The amazing japanese shipwrecks of truk lagoon

By spotmydive

2016-06-29

Truk Lagoon is unquestionably the most beautiful place of the world, where wrecks are accessible to every divers including beginners because visibility is excellent and waters are calm and shallow. The fauna and flora are abundant on and around the wrecks and there is a wide variety of sharks that have found a true haven.

best wreck spot of the world
© gh0stdot – Nippo Maru

The Truk Islands, Japanese naval base

Truk Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific about 1,000 kilometers north-east of Papua New Guinea. They are surrounded by a huge coral reef that forms the lagoon of Truk. During World War II, the islands of the archipelago were occupied and used by the Japanese military as a naval base. Roads, airfields, radar stations and other military facilities were built as defenses including bunkers and mortars scattered throughout the islands.

best wreck spot of the world

Truk Islands, due to their strategic location, were a key element in the race for Pacific domination. This is why the most important part of the Japanese navy was stationed there in 1944. We could find all types of the era warships:

• Battleships

• Cruisers

• Destroyeurs

• Cargos

• Submarines

best wreck spot of the world

Operation Hailstone

In February 17, 1944, the Hailstone operation was launched by the United States Navy. The purpose was simple: destroy the entire Japanese fleet of Truk and take a decisive advantage in the Pacific War. Nine aircraft carriers were sent with a contingent of about 500 planes accompanied by many other heavy battleships and destroyers. The attack, which lasted two days, completely took by surprise the Japanese army which lost a total of 47 ships and 270 aircrafts. The Hailstone Operation was one of the most important strategic naval battles in the control of central and south Pacific.