American soldier inspects Japanese supplies in cave on Saipan. A U.S.

American soldier inspects Japanese supplies in cave on Saipan. A U.S. soldier examines a sack of rice included in the Japanese supplies found in a cave (right) on Saipan Island. American troops routed the enemy from natural caves which honeycomb the rugged hills of Saipan, Marianas island in the Central Pacific, where organized Japanese resistance was ended on July 8, 1944. Saipan, formerly a key link in the enemy's inner defense shield, is now a forward American air-sea attack base. The island's excellent airfielders are within U.S. B-29 Superfortress range of Japan, 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) distant, and Saipan's harbor facilities are capable of supplying U.S. Pacific Fleet fighting ships.