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My uncle was there, Holland Smith never surveyed the ground that the 27th was tasked to take, also I should point out that back then it was all open cut cane field, absolutely no cover. Holland Smith also refused to land the 27th division artillery and supplies. He relieved Ralph Smith to cover his butt.
I knew a gentleman George Feliciano, (now deceased) from Ponce, Puerto Rico who was a corporal in the 4th Marine division and participated in the Saipan and the Tinian operations. When he landed he was surprised to see that Saipan was very much like his native Puerto Rico, with the vegetation, sugarcane plantations and the humid weather. He witnessed seeing civilians jumping off cliffs and the mass suicides of Japanese soldiers whom refused to surrender. After the battle was over, he was l assigned to the aircraft carrier San Jacinto as part of the Marine detachment onboard, serving as the captain's orderly and AA gunner. He took part in the battle of Okinawa and won a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for shooting down a kamikaze which exploded so close to the ship that it knocked him down and suffered a concussion leaving him with punctured ear drums. He said a young pilot officer on the San Jacinto named George Bush was onboard at the time he was and they were acquainted with each other because of his position as the Captain's orderly and because they were the only two Georges on the ship! These episodes reminded me of George who had successful professional career in civilian life as a Ford Motor Company plant manager on his native island. There's no money in the world that can repay these brave men for all of their sacrifices. Rest in Peace George.
My grandmother was from Ponce and she moved to NY in the 40’s during the war. As a Nuyorican who hopes to be a marine one day, thank you so much for sharing George’s story.
I should like to thank you for your coverage of Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa. My father served in the 2nd Marine division and never spoke very much about what he experienced other than it was pretty horrendous. He was a flame thrower and bomb detonation. Despite the carnage of war "Pop" loved the japanese people and only heard folks at home who never participated in these incidences hold grudges against them. His favorite Uncle died during the Bataan death march in May 1942 and another cousin died when the Philippines were bombed on the 8th of Dec 1941. War is awful but the history you cover is heartwarming.
As a boy in the '50's and '60's I read many stories about battles in the Pacific theater since my dad was in the Navy aboard the USS Nashville, which became McArthur's flagship during the invasion of the Philippines. Reading the many stories about what our Marines and soldiers went through have really added to my understanding thanks to your explorations of old battlefields like this one. Thank you for your interest in our nation's history and the work you do.
I watched this video and on that night's news, came a story about Saipan. It was about a North Dakota soldier from the 27th, being identified and being buried at Arlington. It is great to see a family have closure after all these years.
I live on the side of Mt. Tapachau, right above Death Valley. It is tough to take the dogs for a short walk anywhere uphill. Still lots of parts of vehicles, old ammunition, etc. everywhere and very steep terrain. I can't imagine doing that in the heat, limited water, full packs and gear, with people trying to kill you. Absolutely unimaginable. Thanks for the guided tour.
The archive photos and films that you used for this really help me understand what the soldiers went through. This Island is so beautiful now it’s hard to imagine what it would have looked like during the battle without those.👍😊
Just brilliant work JD. I'm enthralled with the WW2 pacific theater of operations. Seeing it and hearing you explain it is to me priceless. Please keep up the great work.
Another great video on Saipan, JD. The relief of Army General Smith by Holland Smith was something the Army brass never forgave the Marine brass for. Something to keep in mind as you survey modern day Saipan or Guam, is that for days prior to the American forces coming ashore, battleships and cruisers shelled the islands with thousands of tons of ordinance. The majority of island foliage was obliterated. When the marines and soldiers came ashore, the island was a blasted mass of coral, a rock. The lack of foliage made the troops even more visible to the defending Japanese that occupied the high ground above them, and the Americans were subject to entrenched mortar, artillery and snipers. The passage of 78 years has restored the island foliage, but it hides the sheer scale of the island highlands that the marines and soldiers had to slog up and over. I look forward to your next episode, and I hope you explored suicide cliff, one of the most unforgettable places I have ever seen.
My father was a machine gunner on a tank. He was in the 27th Army Div. He was very angry about the relief of Gen. Ralph Smith. This is why there was little Marine presents on D day. Gen Ralph Smith was on the Battle Ship Missouri during the signing of the Japanese surrender, but Gen. Holland Smith was not invited to the surrender.
@@jamesmooney8933 Well, for one thing, McArthur was Supreme Allied Commander Pacific Forces, and he was a West Point grad. The Army was to him, something he reverenced. The relief of an Army general by a marine in the middle of combat sent shockwaves all the way to the Pentagon. The Army brass was furious and I have no doubt McArthur was apoplectic that a marine would do that to one of his generals. McArthur would have had final say as to who would have been present on the USS Missouri that day to witness the surrender. Do I know for a fact that he denied Holland Smith being present? No, but I have no doubt about it.
My late father served in the 90th Infantry Division during WWII. Even with all of the awful things he saw pushing all the way to the Czech border (he helped liberate the Flossenburg concentration camp and saw all of the horrors perpetrated by the SS there), my father always stated how much worse the guys in the Pacific had it. I can't imagine the hell the Marines and soldiers went through taking these islands one by one, it must have been horrific. I highly recommend "With The Old Breed" by Eugene Sledge, best book I've read about the Marine experience in the Pacific. Love this channel and your recent coverage of Saipan.
That ground must have been hell on earth to assault for the troops. There is one thing being shot at but being tired from fighting up them hill's and being shelled must have been tuff as nails. Great footage as usual JD your a real credit to your subscribers 👏
Really enjoying this series JD. Being able to see places that I have only ever read about is a real treat and enables me to more clearly understand what those brave young men did.
