm. Turner's flagship Rocky Mount until the afternoon of 17 June when he set up his command post ashore.

Ground Troops V Amphibious Corps (Maj. Gen. Holland M. Smith, USMC) Saipan: 2nd Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Thomas E. Watson)   4th Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Harry Schmidt) 27th Infantry Division (Army) (Maj. Gen. Ralph C. Smith) Tinian: 2nd Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Thomas E. Watson) 4th Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Harry Schmidt)

Forces afloat

U.S. Fifth FleetRottman, p. 35 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

Combat Task Groups

Carrier Support Group One (Task Group 52.14)

Rear Adm. Gerald F. Bogan Unit 1 (Rear Adm. Bogan) 2 escort carriers Fanshaw Bay (Capt. D.P. Johnson) Composite Squadron 68 (Lt. Cmdr. R.S. Rogers): 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters 12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers Midway (Capt. F.J. McKenna) Composite Squadron 65 (Lt. Cmdr. R.M. Jones): 12 FM-2 Wildcat fighters   9 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers 3 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Cassin Young, Irwin, Ross Unit 2 (Capt. A.O. Weller) 2 escort carriers White Plains (Capt. Weller) Composite Squadron 4 (Lt. Cmdr. R.C. Evins (KIA)): 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters   3 TBF, 9 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers Kalinin Bay (Capt. C.R. Brown) Composite Squadron 3 (Lt. Cmdr. W.H. Keighley): 14 FM-2 Wildcat fighters   9 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers 3 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Porterfield, Callaghan, Longshaw

Carrier Support Group Two (Task Group 52.11)

Rear Adm. H.B. Sallada Unit 3 (Rear Adm. Sallada) 2 escort carriers Kitkun Bay (Capt. J.P. Whitney) Composite Squadron 5 (Cmdr. R.L. Fowler): 12 FM-2 Wildcat fighters   8 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers Gambier Bay (Capt. H.H. Goodwin) Composite Squadron 10 (Lt. Cmdr. E.J. Huxtable): 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters 12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers 3 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Laws, Morrison, Benham Unit 4 (Rear Adm. Felix B. Stump) 1 escort carrier Nehenta Bay (Capt. H.B. Butterfield) Composite Squadron 11 (Lt. Cmdr. O.B. Stanley): 12 FM-2 Wildcat fighters   9 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers 3 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Bullard, Kidd, Chauncey

Fire Support Group One (Task Group 52.17)

Rear Adm. Jesse B. Oldendorf Unit 1 (Rear Admiral Howard F. Kingman): 2 old battleships: Tennessee (Capt. A.D. Mayer), California (Capt. H.P. Burnett) 1 heavy cruiser: Indianapolis (Capt. E.R. Johnson) 1 light cruiser: Birmingham (Capt. T.B. Inglis) 4 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Remey, Wadleigh, Norman Scott, Mertz Unit 2 (Cmdr. P.H. Fitzgerald): 3 destroyers (2 Fletcher-class): Robinson, Albert W. Grant, (1 Benson-class): Bailey Unit 3 (Capt. H.P. Jarrett): 3 destroyers (2 Fletcher-class): Halsey Powell, Monssen, (1 Benson-class): Coghlan Unit 4 (Rear Adm. Oldendorf): 2 old battleships: Maryland (Rear Adm. T.D. Ruddock), Colorado (Capt. W. Granat) 1 heavy cruiser: Portland (Capt. S.H. Hurt) 4 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): McDermut, McGowan, McNair, Melvin Unit 5 (Rear Adm. R.W. Hayler): 2 light cruisers: Montpelier (Capt. H.D. Hoffman), Cleveland (Capt. A.G. Shepard) 3 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Yarnall, Twining, Stockham

Fire Support Group Two (Task Group 52.10)

Rear Adm. Walden L. Ainsworth Unit 6 (Rear Adm. Ainsworth) 2 old battleships: Pennsylvania (Capt. C.F. Martin), Idaho (Capt. H.D. Clarke) 1 light cruiser: Honolulu (Capt. H.R. Thurber) 3 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Anthony, Wadsworth, Hudson 1 high-speed transport: Dickerson 1 high-speed minesweeper: Hogan 1 seaplane tender: Williamson Unit 7 (Rear Adm. George L. Weyler) 1 old battleship: New Mexico (Capt. E.M. Zacharias) 2 heavy cruisers: Minneapolis (Capt. Harry Slocum), San Francisco (Capt. Harvey Overesch) 3 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Halford, Terry, Braine 1 high-speed transport: Talbot 1 high-speed minesweeper: Stansbury Unit 8 (Rear Adm. C. Turner Joy) 2 heavy cruisers: Wichita (Capt. J.J. Mahoney), New Orleans (Capt. J.E. Hurff) 1 light cruiser: St. Louis (Capt. R.H. Roberts) 3 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Fullam, Guest, Bennett

Amphibious Operations Task Groups

Control Group (Task Group 52.6) Commodore P.S. Theiss 14 submarine chasers 25 landing craft infantry 3 high-speed transports

Transport Group "Able" (Task Group 52.3) Capt. H.B. Knowles Embarking 2nd Marine Division Transport Division 18 (Capt. Knowles) 2 attack transports: Monrovia, Frederick Funston 1 transport: War Hawk 1 attack cargo ship: Alcyone 1 landing ship dock: Lindenwald Transport Division 10 (Capt. G.D. Morrison) 4 attack transports: Clay, Neville, Arthur Middleton, Feland 1 attack cargo ship: Alhena 2 cargo ship: Jupiter, Hercules Transport Division 28 (Capt. H.C. Flanagan) 3 attack transports: Bolivar, Doyen, Sheridan 1 transport: Comet 1 attack cargo ship: Electra 1 landing ship dock: Oak Hill

