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    Truk Lagoon Truk (Chuuk) Fed. States of Micronesia

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F ebruary 17, 1944

Location
40 mile wide lagoon surrounded by a fringing coral reef. To the south-east is Kuop Atol and Lagoon.

Shipwrecks of Truk
Truk is best wreck diving in the world overall because of the numerous wrecks and their preservation and beauty. Depths vary from the surface in excess of 200 feet. You can penetrate into the wrecks but you can't remove any artifacts. Caustic substances like high octane aviation fuel, oils, gasoline and acid exist on many of the wrecks. Explosives, mines, munitions, detonators, torpedoes and shells are still "live". The wrecks of Truk Lagoon are war graves. Strict policies exist that prevent the removal of any artifacts or marine life from the wrecks. Fines and a possible jail sentence await those who disobey. The Trukese hope preserve their lagoon as an underwater living monument and museum of the war.

Surprise Attack: Operation Hailstone
On the morning of February 17, 1944 "Operation Hailstone" a surprise attack by United States Navy aircraft caught Japanese merchant vessels and warships by surprise in Truk Lagoon. 400 tons of bombs and torpedo were dropped. Attacks continued on February 18, 1944. A total of forty ships were sunk and thousands of Japanese were lost. Ten weeks later, a second successful raid sank more ships. For more than two years after the war, oil from the sunken ships covered the beaches and reefs.

Shipwrecks

Aikoku Maru Amagisan Maru Fujikawa Maru
Hanakawa Maru

Heian Maru

Hino Maru No.2
I-169 Kensho Maru Kikukawa Maru
Nagano Maru Nippo Maru Oite
Rio De Janeiro Maru San Francisco Maru Sankisan Maru
Tonan Maru No.3 "Tugboat Wreck" "Tugboat Wreck"
Fujisan Maru Fumitsuki Gosei Maru
Hoki Maru Hokuyo Maru Hoyo Maru
Kiyosumi Maru Matsutani Maru Momokawa Maru
Ojima Patrol Boat No. 34 Reiyo Maru
Seiko Maru Shinkoku Maru Taiho Maru
Unkai Maru No.6 Yamagiri Maru

Yubae Maru

Futagami Sapporo Maru  

Unidentified and MIA Shipwrecks

"Gun High Wreck" Hakushun Maru Sub Chasers No. 38
Katsuragisan Maru Naka Sub Chasers No. 66
Tachikaze Gyoraitei No. 10 Sub Chasers No. 46
Kotohira Maru Minsei Maru Subchaser No. 29
Taijun Maru Akagi Maru  

Sunken Aircraft

Zeke Zeke Zeke
Emily G4M1 Betty Judy
Zeke B6N2 Jill  

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Last Updated
April 12, 2009

 

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