Once again you do a great service in remembering these men most of my family were in the Pacific Theater I have heard stories that were very hard to listen to but then I experienced war myself and saw things like what I they saw very tough and proud men GOD BLESS THEM ALL
I’m amazed they accomplished this mission. A debt of gratitude to say the least which can never be re-paid to the young men whose lives where thrown into this battle. God Bless them and may they rest in peace 🙏🏼🇺🇸
Thank you, for discussing the 27th Army Div involvement in Saipan. So many documents rarely mention the 27th, according to the documentary the Army was not in Saipan
Those prices hurt. Yikes my Hemi would be parked and my calves massive. Another beautifully done video. I am truly impressed. I also applaud you for not selling out with sponsors
I have some partners that I work with and will do individual spots every once in awhile, but I’m extremely selective and won’t ever recommend something that I wouldn’t use myself. Thanks.
My insides are absolutely terrified at the thought of making a assault on this valley. "FISH IN A BARREL" comes to mind. God bless them all🙏🇺🇲. Both the Japnese & NVA were masters at getting their artillery onto impossible elevated positions.
Being sun-sensitive, I gotta love the bill on your cap.. don't see many like that. Thanks again for doing this series- most Americans, even those of us who are ww2 students know so little about the Pacific Island war... keep the blessed memory of those battles and those who fought them alive. All of them are gone now... but not forgotten! Seeing the Mobil station in the middle of that death-bowl was a surprise!...
Extraordinary difficult terrine and having forces above you raining ammunition, can't thank our brave veterans enough. You were out of breath just hiking in that humidity, those guys went through a hell called death valley for sure. Thank you again for a wonderful video. Oh, and don't watch these to see if you get hurt, it's just that I identify with your clumsy side shall we say. And when it happens to you in the same circumstances it would probably happen to me. Lol. That's why I also usually wear a hat to help soften the blow just a bit. 😉
Superb episode JD! My heart goes out to the brave men who had to fight the Japanese and the terrain that you illustrated. Wow. Amazing feat by really brave men!! Thx for sharing!
learn new things about the second world war every day, like I've been studying it for over 12 years and I'm still learning new info from this channel too! awesome video
Impossible……and yet tbey did. Thank you, gentlemen. I will never forget. Forgive me for times when I have taken the freedom I have, because of your sacrifice, for granted. Thank you, J D, for making this all too real-it is awe inspiring .
Just spent a week in Saipan visiting some of these sites a couple of weeks ago. Your videos are great, and almost catch that heart wrenching feeling you get standing there in person.
I doubt I will ever get to any of these places, so I really appreciate the time you are taking to give us a good understanding of what happened there. 👍
Check out that little traffic but, more importantly check out that stop sign!! Probably humidity sucks balls however, it appears to be beautiful country!
Wow. Such an amazing view on that mountain. Kinda makes the island look small lol. Hats off to the marines and the army soldiers having to climb and fight their way up foot by foot
JD thank you so much for your coverage of this I've had everybody in my family watch this. I can't believe my grandfather was there and went through basically hell. The older cousins I've talked to said he wouldn't talk much about it and he died when I was young so I'd never really got to even know
When you were at the top Mt. Topachou looking out over the beach/ocean I thought about what the Japanese must have been thinking watching the invasion fleet approach, landing craft coming in...aircraft coming in on air support missions. It had to have been such a hopeless feeling for them to look out onto the horizon and see all that. Fascinating.
Well Done JD, The Archive Film used was spot on! Plus the music. Both along with your camera work really made it come together. All I know, is I wouldn't of liked having the low ground!!!! Wow what a perspective from the top!!!! Thank you for the teachings, and keeping History alive!!!!
I grew up on Saipan and recently visited and man its crazy to think the same path I would take to get some good soft serve ice cream (the Mobil lol) was the same one these guys had to go through. Can’t wait for the videos on the north side of the island. That place is reminiscent of the battles anywhere you go.
My Dad was communications personnel attached to Weapons Company, 8th Marine regiment, 2d Marine Division, at Saipan and Tinian. Really hard to imagine your dad in the middle of all that.
@@TheHistoryUnderground I have found him in a couple of different films, it's quick but, it's him. Now I'm watching this again - not long ago I found out the names given to "the four pimples". They were assigned by Colonel Wallace from right to left as follows: 2d Battalion, 8th Marines--Bill's Pimple; 1st Battalion, 29th Marines--Tommy's Pimple; 3d Battalion, 8th Marines--Stan's Pimple; 1st Battalion, 8th Marines--Larry's Pimple." And that's our little lesson of the day. If they are shown in this video (I think they are, at least what appears to be the pimples), can you give me a time stamp for them? Thank you. We love this channel, btw.
Hi, I am enjoying these videos about the war in the pacific. I was stationed at Andersen AFB, Guam in 1978. In town there was a series of tunnels and caves used by a japanese soldier until the early 1970's. His story was he felt shame that he lived while his buddies had died. It was reported he did not know the war had ended so he kept hiding from the americans. If you get to Guam try check it out. Keep up the very cool videos, Thanks.
Thanks for your videos on Saipan. My dad was in the Navy and was in Garapan for over a year after the island was taken. He had many interesting stories he told me about being there. Some humorous but most were about how hard it was just being there.
I stumbled across your channel yesterday, and I’ve been watching as many of your videos as I can. I love them. I love the way you present them keep up the good work.
