Very few of the troops aboard the sunken ships survived and little of their cargoes were recovered. Many of the merchant ships were loaded with reinforcements and supplies for Japanese garrisons in the central Pacific area. Some of the ships were destroyed in the anchorage and some in the area surrounding Truk lagoon. In total the attack sank three Japanese light cruisersĪnd Tachikaze), three auxiliary cruisers ( Akagi Maru, Aikoku Maru, Kiyosumi Maru), two submarine tenders ( Heian Maru, Rio de Janeiro Maru), three other smaller warships (including submarine chasers CH-24 and Shonan Maru 15), aircraft transport Fujikawa Maru, and 32 merchant ships. surface ships and submarines guarded possible exit routes from the island's anchorage to attack any Japanese ships that tried to escape from the airstrikes. Several daylight, along with nighttime, airstrikes employed fighters, dive bombers, and torpedo aircraft in attacks on Japanese airfields, aircraft, shore installations, and ships in and around the Truk anchorage. attack involved a combination of airstrikes, surface ship actions, and submarine attacks over two days and appeared to take the Japanese completely by surprise. Japanese ammunition ship Aikoku Maru blowing up the air crew which dropped the bomb was missing and believed to have been caught in the explosion. ![]() However, numerous smaller warships and merchant ships remained in and around the anchorage and several hundred aircraft were stationed at the atoll's airfields. įearing that the base was becoming too vulnerable, the Japanese had relocated the aircraft carriers, battleships, and heavy cruisers of the Combined Fleet to Palau a week earlier. Supporting the carriers was a large fleet of seven battleships, and numerous cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and other support ships. Mitscher's Task Force 58 had five fleet carriersĮmbarking more than 500 planes. To ensure air and naval superiority for the upcoming invasion of Eniwetok Admiral Raymond Spruance ordered an attack on Truk. The base was the key logistical and operational hub supporting Japan's perimeter defenses in the central and south Pacific. The atoll was the only major Japanese airbase within range of the Marshall Islands and was a significant source of support for Japanese garrisons located on islands and atolls throughout the central and south Pacific. Some have described it as the Japanese equivalent of the US Navy's Pearl Harbor. Truk was a major Japanese logistical base as well as the operating "home" base for the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet. 6 List of merchant ships at the time of attack and other shipwrecks in Truk's Anchorage.5 List of warships in Truk at the time of attack.4 Truk IJN Anchorage Evacuation Log Book. ![]() A Japanese freighter in Truk Atoll is hit by a torpedo dropped from a TBF Avenger from USS Enterprise during Operation Hailstone, February 17, 1944.ħ☂0′21″N 151★3′05″E / 7.3393°N 151.8846☎ / 7.3393 151.8846 Coordinates: 7☂0′21″N 151★3′05″E / 7.3393°N 151.8846☎ / 7.3393 151.8846Īmerican victory, prevented the Japanese reinforcement of Eniwetok garrison, key Japanese warships avoided destruction
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