Night of the Kitchen Sinks PTO (id:#58586)

On All Fronts (On All Fronts #110 ID: O110.1)   [next]   [previous]

Saipan, the Marianas 1944-06-17 (7 others)

Overview:

Saipan had been invaded on the 15th and already the 6th Marines had fallen behind schedule. Owing to troop estimates of half the actual number of Japanese, the day of the invasion had seen the 6th advance only halfway to their planned objective. The Japanese made an ill-fated night attack on the 15th, which cost them 700 casualties, but did not gain any ground. No progress was made by the Marines on the 16th, as the day was spent mopping up the remnants of the night action. Undeterred, Lt. General Yoshitsuga Saito ordered another night attack for the night of the 16th/17th. The objective was the remains of the Saipan radio station, a quarter mile behind the Marine lines. The 9th Tank Regiment rolled down out of the hills in two waves, with infantrymen clinging to the sides of the tanks of the first wave. At the sound of the approaching tanks, derisively referred to as “kitchen sinks” by the Marines, Lt. Colonel Jones ordered a medium tank company to stand by. At 0300, starshells illuminated the first tank as it rounded a corner of the ridge. It signaled the beginning of the first large night tank attack of the Pacific war.

Defender: American (USMC) (Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division)  

Errata (source)