We were stationed in Guam 1976-78, and got to visit Saipan and Tinian while we were there. My folks were friends with the gentleman that owned the cafe at the airport, his name has escaped me in the intervening years. He was a WW2 Pacific battlefield historian/explorer of sorts. I can remember articles he’d either written or featured him in some publication or other. He had relics he’d gathered from all over displayed in the cafe, including the Japanese air raid siren he’d found at the end of the airfield in a pile likely bulldozed when the SeaBees improved the strip. It still worked and I got to crank it. Fascinating stuff to a ten year old who never missed an episode of Baa Baa Black Sheep and lived surrounded by relics and scars of a war a little over 30 years past at that point. It had a huge influence on my already burgeoning love of history. Thank you so much for your travels and videos. It’s awesome to see places and say “I’ve been to that same spot and climbed up the same tank!”
I know it makes it tough to film, but I always appreciate seeing how places which were sites of incredible violence adapted after and are now used. There's many places which still are undeveloped, some places which have been dedicated to the memory of the event, farmer's fields and, others are now gas stations.
Saipan is not one mod those islands that get talked about much. Thanks JD for enlightening us about the little know facts about this strategic important island invasion.
Bad terrain for sure! My Dad fought in the Appenines in Italy, and on Sicily! Then , of course, there was Burma too, and New Guinea! However, being strattled by heights on both sides sure must have been daunting!
JD, in regards to the problems with the 27th ID and the relief of Ralph Smith, the 27th had not had a good performance record since they had entered combat at Makin in November 1942. Not only was Smith relieved, but I believe two Regimental commanders and several Battalion commanders were also relieved by the new division commander. 27th ID was New York National Guard with a great social network and this made relieving anyone difficult. It took an officer from outside to finally light a fire under the division and its performance was much better after Saipan.
My father was with the 6th Marines Scout-Sniper Platoon. They had some involvement scouting on Mount Tipo Pale and the platoon took some KIAs there. That was no picnic. He had an underwhelming opinion of the 27th ID. Although, his platoon was up north when the big banzai attack took place and they were involved in that to some extent. He did admit that the Army infantry battalion caught in the middle of that attack did a decent job. Their battalion commander was KIA and got a Medal of Honor.
While the removal of many 27th ID officers was necessary and justified, the relief of Ralph Smith was not. Ralph Smith was not a part of the old NY National Guard clique. He was actually a Regular Army officer who was decorated for service during the First World War, and was given command of the 27th because of George Marshall's reorganization policy to remove NG Generals who were too old or too inexperienced to lead in combat. The tragedy and irony of Ralph Smith's relief was that while he was leading from the front and devising methods to outmaneuver purple heat ridge, his critic, Holland Smith, was offshore on Spruance's flagship conspiring to have Ralph Smith relieved without ever once visiting the 27th's area of operations to see what conditions were actually like. It's also worth mentioning that the 27th was basically operating at half strength during the fighting, with several battalions under its command either being attached to the 4th Marine Division, clearing pockets on Nafutan Point, or being placed in reserve.
@@redaug4212 What you say is true. However, your average Marine infantryman (like my dad) wasn't well versed in the politics of high command. They just saw good or poor performance on their level and formed opinions on the unit involved. Sometimes they were right, sometimes not. Leadership (or lack thereof) made a huge difference in the performance of many units. A division commander didn't have the influence a platoon, company, or battalion commander could have. My father's platoon commander was a mustang. Fought as a sergeant on Guadalcanal and a 2d lieutenant on Tarawa. He was highly regarded by his troops and his bosses which was why he was put in charge of one of the few Scout-Sniper platoons in existence in the Corps at the time as a 1st lieutenant. He eventually retired as a colonel in the Marine Reserves.
This is incredible! Imagine hauling a full pack, ammo etc, up those crazy steep hills, in the heat/humidity with Japanese on the High ground shooting down at you…then having a leader say you’re not willing to really fight? What a morale cruncher! Those soldiers deserved better! The president should have relieved Howlin’ Smith! I’d be furious if my son was fighting there and some leader basically called them cowards! Dude!! Go in there yourself! Wow!
@@MarkSmith-js2pu you’re not kidding about that! My heart breaks for the suffering those men went through. And to have a leader not respect that~wow~says a lot that they kept going anyway ~I have nothing but respect for them…and honor them,
After years of not knowing anything about where my Great Grandfather served in Japan, today my mom sent me a memorial she found of him, saying he served in Saipan, Death Valley, and won 2 bronze stars and I believe also a Purple Heart. So now I can learn something about what he might’ve went through…RIP Great Grandpa. I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t made it home.
J.D. This is awesome, and makes me wonder just how any of our guys in that environment ever made their way to high ground to defeat the enemy to begin with. Again Appreciate so much the history. I am in the mid 60's and have always loved history, and THIS I was never taught when I was in school, and never heard of most of this. The Country is so peaceful and Beautiful now. Is the Island of Saipan under Japanese Rule now?? Which country governs it?? Asking cause, Like the history from WW2, I have no clue.
Great video mate I love the bunkers mate great history it's good to see people keeping the history live can't wait for the next video mate 👍gust been watching we2 tv
First off I want to thank you for your videos on WW2. I am so happy you are getting to the Pacific Theater. My grandfather served in the Army in the Pacific and I am proud of that. I believe he served in the Philippines some and he was on Okinawa. I find the Pacific campaign a little more interesting than Europe. And the Pacific was JUST as important as Europe was. I hope you will go to Guam and Tinian as well. The Guamanians suffered a lot under Japanese conquest and their liberation is so over looked. And the contribution of the war dogs some are buried in a little cemetery I forget if it's Saipan or Guam. Anyway wonderful video I would love to see those places myself. Thank you for taking us along I look forward to each video you post on the Pacific.
