| − | Saipan is a [[United States]] territory in the [[Pacific Ocean]], north of [[Guam]]. Saipan came into U.S. possession upon defeat of the Japanese at the [[Battle of Saipan]] in 1944. The waters off Saipan were the site of one of the biggest naval battles of [[World War II]], the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]]. After the island was secured, it served as a [[B-29 Superfortress|B-29]] base through the end of the war. | + | Saipan is a [[United States]] territory in the [[Pacific Ocean]], north of [[Guam]]. Saipan came into U.S. possession upon defeat of the Japanese at the [[Battle of Saipan]] in 1944. The waters off Saipan were the site of one of the biggest naval battles of [[World War II]], the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]]. After the island was secured, it served as a [[B-29 Superfortress|B-29]] base through the end of the war. It is the capital of the Commonwealth of the [[Northern Mariana Islands]]. |