Images, descriptions and histories courtesy of the author of Pacific Island Battlegrounds of World War II by Earl Hinz. All images are copyright Earl Hinz, and reproduced here with his permission.  

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Click below to read Mr. Hinz's descriptions of these Pacific sites, and histories of each wreck. This is the first installment of photographs and descriptions. Each corresponds to a chapter of his book, Pacific Battlefields.

USS Utah, Hawaii
The Forgotten Memorial at Pearl Harbor

Monk Seals, Midway Island
The wildlife has been protected for years and many species will approach a sensitive traveler just out of curiosity.

Vilu War Museum, Guadalcanal
This badly emasculated Wildcat has been saved in the Vilu War Museum and Village Cemetery"

Drown US Tank, Tarawa
Many of the grounded and shot-up tanks and other vehicles still litter the beach, but are rapidly rusting away.

Pumping Station, Marshall Islands
Administrative site for the Marshall Islands since pre-WW I days when the Germans controlled the islands

Admiral's Bunker, Rabual
Unfortunately, it was covered with ash during the severe 1994 volcanic activity and may be some time being restored.

Port Moresby, New Guinea
P-38 wreck at the Port Moresby War Museum was one of those that carried the battle to the Japanese.

Aircraft skeleton, New Hebrides
This unserviceable fuselage escaped the watery grave and is now a play house for local kids.

Coastal Gun, Truk
Defensive fortifications consisted mostly of moderate size coastal guns

Tumon Bay, Guam
"Guam had the� unusual distinction of being the only American soil that had ever been lost to an enemy action."

Koror War Museum, Peleliu
A few war relics are displayed in the small well-maintained indoor/outdoor war museum at Koror.