Thanks JD as usual for all the effort (physical, mental, etc.) you expend to explain the war to your audience. The Pacific theater was much much wider than the European theater and I wonder if you have plans to visit places like Guadalcanal. Apart from that, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and The Philippines, you could even go to Papua New Guinea, Singapore and others. Burma would be a good option too, but it may not be as accessible as before.
Excellent representation of the topography of that battle. Advancing up those slopes against an entrenched and fanatical enemy was such a formidable task. Brave men. I’ve never been a fan of that high volume disparaging style of leadership attributed to Gen Smith. I’ve seen it in my brief Army stint, in the classroom and on multiple sports fields. Lee Marvin was in the 4th Marine division and was wounded in the battle for Mt Tapochau.
I always wanted to know the general area my uncle lost his life as part of the 27th. I never got to see him he died 18 years before i was born. Thank you. Aloha
What an incredible change in perspective this video gave me. All the films we see are from the American view. Looking at the advantage the Japanese held on the mountains and ridges its a miracle the marines succeeded. The view from the top was frightening when you consider it from the enemies point of view. The marines walked into a meat grinder.
I looked up the flame tree in your recent upload. Apparently the red bell shaped flowers show up when the leafs are missing. Cool tree though, I want to bonsai one 🤔🙃
If there’s a possibility to bring a metal detector with you might be worth the painstaking task to add it to your kit for keep sakes/scrap booking!! Btw great job JD!
Idk how long ago you recorded these videos but if you are about to tour Tinian, I spent some time there and remember a cave with a coastal gun in it at around this point: 14.993279, 145.602902
I am amazed at some commanders who expect things to just happen according to the plan they devise. Just overcoming the terrain features would have been hard enough. Having to overcome them plus fight an entrenched enemy makes it a 1000 times harder. The fact that the Marines and Army were able to overcome both enemies in this battle makes them stand out even greater.
All us kids used to play in that whole area. Ten years after the battle it became a "secret" CIA training base and complete community with a movie theater, K-12 school and snack bar. Probably some of the instructors, past combat Marines, had been involved in the battle years earlier. Almost 65 to 70 years ago.
Your history knowledge is incredible. I’m curious how did you come about all your knowledge? Any certain books you recommend? Thank you for these videos!
@@TheHistoryUnderground haha thank you I will check that book out! I also thoroughly enjoyed your series on WW2 and the German concentration camps. I am curious what your favorite books are for those time periods that taught you a lot?
If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out.
Also be sure to check out The Gettysburg Museum of History and their store at gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com. Thanks!!!
My uncle was there, Holland Smith never surveyed the ground that the 27th was tasked to take, also I should point out that back then it was all open cut cane field, absolutely no cover. Holland Smith also refused to land the 27th division artillery and supplies. He relieved Ralph Smith to cover his butt.
I knew a gentleman George Feliciano, (now deceased) from Ponce, Puerto Rico who was a corporal in the 4th Marine division and participated in the Saipan and the Tinian operations. When he landed he was surprised to see that Saipan was very much like his native Puerto Rico, with the vegetation, sugarcane plantations and the humid weather. He witnessed seeing civilians jumping off cliffs and the mass suicides of Japanese soldiers whom refused to surrender. After the battle was over, he was l assigned to the aircraft carrier San Jacinto as part of the Marine detachment onboard, serving as the captain's orderly and AA gunner. He took part in the battle of Okinawa and won a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for shooting down a kamikaze which exploded so close to the ship that it knocked him down and suffered a concussion leaving him with punctured ear drums. He said a young pilot officer on the San Jacinto named George Bush was onboard at the time he was and they were acquainted with each other because of his position as the Captain's orderly and because they were the only two Georges on the ship! These episodes reminded me of George who had successful professional career in civilian life as a Ford Motor Company plant manager on his native island. There's no money in the world that can repay these brave men for all of their sacrifices. Rest in Peace George.
My grandmother was from Ponce and she moved to NY in the 40’s during the war. As a Nuyorican who hopes to be a marine one day, thank you so much for sharing George’s story.
Thank you for telling us about your friend.
I should like to thank you for your coverage of Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa. My father served in the 2nd Marine division and never spoke very much about what he experienced other than it was pretty horrendous. He was a flame thrower and bomb detonation. Despite the carnage of war "Pop" loved the japanese people and only heard folks at home who never participated in these incidences hold grudges against them. His favorite Uncle died during the Bataan death march in May 1942 and another cousin died when the Philippines were bombed on the 8th of Dec 1941. War is awful but the history you cover is heartwarming.
Thank you for sharing that. Glad that I could share the experience.
As a boy in the '50's and '60's I read many stories about battles in the Pacific theater since my dad was in the Navy aboard the USS Nashville, which became McArthur's flagship during the invasion of the Philippines. Reading the many stories about what our Marines and soldiers went through have really added to my understanding thanks to your explorations of old battlefields like this one. Thank you for your interest in our nation's history and the work you do.
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I watched this video and on that night's news, came a story about Saipan. It was about a North Dakota soldier from the 27th, being identified and being buried at Arlington. It is great to see a family have closure after all these years.
