NOUN (2)

1. the largest island in the Northern Marianas and the administrative center of the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in union with the United States;

2. US forces captured the island from the Japanese in July 1944; it was an important air base until the end of World War II;

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Saipan
    n 1: the largest island in the Northern Marianas and the
         administrative center of the commonwealth of the Northern
         Mariana Islands in union with the United States
    2: US forces captured the island from the Japanese in July 1944;
       it was an important air base until the end of World War II