Underwater Archaeology of a Pacific Battlefield

​Battlefields have been the object of fascination for millions of tourists and the subjects of elaborate interpretation projects. This volume will outline the process and results of developing the WWII Maritime Heritage Trail: Battle of Saipan Project. This book will provide examples of how a group of archaeologists, managers and a community took a specific battle and transformed it from a collection of unknown archaeological sites into a comprehensive storied battlescape that reflects the individuals and actions of those who were involved. It will provide an in-depth view of current maritime archaeological research on submerged battlefield sites, the development of a WWII battlefield maritime heritage trail, as well as the problems and solutions of such an effort. It will cover subjects such as: -heritage and dark tourism-conflict or battlefield archaeology-public interpretation, and community engagement. This volume will serve as a practical review of a project influenced by a range of complementary areas of study and inclusive of many stakeholders, from the public to the professional and beyond. It provides an example of a balanced approach towards research and interpreting archaeological sites through the identification and inclusion of the various stakeholders (professional and community) and an awareness of what was being included, ignored, or inadequately represented in the research and interpretation.

Dr. Jennifer McKinnon, the senior editor, has nearly 20 years of experience conducting archaeology and eight years teaching maritime archaeology. McKinnon was employed as a Senior Lecturer at Flinders University, Australia from 2006-2013 and now is an Assistant Professor at East Carolina University, North Carolina. During her time at Flinders she was the principal investigator of the WWII Maritime Heritage Trail: Battle of Saipan Project, a multi-year teaching and research project that focused on the investigation and interpretation of the WWII Battle of Saipan. This project partnered with Ships of Discovery of which Jennifer is a Research Associate. The project had a strong community engagement component and included students, managers, volunteers, and colleagues from Australia, the US and Saipan. McKinnon received the Governor's Humanities Award for Preservation of CNMI Heritage in 2011 for her work in Saipan. McKinnon has co-edited two books (In Situ Conservation of Cultural Heritage: Public, Professionals and Preservation, PAST Foundation; A Year in Review: 2006 Program in Maritime Archaeology, Flinders University Maritime Archaeology Monograph Series), published a number of peer-reviewed journal articles (including Journal of Maritime Archaeology, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, Bulletin of the Australasian Institute of Maritime Archaeology) and written book chapters (two in Springer Press), as well as countless archaeological reports and public outreach products. McKinnon has also reviewed publications for Journal of Maritime Archaeology, Post-Medieval Archaeology, Maney Publishing, Left Coast Press, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Queensland Archaeological Research, and Northeastern Historical Archaeology.

Dr. Toni Carrell, co-editor, has 40 years of experience in maritime archaeology with experience in the Caribbean, Western Pacific, Mexico, Great Lakes, and in a variety of lakes and reservoirs in the U.S.  She was employed by the National Park Service Submerged Cultural Resources Unit (NPS-SCR) from 1976-1990. Carrell joined Ships of Discovery in 1990, where she serves as Vice President. During her time with the NPS-SCR, Carrell worked extensively in the Pacific and was the senior author of Submerged Cultural Resources Assessment of Micronesia (1990) the first comprehensive archaeological report focusing on underwater cultural heritage in the region. Carrell received an award in 1988 from the Republic of Palau, Bureau of Cultural Resources for her supervision of Operation Sea Mark, a joint NPS and US Navy EOD project directed at documentation of shipwrecks in Palau. Prior to that Carrell received an Advisory Council on Historic Preservation commendation for her work in Kosrae in 1981. She revisited her early work in the Pacific as the senior author of Maritime History and Archaeology of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (2009). Carrell has edited or contributed to numerous publications and archaeological reports, published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals (including Journal of Field Archaeology, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, and Historical Archaeology) and served as a peer-reviewer for the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, among others. She has been collaborating with McKinnon since 2009 on the WWII Maritime Heritage Trail: Battle of Saipan Project.