Butaritari (Makin) Lagoon

Butaritari (Makin) Lagoon

Lagoon at Makin Island.

Stan Gajda adds:
"During the battle of Makin in November 1943, a flight of Japanese Kates were intercepted by the SACP and all were shot down, some even going down in the lagoon. I have even had a letter from a guy in Japan trying to trace these planes for the crews relatives. I have heard of two planes in the north end of the lagoon that I never had time to locate and see and it is possible that at least one of these would be one of the Jills."

Makin Seaplane Base

Construction
The Japanese seaplane base with a large concrete ramp at the end of King's wharf on Makin Island. The warph and base was largely destroyed during the war. Several Japanese seaplanes were sunk in the Lagoon off this base.

Today
Few traces of the base remain, as the weather has eroded what was left.

Stan Gajda reports
"I have seen two Mavis aircraft and two Emily aircraft sunk in the lagoon, and there is the wreck up on the beach. The Japanese had boating facilities there also, and seaplane tender was sunk there that I have dived too.

Lagoon Reef
Mavis and Emilys from the Makin Seaplane Base were moored in the lagoon. There are also several American planes sunk here also.

H8K2 Emily

Disabled near shore, wreckage visible above water.

H6K5 Mavis

Sunk during the USMC Makin Raid on August 20, 1942

H8K2 Emily

H6K Mavis

Located about 500 yards from Chong's Wharf, out from the two
ship wrecks on the reef shelf.

H8K2

F4U Corsair

There is a F4U straight out from the Catholic mission which can be seen at low tide.

Stan Gajda reports:
"I have never found this wreck myself. Reportedly, it a fairly complete F4U in the lagoon reef about half a mile off shore east of Kings wharf. The tail has been ripped off and the engine is gone (its ashore)."

F4U

0'-6'

F4U Corsair

In the lagoon side near the eastern end of the original airstrip
is another F4U about 500 yds out in about 15ft of water. This is smashed up.

F4U

15'

B-25 Mitchell

Mission History
B-25 crashed upside-down in the lagoon.

Wreckage
One of the oleo struts sticks out of the water at low tide.

B-25

0'-6'

E13 Jake
Out from the Stone Pier is a wrecked Jake which I did not have time to look for but I have seen chunks of it brought up in a fishing net.

B5N Kate
A number of B5Ns were shot down into the lagoon as they were coming in on a raid. The whole flight was lost with no survivors. I have heard of a small plane wreck in the lagoon at the northern end near Bikati Island. This is also exposed at low tide. I never had the chance to get up there but it could be one of the B5Ns.

B-24 Liberator
Reportedly a B-24 remains in about 60ft of water near one of the central passages into the lagoon in the NW area of the atoll. I spent hours looking for this one. The water is very clear along there and the bottom was clearly visible but I did not find the wreck. The local that knows where it is was never available when I needed him.

Japanese Barge
Sunk in 15' in the area out from the Catholic Mission. Stan Gajda recovered two anchors from it.

Seaplane Tender
Sunk in the area out from the Catholic Mission.

Higgins Boat
Sunk to the east of the island on the edge of the reef shelf.

Pacific Wrecks Incorporated is a non-profit charity 501(c)(3) Donate Now