Transport Group "Baker" (Task Group 52.4) Capt. D.W. Loomis Embarking 4th Marine Division Transport Division 20 (Capt. Loomis) 3 attack transports: Leonard Wood, Pierce, James O'Hara 1 transport: La Salle 1 attack cargo ship: Thuban 1 landing ship dock: Ashland Transport Division 26 (Capt. R.E. Hanson) 3 attack transports: Callaway, Sumter, Leon 1 transport: Storm King 1 attack cargo ship: Almaack 2 landing ship docks: White Marsh, Belle Grove Transport Division 30 (Capt. C.A. Misson) 3 attack transports: Knox, Calvert, Fuller 2 transports: John Land, George F. Elliot 1 attack cargo ship: Bellatrix

Eastern Landing Group (Task Group 52.8) Cmdr. C.J. McWhinnie Embarking 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines Transport Division 12 (Cmdr. McWhinnie) 6 high-speed transports: Waters, Stringham, Goldsborough, Manley, Overton, Noa

Transport Screen (Task Group 52.12) Capt. R.E. Libby 15 destroyers: 7 Fletcher-class: Newcomb, Bennion, Heywood L. Edwards, Bryant, Prichett, Cony, Renshaw 2 Porter-class: Phelps, Selfridge 1 Mahan-class: Conyngham 2 Bagley-class: Bagley, Patterson 1 Sampson-class: Shaw 2 Wickes-class: Philip, Mugford 1 high-speed transport: Kane 4 patrol craft escorts: 1396, 1404, 1457, 1460

Tractor Flotilla (Task Group 52.5) Capt. A.J. Robertson Tractor Group "Able" (Capt. J.S. Lillard) Unit 1: 8 landing ship tanks Unit 2: 8 landing ship tanks "Able" Reserve: 6 landing ship tanks Tractor Group "Baker" (Capt. Robertson) Unit 3: 8 landing ship tanks Unit 4: 8 landing ship tanks "Baker" Reserve: 4 landing ship tanks Support Artillery Group: 7 landing ship tanks

Minesweeping and Hydrographic Survey Group (Task Group 52.13) Cmdr. R.S. Moore, USNR Unit 1 (Cmdr. W.R. Loud) 4 high-speed minesweepers: Hopkins, Perry, Long, Hamilton Unit 2 (Lt. Cmdr. H.L. Thompson) 4 high-speed minesweepers: Chandler, Zane, Palmer, Howard Unit 3 (Cmdr. Moore) 3 minesweepers (all Auk-class): Chief, Champion, Herald Unit 4 (Lt. Cmdr. J.R. Fels, USNR) 3 minesweepers (all Auk-class): Oracle, Motive, Heed Units 5 & 6 and Mobile Hydrographic Unit 5 auxiliary motor minesweepers 2 landing craft, control 6 landing craft, vehicle

Joint Expeditionary Force Reserve (Task Group 51.1)

Rear Adm. William H.P. Blandy Embarking 27th Infantry Division (Army) Transport Division 7 (Capt. C.G. Richardson) 3 attack transports: Cavalier, J. Franklin Bell, Heywood 1 transport: Winged Arrow 1 attack cargo ship: Fomalhaut Transport Division 32 (Capt. M.O. Carlson) 3 attack transports: Fremont, Harris, Custer 1 transport: Herald of the Morning 1 cargo ship: Auriga 4 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Waller, Pringle, Saufley, Sigourney 2 destroyer escorts (both Evarts-class): Sederstrom, Fleming 1 fleet tug: Chickasaw Transport Division 34 (Capt. Charles Allen) 4 transports: Prince Georges, Kenmore, De Grasse, Livingston 1 cargo ship: Leonis 7 landing craft infantry Screen (Cmdr. J.R. Phal) 2 destroyers (both Fletcher-class): Conway, Eaton 4 destroyer escorts (2 Evarts-class): Tisdale, Eisele, (2 Cannon-class) Baron, Acree 1 net layer: Mimosa 1 net cargo ship: Keokuk

Service and Support Units

Service and Salvage Group (Task Group 52.7) Capt. S.E. Peck 1 net layers: Cinchona 3 fleet tugs: Tekesta, Tawasa, Molala 1 repair ship: Phaon 2 salvage vessels: Preserver, Clamp 1 seaplane tender: Ballard 1 landing craft repair ship: Agenor 8 auxiliary motor minesweepers

Fueling Group (Task Group 50.17) Capt. Edward E. Paré 24 fleet oilers: Neshanic, Saugatuck, Saranac, Lackawanna, Monongahela, Neosho, Cimarron, Kaskaskia, Sabine, Caliente, Guadalupe, Platte, Pecos, Schuylkill, Tallulah, Ashtabula, Cahaba, Tappahannock, Kennebago, Marias, Suamico, Cache, Kankakee, Mascoma 8 destroyers (all Fletcher class): Paul Hamilton, Capps, John D. Henley, Hall, Evans, David W. Taylor, Halligan, Haraden 14 destroyer escorts 9 Cannon-class: Samuel S. Miles, Swearer, Bangust, Weaver, Riddle, Waterman, Lamons, Wesson, Hilbert 5 Evarts-class: Fair, Manlove, Mitchell, Whitman, Wileman 4 escort carriers: Copahee, Breton, Manila Bay, Natoma Bay 4 hospital ships: Relief, Solace, Bountiful, Samaritan

Notes

References

Bibliography