Oh wow!
Thanks for sharing. Very hard to imagine how tough the guys had it taking the Island. Never stop being thankful for their sacrifice
I live on the side of Mt. Tapachau, right above Death Valley. It is tough to take the dogs for a short walk anywhere uphill. Still lots of parts of vehicles, old ammunition, etc. everywhere and very steep terrain. I can't imagine doing that in the heat, limited water, full packs and gear, with people trying to kill you. Absolutely unimaginable. Thanks for the guided tour.
Thanks! Really enjoyed my time there.
The archive photos and films that you used for this really help me understand what the soldiers went through. This Island is so beautiful now it’s hard to imagine what it would have looked like during the battle without those.👍😊
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Exactly! Little to no foliage back then compared to now. Clear lines of sight and fields of fire to the defenders advantage. Very tough going!
It has been said: War is hell - - - - the war in the Pacific has no words. Thanks JD for keeping history alive.
Pretty awful.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Freedom isn't cheap, ask any vet.
Just brilliant work JD. I'm enthralled with the WW2 pacific theater of operations. Seeing it and hearing you explain it is to me priceless.
Please keep up the great work.
Thanks for taking us with you, JD!
Thanks for watching!
Another great video on Saipan, JD. The relief of Army General Smith by Holland Smith was something the Army brass never forgave the Marine brass for.
Something to keep in mind as you survey modern day Saipan or Guam, is that for days prior to the American forces coming ashore, battleships and cruisers shelled the islands with thousands of tons of ordinance. The majority of island foliage was obliterated. When the marines and soldiers came ashore, the island was a blasted mass of coral, a rock. The lack of foliage made the troops even more visible to the defending Japanese that occupied the high ground above them, and the Americans were subject to entrenched mortar, artillery and snipers.
The passage of 78 years has restored the island foliage, but it hides the sheer scale of the island highlands that the marines and soldiers had to slog up and over.
I look forward to your next episode, and I hope you explored suicide cliff, one of the most unforgettable places I have ever seen.
My father was a machine gunner on a tank. He was in the 27th Army Div.
He was very angry about the relief of Gen. Ralph Smith.
This is why there was little Marine presents on D day.
Gen Ralph Smith was on the Battle Ship Missouri during the signing of the Japanese surrender, but Gen. Holland Smith was not invited to the surrender.
@@jamesmooney8933 I’m sure it was Mc Arthur who saw to that.
@@olentangy74 How are you sure of that?
@@jamesmooney8933 Well, for one thing, McArthur was Supreme Allied Commander Pacific Forces, and he was a West Point grad. The Army was to him, something he reverenced. The relief of an Army general by a marine in the middle of combat sent shockwaves all the way to the Pentagon. The Army brass was furious and I have no doubt McArthur was apoplectic that a marine would do that to one of his generals.
McArthur would have had final say as to who would have been present on the USS Missouri that day to witness the surrender. Do I know for a fact that he denied Holland Smith being present?
No, but I have no doubt about it.
My Father was in the 4 Div. 23 Reg . 42-45. He was in 4 invasion's. That Army Division should have lost their colors.
My late father served in the 90th Infantry Division during WWII. Even with all of the awful things he saw pushing all the way to the Czech border (he helped liberate the Flossenburg concentration camp and saw all of the horrors perpetrated by the SS there), my father always stated how much worse the guys in the Pacific had it. I can't imagine the hell the Marines and soldiers went through taking these islands one by one, it must have been horrific. I highly recommend "With The Old Breed" by Eugene Sledge, best book I've read about the Marine experience in the Pacific. Love this channel and your recent coverage of Saipan.
That ground must have been hell on earth to assault for the troops. There is one thing being shot at but being tired from fighting up them hill's and being shelled must have been tuff as nails. Great footage as usual JD your a real credit to your subscribers 👏
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Seems like an hellish proposition to climb up those hills back then! Another fascinating video, thanx!!
Awful ordeal.
You've done a wonderful job of showing us how and what happened.Our poor Marines🙏👍❤️🇺🇸
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Really enjoying this series JD. Being able to see places that I have only ever read about is a real treat and enables me to more clearly understand what those brave young men did.
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Another stellar installment JD, and man thanks for the post.
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Once again you do a great service in remembering these men most of my family were in the Pacific Theater I have heard stories that were very hard to listen to but then I experienced war myself and saw things like what I they saw very tough and proud men GOD BLESS THEM ALL
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When I look to WW2 history ,you are my guy. If Gettysburg, there is no other.
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I’m amazed they accomplished this mission. A debt of gratitude to say the least which can never be re-paid to the young men whose lives where thrown into this battle. God Bless them and may they rest in peace 🙏🏼🇺🇸
Thank you, for discussing the 27th Army Div involvement in Saipan.
So many documents rarely mention the 27th, according to the documentary the Army was not in Saipan
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They all passed years ago. It no longer matters. They were all soldiers so we don’t need to know any divisions
Always learn so much from you! Thanks for covering the pacific. I feel like its always forgotten
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Those prices hurt. Yikes my Hemi would be parked and my calves massive. Another beautifully done video. I am truly impressed. I also applaud you for not selling out with sponsors
I have some partners that I work with and will do individual spots every once in awhile, but I’m extremely selective and won’t ever recommend something that I wouldn’t use myself. Thanks.
I really appreciate it when you give us numbers. It gives a better perspective of things. Great job. Keep up the good work!
