5/6/2023 0 Comments Kwajalein atoll military base![]() Two kingposts rest in the sand and many pipes can be seen, having fallen out of the holds onto the seafloor. Turtles and eagle rays are common visitors and the stern has bomb damage. A 3-inch deck gun on a platform at the bow points towards the surface at a very photogenic angle. The 103m (340ft) ship is sitting on its port side in 44m (145ft) of water. In lieu of barracuda, the wreck does have several lionfish that live in the cargo holds as well as black coral on one of the kingposts with resident longnose hawkfish. Of course, once you name a wreck after an animal, you never see that animal there again. Also sunk on December 4 was the Choko Maru, known as Barracuda Junction. Nurse sharks are often seen resting on the top deck and eagle rays frequently swim past divers.Ĭhoko Maru. The ship is 73m (424ft) and the top deck sits at about 30m (100ft). Popular artifacts to see in the holds include sake bottles and the outer section of a small car. There is a 3-inch bow gun on a turret and a machine gun on the starboard side of the wheelhouse. ![]() Recent storms have also caused more damage to the ship. The damage from the bombs can be easily seen underwater as the entire superstructure lay in a heap. It is thought that three 1,000lb bombs hit the vessel and it was reported to have sunk in less than five hours. The Asakazi Maru, called K-5 Upright by local divers because it is sitting upright and because of its close proximity to a Coast Guard buoy labeled K-5, is a popular wreck with a resident green sea turtle usually seen sleeping in one of the kingposts. The Asakazi and Choko were both attacked on December 4 and the Shoyei Maru on December 19.Īsakazi Maru. In December, several ships were sank, including the Asakazi Maru, Choko Maru and Shoyei Maru. The attacks on Kwajalein started in December 1943 with Operation Flintlock starting 29 January 1945. Japanese ships under attack in Kwajalein lagoon ca 1943 Diving the wrecks-Kwajalein Nutrient rich, warm tropical waters have led to marine life flourishing on these historical wrecks from the past. Today, they are covered in colorful corals and sponges, the bow guns have tiny blue damselfishes living in them, and green sea turtles find refuge on the crossbeams of kingposts. Almost 75 years later, those wrecks have been reborn underwater. Many ships and planes were sent to the bottom of one of the world’s largest lagoons. The islands of Kwajalein and Roi-Namur, as well as others, were leveled to the ground with hardly a tree left standing. The attack came by air and sea, and media reported that more than 1,600 tons of ammunition was expended upon Kwajalein over 24 hours, which equates to at least three shells or bombs hitting the island every second. Kwajalein was bombarded at the southern tip of the atoll. Smaller islands were captured in the following days. Starting on 29 January 1945, islands to the northeast of the atoll were attacked, including Roi-Namur. Prior to Operation Flintlock, air raids had already sunk and damaged cargo ships, and light cruisers around both Roi-Namur and Kwajalein islands. This battle was also devastating to the Japanese Imperial Navy, leaving more than twelve large wrecks sunk as well as several airplanes and much military surplus underwater. But less know about Operation Flintlock, a campaign in January and February of 1944 prior to that in Truk. ![]() Many divers know all about Operation Hailstone which took place in Truk Lagoon, because it gave us some of the best tropical wreck diving in the world. During WWII, in retribution for Pearl Harbor, United States forces attacked in 19. Kwajalein Atoll was an important base for the Japanese Imperial Navy that had been awarded to them after Germany’s defeat in WWI. Healthy reefs, plenty of fish, and a lagoon filled with WWII shipwrecks, airplanes, discarded military supplies, and even a ship that almost survived two nuclear bombs. miles), (about the size of Seattle), but the atolls cover over 750,000 square miles of ocean (think the size of Mexico.) Anyone looking at this region of the Pacific would guess the diving would be pretty amazing and it doesn’t disappoint. The Marshall Islands consist of 29 atolls with a total land mass around 180 square kilometers (70 sq.
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