The Allied invasion fleet left Pearl Harbor on June 5, 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was launched. Ten days later, American Marines stormed the beaches of the strategically significant Japanese-held island of Saipan in the Marianas with a goal of gaining a crucial air base from which the U.S. could launch its new long-range B-29 bombers directly at Japan’s home islands. Campers use miniature soldiers, war games, reference books, documentaries, and detailed models to learn about this pivotal battle. To stimulate ideas for building their own dioramas and terrain board, they spend a day visiting Cryptologic Museum in Maryland.
