On July 24th, 1944, U.S. Marine Divisions from Saipan were transported to the small beach at Tinian and took the Japanese commander, Admiral Kakuda, and his garrison of 9000 by surprise.By the evening, the Marines had established a beachhead.The Japanese, in their first attempt to drive the Marines back into the ocean, lost 1200 men.Within a week of landing, the Marines took Tinian, with the 2nd Marines clearing the north and the 4th Marines in the south.The U.S. lost 327 men and 1771 were wounded, but the Japanese lost the entire garrison at Tinian.