Saipan continued

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There is very little native forest left in Saipan for the same reason that Guam is covered by introduced species. What little is left is conserved and allowed to thrive. We took a short walk down a trail and heard birdsong, saw butterflies.

Before the war, Japan had possession of Saipan for many years. The population spoke Japanese and many Japanese nationals lived here. During the war, the Japanese propaganda machine convinced the inhabitants that the Americans were evil captors who would rape the women, butcher and torture the men and children. Despite leaflets dropped during the invasion, many, many families made their way to what is now known as Suicide Ridge and Bonzai Cliff. There, the youngest child was prodded over the cliff, followed by the other children in order of age and finally by the parents. A memorial to them is maintained by the governments of Northern Micronesia, Japan and the United States.

Before lunch and a snorkel we stopped at the highest point on the island, Mt. Tapochau. From there one can see the entire island, 360 degrees, the lowland south and the rugged north. I saw the airfield that was the objective of the Saipan invasion. I saw the reef close to shore where the Marines, including Uncle Richard, began the move to the beach. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the sound of shelling by the Navy offshore, to visualize the chaos of an amphibious landing. The fighting was brutal and after winning the beachhead, the troops had to march north to the high ground where the Japanese had the advantage. The Japanese dug in. Tunnels and caves protected the troops as well as ammunition, weapons and supplies from allied bombs. Each foot of Saipan was contested.

You can see Tinian from here. The Enola Gay took off from Tinian with the first A bomb. Richard participated in that invasion too. During WWII the busiest airfield in the world was there. Now I hear it's just broken concrete and weeds. Standing here in comfortable clothing, the trades cooling the effects of the equatorial sun, I thought of the Marines in heavy clothing, carrying packs and weapons, oblivious to the beauty of the reef, praying to make it through the next minute, the next hour, the next day and most of them were kids like Uncle Richard.

Unlike them I was able to enjoy the hospitality of a fine hotel, have a barbeque lunch on the beach and snorkel the reef. Fish are abundant and the coral healthy. Most of the critters were variations of species I found in Hawaii, Picasso trigger fish, barred butterfly fish, needle fish and rainbow wrasse. There were a few of those bright blue starfish and samples of the lavender corals that enchanted me on Yap. There was also an abundance of sea cucumbers of various colors and a critter I will have to research. It looks like a one armed starfish. I have no idea what the entire animal looks like as it hides under the coral and extends an arm out to the sand. The “arm” has characteristics of centipedes, as there are “legs” along each side. At the end of the “arm” is a “paw” that appears to be feeding or searching food.

For my shipping friends, four rapid response vessels are based in Saipan with a twelve-person crew and millions of dollars of equipment on board, prepared (we hope) for response to any threat in the area. No I don’t know who the management company is.

As we sailed through the reef on our way to Iwo Jima, we sighted the vessel Oceanic, under tow, on her way to the salvage yard. She was originally named the Constitution, sister ship of the Independence (or visa versa) and until recently sailed Hawaiian waters. At one time she was a star of cruising and in a few weeks she will be scrap. I find that strangely sad.

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