My insides are absolutely terrified at the thought of making a assault on this valley. "FISH IN A BARREL" comes to mind. God bless them all🙏🇺🇲. Both the Japnese & NVA were masters at getting their artillery onto impossible elevated positions.
Craziness.
Being sun-sensitive, I gotta love the bill on your cap.. don't see many like that.
Thanks again for doing this series- most Americans, even those of us who are ww2 students know so little about the Pacific Island war... keep the blessed memory of those battles and those who fought them alive. All of them are gone now... but not forgotten!
Seeing the Mobil station in the middle of that death-bowl was a surprise!...
Extraordinary difficult terrine and having forces above you raining ammunition, can't thank our brave veterans enough. You were out of breath just hiking in that humidity, those guys went through a hell called death valley for sure. Thank you again for a wonderful video. Oh, and don't watch these to see if you get hurt, it's just that I identify with your clumsy side shall we say. And when it happens to you in the same circumstances it would probably happen to me. Lol. That's why I also usually wear a hat to help soften the blow just a bit. 😉
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Superb episode JD! My heart goes out to the brave men who had to fight the Japanese and the terrain that you illustrated. Wow. Amazing feat by really brave men!! Thx for sharing!
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learn new things about the second world war every day, like I've been studying it for over 12 years and I'm still learning new info from this channel too! awesome video
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Impossible……and yet tbey did. Thank you, gentlemen. I will never forget. Forgive me for times when I have taken the freedom I have, because of your sacrifice, for granted. Thank you, J D, for making this all too real-it is awe inspiring .
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The topography was so against them. Your presentation really brought this home to me. Thanks and looking forward to more on Saipan!
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Excellent. Thank you for what you bring back to life. Never forgotten!
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Just spent a week in Saipan visiting some of these sites a couple of weeks ago. Your videos are great, and almost catch that heart wrenching feeling you get standing there in person.
Glad you like them! Saipan is quite the place.
@@TheHistoryUnderground I do hope you made it up to the Pitti guns in Guam!
Those gas prices. Gross.... Fantastic interpretation, JD. I learned some things.
Yeah. Expensive trip. 🫤
I doubt I will ever get to any of these places, so I really appreciate the time you are taking to give us a good understanding of what happened there. 👍
My pleasure. Glad to share the experience and learn a little bit more myself.
Check out that little traffic but, more importantly check out that stop sign!! Probably humidity sucks balls however, it appears to be beautiful country!
Loved it there but the heat and humidity was oppressive.
Really enjoy your video style. It’s a great watch.
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I am really enjoying this series
Great job
God Bless
Thanks!
Wow. Such an amazing view on that mountain. Kinda makes the island look small lol. Hats off to the marines and the army soldiers having to climb and fight their way up foot by foot
JD thank you so much for your coverage of this I've had everybody in my family watch this. I can't believe my grandfather was there and went through basically hell. The older cousins I've talked to said he wouldn't talk much about it and he died when I was young so I'd never really got to even know
THe stories I've read about Death Valley is just crazy! Thank you for sharing these episodes!
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I dont know much about the Pacific side of WW2. Another great informative vid, JD.
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When you were at the top Mt. Topachou looking out over the beach/ocean I thought about what the Japanese must have been thinking watching the invasion fleet approach, landing craft coming in...aircraft coming in on air support missions. It had to have been such a hopeless feeling for them to look out onto the horizon and see all that. Fascinating.
Yeah, I thought about that. And no place to retreat to.
Damn, I need to watch The Pacific again. Thank you sir.
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Well Done JD, The Archive Film used was spot on! Plus the music. Both along with your camera work really made it come together. All I know, is I wouldn't of liked having the low ground!!!! Wow what a perspective from the top!!!! Thank you for the teachings, and keeping History alive!!!!
I grew up on Saipan and recently visited and man its crazy to think the same path I would take to get some good soft serve ice cream (the Mobil lol) was the same one these guys had to go through. Can’t wait for the videos on the north side of the island. That place is reminiscent of the battles anywhere you go.
My Dad was communications personnel attached to Weapons Company, 8th Marine regiment, 2d Marine Division, at Saipan and Tinian. Really hard to imagine your dad in the middle of all that.
Awful. Those guys were a different breed.
@@TheHistoryUnderground they most definitely were, and so humble.
@@TheHistoryUnderground I have found him in a couple of different films, it's quick but, it's him. Now I'm watching this again - not long ago I found out the names given to "the four pimples". They were assigned by Colonel Wallace from right to left as follows: 2d Battalion, 8th Marines--Bill's Pimple; 1st Battalion, 29th Marines--Tommy's Pimple; 3d Battalion, 8th Marines--Stan's Pimple; 1st Battalion, 8th Marines--Larry's Pimple." And that's our little lesson of the day. If they are shown in this video (I think they are, at least what appears to be the pimples), can you give me a time stamp for them? Thank you. We love this channel, btw.
Amazing job as always. You have helped my see so much that I will not be able to see. Keep up the great work.
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Hi, I am enjoying these videos about the war in the pacific. I was stationed at Andersen AFB, Guam in 1978. In town there was a series of tunnels and caves used by a japanese soldier until the early 1970's. His story was he felt shame that he lived while his buddies had died. It was reported he did not know the war had ended so he kept hiding from the americans. If you get to Guam try check it out. Keep up the very cool videos, Thanks.
Unfortunately, that cave collapsed during a monsoon.
Another great episode. My dad mentioned Death Valley and one of his friends was in the 27th ID and survived.
