Saipan -- Coral Roads

On the island, they used coral which they quarried, much like we would use gravel for our country roads. The light pink color made the roads really stand out in this picture.

Saipan -- Coral Reef

Saipan -- Suicide Cliff

Saipan -- Coral Roads

Saipan -- Cliffs looking home

The measurement from the floor of the Marianas Trench to
the crest of Mount Tapotchau is 37,752 feet or 7.15 statute miles,
(from sea level Mount Everest measures 29,028 feet ).

For more info on Saipan: http://www.cnmi-guide.com/info/

Saipan-- Bombed out church

Saipan -- Bird Island

Isn't this beautiful? We took these pictures initially as slides and I scanned them so that i could have digital copies. They were pretty scratched, but have cleaned up nicely, don't you think?

Saipan -- Pretty flowered tree

Saipan -- Al in front of beautiful flowering tree

Be sure to click on the picture to see it in full size! It is much prettier!!

Saipan -- Ocean cliffs

This is a note from Tami. I remember looking at these pictures of Saipan and Korea when I was younger. The beauty of this area really touched my heart, it seemed like paradise, but I remember as a child having such a hard time understanding how such beauty and the ugliness and bloodshed of war could exist side by side. I understand now, that God's creation of this world reflects His beauty and war, while it exists is not compatible with His initial purposes.

Saipan -- Al sits in front of Quanset

Saipan -- Tinian from Saipan

Saipan -- Sugar Plantation

The first picture shows a bombed sugar plantation. The statue in the second picture was at the plantation. Saipan was known for growing a very large sugar crop each year.

Saipan -- Wawaii Mars

This was a plane that brought in supplies to us on a regular basis. There were three large runways on the island, one for the Marines, the Navy and the Army. Click on the picture above to see them in full size view.

Saipan -- Spraying insects

They sprayed for insects every Monday morning! I don't remember ever seeing any mosquitos on the islands.

Saipan -- Billboards

These billboards were up all over the island. I am not sure who put them up, but if memory serves me one individual man did them all. I am not sure whether the military sponsored them or not. If anyone knows or remembers, let me know!!

Saipan -- Billboards

Saipan -- Scenery Part 1

Saipan - Scenery

Saipan -- Sgt. Tamsen -- 1st Sgt.

Saipan -- Saipan Roads

Saipan -- Open Gate Chalan Canoa

The native people on Saipan had a fence to keep the Japanese that remained on the island separate. These pictures were kind of a celebration to open the gates. A lot of servicemen came to take pictures. My memory on the details of this are a little sketchy. If anyone can fill me in or correct my memory on this, I would appreciate it.

Saipan -- Gas Generating Plant team

This picture was quite cracked and faded, so we put up the before and after pictures to show what one can do to repair damaged pictures! Tami loves to work on old pictures and has restored many of them on this blog. If you are interested in having her restore any prints for you, be sure to let her know. tskarin@gmail.com

Saipan -- Memorial Day 1946

Saipan -- Saipan Hospital (Post Office)

Saipan -- Coral Reef and Prisoner of War Camp

Picture 1:
Saipan coral Reef and PW (Prisoner of War) Camp.
The coral reef makes a face where the waves reach the reef, at least I can see it.
I was standing next to an Ammunition bunker on the left side and down below is the Jap War Prison (camp) and I was told that 10,000 Japanese were there at that time.

Picture 2:

Coral pits. They used the coral for mixing with blacktop to make the roads, must in the same way that we have rock quarries here. The sun reflects on the blacktop road and makes it look very bright.

Saipan -- Pat Guercia's Boat

Pat built this boat while he was over in Saipan. He used parts that he could scavenge, and a truck motor. It worked really well and would get up to 35 miles per hour. He left it behind when he returned home.