Then and Now If you have a "Then" picture from Saipan and would like me to take a "Now" picture, please scan it and email it to me. ewjohnson@pticom.com 1930's German Bell Tower off of Beach Rd., Garapan. Built in 1910 out of wood and rebuilt in cement in 1932 after an earthquake and typhoon (More) Now 1930's Office at the Old Japanese Jail, Ghiyobw St. off of Middle Rd., Garapan. (More) Now 1930's Sugar train used to transport the sugarcane from the fields around Saipan to the Japanese Sugar Mill in Susupe. The engine can now be found at Sugar King Park, Garapan. (More) Now 1938 Buddist Temple used for cremation from 1938-1940. Located on Chichirica Ave. Garapan near Old Japanese Jail. Now 1944 Invasion Beach or "Yellow Beach 2" near south Beach Rd., San Antonio. (More) Now 1945 American Memorial Park, Garapan. (More) NOW 1815 Micro Beach, Garapan was a large Carolinian village. The Carolinians sailed from the outer islands of Yap and settled on this spot. (More) NOW 1930's Garapan was the major town of Saipan during the Spanish times, German times, Japanese times, and still is today. NOW 1944 WWII Japanese pill box, Micro Beach, Garapan. (More) NOW 1930's The old Japanese Sugar Mill was bombed in the Battle of Saipan and is now the site of the beautiful Mt. Carmel Church on Beach Rd. in Susupe. NOW 1946 Mt. Carmel Church and the surrounding area was also the site of Camp Susupe. From late1944-1947 the indigenous people were housed here until Saipan was made safe. Notice the smoke stack from the Japanese Sugar Mill still standing in the center of the 1946 picture. NOW 1944 Sugar Dock in Susupe was used by the Japanese prior to WWII to load exports onto ships. Today it is used for fishing. Notice the Sugar Mill burning in the background of the 1944 picture. NOW 1945 Tanapag Harbor was a very busy port with a large Naval base. None of that remains today. NOW 1944 Invasion Beach, U.S. troops coming to shore during low tide. (More) NOW 1920's German Adminstration building built pre WWI Garapan. Notice the original wood German Bell Tower still standing above the church roof. NOW 1930's Railroad tunnel East of San Vicente used to bring sugarcane from Eastern Saipan to the sugar mill on the West coast. NOW 1638 The Spanish Galleon Concepcion sank in 1638 at Agingan Bay spewing its priceless treasure into the ocean. The ship wreck was rediscovered in 1987. (More) NOW 1944 An American fuel storage tank mysteriously exploded during the battle of Saipan in Tanapag Harbor taking with it an unknown amount of ammunition. NOW 1944 In the last days of the battle for Saipan a U.S. soldier spots enemy positions from the top of Suicide Cliff for the American tanks below. (More) NOW 1960's Built in 1934, this lighthouse is one of the few Japanese Pacific Island lighthouses to survive W.W.II. (More) NOW 1945 This is one of over a hundred B-29 hardstands from the newly built Isely Field. (More) NOW 1945 This bunker was originally Japanese. The 2,000-pound bombs used for the Japanese attack on Guam were stored here. Notice the track on the roof used to move the bombs in and out of the bunker. After the Battle of Saipan, American bombs were stored here for the attack on Japan. (More) NOW More to come. See more 'Then' pictures on my Saipan's History site.

.....