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Thanks for your videos on Saipan. My dad was in the Navy and was in Garapan for over a year after the island was taken. He had many interesting stories he told me about being there. Some humorous but most were about how hard it was just being there.
I stumbled across your channel yesterday, and I’ve been watching as many of your videos as I can. I love them. I love the way you present them keep up the good work.
We were stationed in Guam 1976-78, and got to visit Saipan and Tinian while we were there. My folks were friends with the gentleman that owned the cafe at the airport, his name has escaped me in the intervening years. He was a WW2 Pacific battlefield historian/explorer of sorts. I can remember articles he’d either written or featured him in some publication or other. He had relics he’d gathered from all over displayed in the cafe, including the Japanese air raid siren he’d found at the end of the airfield in a pile likely bulldozed when the SeaBees improved the strip. It still worked and I got to crank it. Fascinating stuff to a ten year old who never missed an episode of Baa Baa Black Sheep and lived surrounded by relics and scars of a war a little over 30 years past at that point. It had a huge influence on my already burgeoning love of history. Thank you so much for your travels and videos. It’s awesome to see places and say “I’ve been to that same spot and climbed up the same tank!”
I know it makes it tough to film, but I always appreciate seeing how places which were sites of incredible violence adapted after and are now used. There's many places which still are undeveloped, some places which have been dedicated to the memory of the event, farmer's fields and, others are now gas stations.
Well done as usual JD
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Brilliant storytelling as usual.
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Saipan is not one mod those islands that get talked about much. Thanks JD for enlightening us about the little know facts about this strategic important island invasion.
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I really respect what you do with the History Chanel. Thank you for telling just some of the stories and the men that fault for our freedom
Superb Analysis of those two Battle Fields. Today's people have no idea what those boys had to go through for the Victory. Thanks so much.
Rough place, for sure.
And god knows they could never repeat it
Yes. Thanks for the reply.@@genecurrivan2799
Great video. Thanks for showing some of the features of the island. Amazing what those soldiers accomplished. The greatest generation for sure.
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Nice historical video of items I've never seen or rather sites I've never seen thank you for posting
What an epic beat down . Like you said the gear . We did 18 miles one day in fort benning . Last 3 in sand and I was dying.
Can’t even fully convey how suffocating the heat is there.
Hats off to ya, thanks for the video and information
My pleasure!
Great episode, you can tell from your video how difficult that terrain must of been, beautiful place today, looking forward to the next one.
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Bad terrain for sure! My Dad fought in the Appenines in Italy, and on Sicily! Then , of course, there was Burma too, and New Guinea! However, being strattled by heights on both sides sure must have been daunting!
Incredible! 💪🏻🫶🏼
Just excellent!! Thank you.
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I’d love to watch episode about Monte Cassino, Pedemonte and Polish II Corp
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JD, in regards to the problems with the 27th ID and the relief of Ralph Smith, the 27th had not had a good performance record since they had entered combat at Makin in November 1942. Not only was Smith relieved, but I believe two Regimental commanders and several Battalion commanders were also relieved by the new division commander. 27th ID was New York National Guard with a great social network and this made relieving anyone difficult. It took an officer from outside to finally light a fire under the division and its performance was much better after Saipan.
You are exactly right, it was a country club division till after Saipan .
My father was with the 6th Marines Scout-Sniper Platoon. They had some involvement scouting on Mount Tipo Pale and the platoon took some KIAs there. That was no picnic. He had an underwhelming opinion of the 27th ID. Although, his platoon was up north when the big banzai attack took place and they were involved in that to some extent. He did admit that the Army infantry battalion caught in the middle of that attack did a decent job. Their battalion commander was KIA and got a Medal of Honor.
While the removal of many 27th ID officers was necessary and justified, the relief of Ralph Smith was not. Ralph Smith was not a part of the old NY National Guard clique. He was actually a Regular Army officer who was decorated for service during the First World War, and was given command of the 27th because of George Marshall's reorganization policy to remove NG Generals who were too old or too inexperienced to lead in combat.
The tragedy and irony of Ralph Smith's relief was that while he was leading from the front and devising methods to outmaneuver purple heat ridge, his critic, Holland Smith, was offshore on Spruance's flagship conspiring to have Ralph Smith relieved without ever once visiting the 27th's area of operations to see what conditions were actually like.
It's also worth mentioning that the 27th was basically operating at half strength during the fighting, with several battalions under its command either being attached to the 4th Marine Division, clearing pockets on Nafutan Point, or being placed in reserve.
@@redaug4212 What you say is true. However, your average Marine infantryman (like my dad) wasn't well versed in the politics of high command. They just saw good or poor performance on their level and formed opinions on the unit involved. Sometimes they were right, sometimes not. Leadership (or lack thereof) made a huge difference in the performance of many units. A division commander didn't have the influence a platoon, company, or battalion commander could have. My father's platoon commander was a mustang. Fought as a sergeant on Guadalcanal and a 2d lieutenant on Tarawa. He was highly regarded by his troops and his bosses which was why he was put in charge of one of the few Scout-Sniper platoons in existence in the Corps at the time as a 1st lieutenant. He eventually retired as a colonel in the Marine Reserves.
I still wouldn’t have wanted to charge right up that valley.
Excellent episode! You provided good background detail in support of many WW2 war flicks….thank you, Andrew
Always appreciated. Some family history is in these islands and I look forward to seeing if we get there….
