page_title: Sakae Ōba
section_title: Saipan
hierarchical_section_title: Sakae Ōba / Military career / Saipan
caption_attribution_description: English: Captain Sakae Oba Close-up 日本語: 大場栄大尉（拡大）
context_page_description: Sakae Ōba was an officer of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. He served in both China and in the Pacific campaign. After Japanese forces were defeated in the Battle of Saipan, he led a group of soldiers and civilians deep into the jungle to evade capture by Allied forces. Under Ōba's leadership, the group survived for over a year after the battle and finally surrendered in December 1945, three months after the war had ended. Following his return to Japan, he became a successful businessman and served on the city council of Gamagori, Aichi.
context_section_description: Early in 1944, the 18th Regiment was pulled out of Manchuria and re-deployed to the Pacific Theatre.  Captain Ōba was placed in charge of the regiment's company of combat medics.  At about 3:00pm, 29 February, the transport ship carrying the regiment, the Sakito Maru, was struck by a torpedo fired by the American submarine USS Trout, near the island of Saipan.  The ship sank, taking with it over half the regiment.  Escort vessels moved in quickly and rescued about 1,800 survivors and delivered them to Saipan.  After hasty reorganization, most of the regiment was successfully transported to Guam.  Almost 600 troops, including Captain Ōba, had to be left behind on Saipan.  Ōba was assigned to organize a 225-man medical company composed of tankers, engineers, and medics that survived the Sakito-maru disaster.  They obtained what few medical supplies were available and by mid-May had set up a medical aid station.
  On the morning of 15 June 1944, United States Marines landed on the beaches for the Battle of Saipan.  Despite a fierce defense, the Japanese were gradually pushed back with heavy losses.  The Japanese commander used Mount Tapochau at the center of the island as headquarters and organized defensive lines around the mountain.  With no re-supply or relief available, the situation became untenable for the defenders, and a final attack was ordered.  On 7 July, Captain Ōba and his men participated in the largest banzai charge of the war in the Pacific.  After 15 hours of intense and unrelenting hand to hand combat, almost 4,300 Japanese soldiers were dead.  Allied forces declared the island secured on 9 July 1944.  By 30 September 1944, the Japanese Army made an official presumption of death for all personnel of unknown status and they were declared killed in action.  That included Captain Ōba, and he was awarded a "posthumous" promotion to Major.
caption: Captain Ōba, 1 December 1945.
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