Location
Lat 7°20'31.2" Long 151°46'55.19" Pata Island is the northwest portion of Tol Island in the Faichuk Islands (Shichiyo) inside Truk Lagoon in Chuuk State (Truk) in the Federated States of Micronesia. Also known as Paata Island. Borders Lamoseu Bay to to the north and Lemotol Bay and Polle Island to the south. Connected to the west to Tol Island.
Wartime History
During the Pacific War, the Japanese were cultivating crops on the northern portion of the island and the area had several buildings made of native materials. A swampy area to the northwest was being drained with drainage ditches for additional crop areas. A pier 450' long extended from the north coast into Lamoseu Bay.
This area was part of the northern section of the "Myukuyo Defense Point" with personnel from the 43rd Garrison and 4th Naval Construction Unit with supporting trenches supporting five light and heavy machines gun positions. On the high ground of the northern portion of the island were emplaced three 15cm Type 41 coastal guns connected by trenches with a range finder and fire control center. The area was defended by several 13mm machine gun positions, 25mm anti-aircraft gun positions and several light machine guns. Nearby was a 90cm Type 96 searchlight and a generator to provide power.
During April 1944, the Japanese reported a building destroyed on Pata, like during the "Operation Hailstone" U.S. Navy (USN) carrier aircraft raids on April 17-18, 1944.
References
WWII Wrecks of the Truk Lagoon pages 82 (map), 83 (map Target area T-1), 84 (map gun positions), 248, 511 (index)
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Last Updated
October 23, 2019
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