#OTD in 1944, the invasion of Saipan begins. Within 20 minutes more than 700 armored tracs with 8,000 Marines are ashore. #USMCMuseum #Saipan75th pic.twitter.com/4YCVqiXlQx— Marine Corps Museum (@MarineMuseum) June 15, 2019
America and the rest of the world was watching the Normandy landings while Marines were prepping for this big fight that would happen 15 days later.
It would be a bloody affair.
Want to know why the Corps was so quick to adopt vertical envelopment? Most point to the atomic bomb. I point to Tarawa and Saipan. Marine Corps greats were looking for a better way. They knew that the nation could not afford more battles like this one.
I've been quick to highlight issues with concepts that are being tossed around today. But one thing I have to give every Commandant...from Neller back (to include Amos)...I might not agree with the solutions but they ARE working the problems.
We couldn't afford another Saipan in the '50s and we sure can't afford one today.
God bless those bubbas that stormed that beach. May they rest in peace.
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