Assaulting the Marianas – The Battle of Tinian 75th Anniversary July 24 – August 1, 1944 Just a few miles from Saipan and defended by a small but dedicated Japanese force of 9,000, the island of Tinian had to be taken because its relatively flat terrain offered exceptional airbase sites. When the 4th Marine Division struck on July 24th, it put three infantry regiments, tanks, two artillery battalions, and adequate supplies ashore with fewer than 300 casualties. Despite desperate but uncoordinate