At 7.00 a.m. American forces begin to land on Saipan in the Mariana Islands. A bridghead is established by dusk and a night-time Japanese counter-attack is beaten off.
The Japanese High Command are suprised by the landing, as they'd been expecting an attack further south. They respond by deciding to assault the US Navy around Saipan: today also sees the order given that will lead to the Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19-20) which is a disaster for the Japanese. Withiut hope of relief or reinforcement, the defenders are doomed, but are determined to resist to the last. What follows is to be for the Americans the costliest battle of the Pacific War so far.
And the internees are watching closely.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saipan
Note:
See also entry for July 9, 1944