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This is incredible! Imagine hauling a full pack, ammo etc, up those crazy steep hills, in the heat/humidity with Japanese on the High ground shooting down at you…then having a leader say you’re not willing to really fight? What a morale cruncher! Those soldiers deserved better!
The president should have relieved Howlin’ Smith! I’d be furious if my son was fighting there and some leader basically called them cowards! Dude!! Go in there yourself! Wow!
That’s why war is hell. Be prepared.
@@MarkSmith-js2pu you’re not kidding about that! My heart breaks for the suffering those men went through. And to have a leader not respect that~wow~says a lot that they kept going anyway ~I have nothing but respect for them…and honor them,
Great job as usual JD
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DANG! Thanks!🙋♂️🏍💨
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After years of not knowing anything about where my Great Grandfather served in Japan, today my mom sent me a memorial she found of him, saying he served in Saipan, Death Valley, and won 2 bronze stars and I believe also a Purple Heart. So now I can learn something about what he might’ve went through…RIP Great Grandpa. I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t made it home.
Love your videos ! SEMPER FI !
Much appreciated
J.D. This is awesome, and makes me wonder just how any of our guys in that environment ever made their way to high ground to defeat the enemy to begin with. Again Appreciate so much the history. I am in the mid 60's and have always loved history, and THIS I was never taught when I was in school, and never heard of most of this. The Country is so peaceful and Beautiful now. Is the Island of Saipan under Japanese Rule now?? Which country governs it?? Asking cause, Like the history from WW2, I have no clue.
Thanks. Saipan is a US territory.
Great video mate I love the bunkers mate great history it's good to see people keeping the history live can't wait for the next video mate 👍gust been watching we2 tv
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First off I want to thank you for your videos on WW2. I am so happy you are getting to the Pacific Theater. My grandfather served in the Army in the Pacific and I am proud of that. I believe he served in the Philippines some and he was on Okinawa. I find the Pacific campaign a little more interesting than Europe. And the Pacific was JUST as important as Europe was. I hope you will go to Guam and Tinian as well. The Guamanians suffered a lot under Japanese conquest and their liberation is so over looked. And the contribution of the war dogs some are buried in a little cemetery I forget if it's Saipan or Guam. Anyway wonderful video I would love to see those places myself. Thank you for taking us along I look forward to each video you post on the Pacific.
Amazing content, time and again, wow
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This was vary fascinating
Thanks JD as usual for all the effort (physical, mental, etc.) you expend to explain the war to your audience. The Pacific theater was much much wider than the European theater and I wonder if you have plans to visit places like Guadalcanal. Apart from that, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and The Philippines, you could even go to Papua New Guinea, Singapore and others. Burma would be a good option too, but it may not be as accessible as before.
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Hope you enjoyed the Elephant Grass- thick stuff!! Okinawa is covered with it as well.
I really wish that I could see the island covered in sugarcane like it was a 1944.
Can't wait for the episode on the "last command post." There was a serious lack of literature on that spot when I went a few years ago.
Excellent representation of the topography of that battle. Advancing up those slopes against an entrenched and fanatical enemy was such a formidable task. Brave men. I’ve never been a fan of that high volume disparaging style of leadership attributed to Gen Smith. I’ve seen it in my brief Army stint, in the classroom and on multiple sports fields. Lee Marvin was in the 4th Marine division and was wounded in the battle for Mt Tapochau.
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Great video of where I live currently.
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Wow amazing what an ordeal that must have be its hard to even imagine.
Awful.
I always wanted to know the general area my uncle lost his life as part of the 27th. I never got to see him he died 18 years before i was born. Thank you. Aloha
Glad that I could share a bit of it. The next episode will also feature some more areas where the 27th fought.
What an incredible change in perspective this video gave me. All the films we see are from the American view. Looking at the advantage the Japanese held on the mountains and ridges its a miracle the marines succeeded. The view from the top was frightening when you consider it from the enemies point of view. The marines walked into a meat grinder.
Always like to look from all perspectives when I can.
Thank you
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I looked up the flame tree in your recent upload. Apparently the red bell shaped flowers show up when the leafs are missing. Cool tree though, I want to bonsai one 🤔🙃
Loved those trees.
Another good video man.
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So awesome!!
If there’s a possibility to bring a metal detector with you might be worth the painstaking task to add it to your kit
for keep sakes/scrap booking!!
Btw great job JD!
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Idk how long ago you recorded these videos but if you are about to tour Tinian, I spent some time there and remember a cave with a coastal gun in it at around this point: 14.993279, 145.602902
Dang!
I am amazed at some commanders who expect things to just happen according to the plan they devise. Just overcoming the terrain features would have been hard enough. Having to overcome them plus fight an entrenched enemy makes it a 1000 times harder. The fact that the Marines and Army were able to overcome both enemies in this battle makes them stand out even greater.
Pretty wild.
All us kids used to play in that whole area. Ten years after the battle it became a "secret" CIA training base and complete community with a movie theater, K-12 school and snack bar. Probably some of the instructors, past combat Marines, had been involved in the battle years earlier. Almost 65 to 70 years ago.
Your history knowledge is incredible. I’m curious how did you come about all your knowledge? Any certain books you recommend? Thank you for these videos!
I just read a lot and then forget half of what I read. 😅 For this series, “Saipan: The Battle Doomed Japan In WWII” by James Hallas.
@@TheHistoryUnderground haha thank you I will check that book out! I also thoroughly enjoyed your series on WW2 and the German concentration camps. I am curious what your favorite books are for those time periods that taught you a lot?
Awesome thanks