76th Anniversary of the Battle of Saipan

#Onthisday in 1944 USS CASSIN YOUNG, as well as Boston-built Fletcher-class destroyer USS ALBERT W GRANT, joined in the bombardment of the island of Saipan, assisting the initial amphibious assault of 8,000 Marines. This day would be the first time CASSIN YOUNG was engaged in actual combat, including firing at Japanese bombers and rescuing US aviators from the sea. CASSIN YOUNG contributed to a variety of security operations, ultimately leading to victory on Saipan on July 9th. During this campaign CASSIN YOUNG earned her third campaign star and spent a total of 42 days at sea. The Battle of Saipan was notable for the last and largest Banzai charge of the war, forcing the Japanese to change their tactics for later battles on Peleliu and Iwo Jima. The civilian loss of life was also incredibly high, giving US military planners a forecast of what a future invasion of the Japanese home islands might look like. Today, Saipan, Guam, and the rest of the Marianas Islands are part of the US. #BattleofSaipan #USSCassinYoung #USSAlbertWGrant #USMarines #USMC #WWII #Saipan #WWIIDestroyer