Inside the bunker.
To the North of Saipan, across from the road heading to Bonzai Cliff, is a half cave, half bunker where the last Japanese commanding officer in Saipan led his battle. You can climb the stairs recently added to go inside the Last Command Post or hike on the paved trail which leads around to the rear of the bunker. A large hole enters one side of the bunker and exits the other. This was caused by a direct hit from a round fired by a U.S. battleship off shore. If you line up those holes you see where the battleship fired from. There are some large Japanese guns artificially positioned around the Last Command Post. On the back side of the bunker are the high rock cliffs which is the base of Suicide Cliff. You can see the discolored holes in the side of the cliffs where rounds fired from battleships blew large pieces off the rock. The park-like grounds are beautiful with many Japanese and Korean peace memorials. My family and I often have our Sunday picnic there.
Japanese canon.
Japanese tank.
The bottom of Suicide Cliff.
View from the front of the bunker.
The bunker is in the side of the cliff.
Blast hole from offshore U.S. battleship.
Front door.
From outside the bast hole.
Video drive through Marpi passing by the Last Command Post and Japanese and Korean Peace Memorials.
Walking around the Last Command Post.
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