American missions against Kosrae
February 17 - June 1, 1944

Mount Omar (Mt. Omar)
Japanese caves hidden in the jungle. Impressive ruins on the connected island of Lelu that date back to around the 14th century when Kosrae's chief's were the dominant regional power. Though the outskirts of the massive royal city have been torn down, the remaining ruins still give the feeling of being in an ancient, hidden city, the kind of isolated setting you might imagine trekking hours through dense jungle to find.

Bunker
This bunker has thick concrete walls, with multiple entrances.

Malim
Located along the coast. Prewar, this was the site of a Japanese settlement that lasted until the Japanese surrender in 1945.

Underground Bunker "The Meeting Place"
The meeting place is completely subterranean concrete cave with two entrances (to the island interior) with ventilation openings on the top, flush with the ground.

Lelu Hill
Kosrae island's highest point, includes caves and tunnels used by the Japanese during WWII.

Lelu Harbor
One of Kosrae's greatest attractions is the clear, clean ocean and living coral reefs that completely surround it. Offshore the coral reefs slope steeply into the clear blue depths. Both vertical drop offs and undulating profiles of cascading corals appear before you as underwater visibility averages 100 feet plus, The reefs comprise hundreds of densely packed coral species, attracting an abundance of marine life. A diver could observe 30 to 50 species of fish in a single dive. Large numbers of turtles inhabit the waters of this island paradise.

Kosrae has unspoiled coral reefs close to shore suitable for both walk-in and boat diving. Underwater visibility can easily be 100', and in summer as much as 200'. The Blue Hole in Lelu harbor coral heads, lion fish, stingrays and barracuda. In the south, a nice spot is Hiroshi's Point, a drift dive that takes in beautiful soft corals and hammerhead sharks. There's an American search plane in about 60ft (20m) of water at the mouth of Lelu Harbor. Also in the vicinity are two Japanese boats and the remains of a whaling ship.

Kosrae Airport
Built postwar, located on an artificial island off Kosrae.

Japanese Tanks
Dick Williams recalls:
"In the water, yes in the water, about 100 feet offshore, visible and hi and low tides are 3-4 tanks as I recall. How did they get there I asked? Well, I was told, after the war, American GI's ran them there. They had a race from the shore, a flying start to see whose tank would go farthest in the water. And there they are!"

Target Practice Tanks
Dick Williams recalls:
"Postwar, as a display of American firepower and accuracy, several tanks and cars were positioned up in the hills, whereupon a destroyer or two opened up on them and hit them all! The people were impressed."

Japanese Freighter
Freighter sunk off the island.

PBY Catalina
Sunk in Kusaie Harbor.

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Last Updated
October 23, 2019