The Wrecks of Truk
It is now 0400 hrs on Feb 5 in the Singapore Airport and we are waiting for our next leg to Sydney Australia. Travel Hint: Avoid Manila airport if you can! It is very busy and once inside the Departure terminal there is no place to get food or drink. We found a place to sit and we sat there for almost 12 hours!
Now stepping back a bit to Chuuk Lagoon. The area was controlled by different nations over the years. When Germany had the area pre WW1 they could not pronounce the "chook" sound so they started calling it "truck" lagoon and the name stuck until after WW2 when the territory became under the control of the US.
During WW2 the Japanese used the lagoon anchorage for their South Pacific combined fleet. They had built a submarine base and a seaplane base, which incidently, is where we stayed at; the Blue Lagoon Resort. You can still see some old concrete structures on the beach and grounds.
From this safe anchorage, the Japanese were able to control most of the South Pacific area up to the Home Islands of Japan.
The Americans had been searching for months to find the Japenese fleets and a US patrol plane finally located them early in February 1944 at anchor in the lagoon. The Japanese then reacted by sending away their battleships and carriers but left behind some destroyers and "Maru" class merchant ships. Maru means "circle" implying that the merchant ships complete a big circle by bringing out much needed supplies and then returning to Japan to repeat the voyage again.
The attack by the Americans began early Feb 17, 1944, using aerial bombs and torpedoes and the attack lasted into the next day, Feb 18. I did try to find an accurate number of how many ships that were sunk that day but at least 50 plus went down.
Our first dive was on the Kiyozumi Mary where a torpedoes hit her near the bow on her starboard side (right side). She was on her port (left) side in about 110 ft of water. We entered the hole in her side and explored the holds that contained thousands of Sake bottles and one bicycle. Bob did see a human leg bone in the wreckage.
We went on to dive 10 out of 13 ships plus one "Betty Bomber" at depths that varied from 53 ft to a depth of 130 ft. and saw some incredible and very somber sights. We were gobsmacked to see how iron and metal beams could be blown apart, mangled and destroyed by the explosions; then imagine what it could do to a human body.
On one ship, over 800 hundred sailors and soldiers were vaporized when the cargo of explosives went up. Some of the ships were empty as they were at the repair anchorage after sustaining damage in previous attacks.
There was one ship though that they called the "million dollar" cargo. The San Francisco Maru had a full load of beach mines, artillery shells, torpedoes and millions of ammunition rounds of all calibers that did not explode when she sank.
We have to admit that it was a bit surreal swimming over these huge aerial bombs and shells and wondering what would happen if one went off.....!
Lenny, the dive boat operator, states that the shells and mines are quite stable at depth but become unstable once out of the water.
Nome and I did not dive on the 'Frisco as she was down to over 180 ft. We did have some Tech divers on the boat who were using special gas mixes and up to 4 seperate tanks that did the deep dives. These guys were experienced wreck and cave divers who enjoyed penetrating deep into the bowels of each ship. If they could get into a space, they would, such as individual staterooms, engine rooms and work shops.
What we did not have were underwater cameras so will have try and post underwater pics from the other guys once we get them when we return to Canada. Some shots of Truk (Chuuk).
ENROUTE to Sydney - talk to you soon.
Now stepping back a bit to Chuuk Lagoon. The area was controlled by different nations over the years. When Germany had the area pre WW1 they could not pronounce the "chook" sound so they started calling it "truck" lagoon and the name stuck until after WW2 when the territory became under the control of the US.
During WW2 the Japanese used the lagoon anchorage for their South Pacific combined fleet. They had built a submarine base and a seaplane base, which incidently, is where we stayed at; the Blue Lagoon Resort. You can still see some old concrete structures on the beach and grounds.
From this safe anchorage, the Japanese were able to control most of the South Pacific area up to the Home Islands of Japan.
The Americans had been searching for months to find the Japenese fleets and a US patrol plane finally located them early in February 1944 at anchor in the lagoon. The Japanese then reacted by sending away their battleships and carriers but left behind some destroyers and "Maru" class merchant ships. Maru means "circle" implying that the merchant ships complete a big circle by bringing out much needed supplies and then returning to Japan to repeat the voyage again.
The attack by the Americans began early Feb 17, 1944, using aerial bombs and torpedoes and the attack lasted into the next day, Feb 18. I did try to find an accurate number of how many ships that were sunk that day but at least 50 plus went down.
Our first dive was on the Kiyozumi Mary where a torpedoes hit her near the bow on her starboard side (right side). She was on her port (left) side in about 110 ft of water. We entered the hole in her side and explored the holds that contained thousands of Sake bottles and one bicycle. Bob did see a human leg bone in the wreckage.
We went on to dive 10 out of 13 ships plus one "Betty Bomber" at depths that varied from 53 ft to a depth of 130 ft. and saw some incredible and very somber sights. We were gobsmacked to see how iron and metal beams could be blown apart, mangled and destroyed by the explosions; then imagine what it could do to a human body.
On one ship, over 800 hundred sailors and soldiers were vaporized when the cargo of explosives went up. Some of the ships were empty as they were at the repair anchorage after sustaining damage in previous attacks.
There was one ship though that they called the "million dollar" cargo. The San Francisco Maru had a full load of beach mines, artillery shells, torpedoes and millions of ammunition rounds of all calibers that did not explode when she sank.
We have to admit that it was a bit surreal swimming over these huge aerial bombs and shells and wondering what would happen if one went off.....!
Lenny, the dive boat operator, states that the shells and mines are quite stable at depth but become unstable once out of the water.
Nome and I did not dive on the 'Frisco as she was down to over 180 ft. We did have some Tech divers on the boat who were using special gas mixes and up to 4 seperate tanks that did the deep dives. These guys were experienced wreck and cave divers who enjoyed penetrating deep into the bowels of each ship. If they could get into a space, they would, such as individual staterooms, engine rooms and work shops.
What we did not have were underwater cameras so will have try and post underwater pics from the other guys once we get them when we return to Canada. Some shots of Truk (Chuuk).
Great update good for you sister to be so brave
ReplyDeleteCatching up on your adventures! Awesome!
ReplyDeleteSounds fun
ReplyDelete