The USAAF 318th Fighter Group arrived on Saipan on 17 June 1944, two days after the Marines landed and one day after the Army landed. They relieved the Navy carrier aircraft which had been supporting the landings and took over the role of close air support.. The fighting was so close to Aslito Airfield that ground crew could see the explosions from their P-47s hitting Japanese targets. On 18 June 1944, the P-47s launched a dawn attack on a 150-mm Japanese coastal defense gun in heavy concrete bunker. You are a flight leader.
