Chuuk Lagoon
Chuuk Lagoon | |
---|---|
Atoll | |
Alexander R. Narruhn (since 2021) | |
Area | |
• Total | 93.07 km2 (35.93 sq mi) |
Elevation | 443 m (1,453 ft) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 36,158 |
• Density | 390/km2 (1,000/sq mi) |
Chuuk Lagoon, previously Truk Atoll, is an
Chuuk Lagoon was the Empire of Japan's main naval base in the South Pacific theatre during World War II. It was the site of a major U.S. attack during Operation Hailstone in February 1944, and Operation Inmate, a small assault conducted by British and Canadian forces during June 1945.
Name
Chuuk means mountain in the Chuukese language. The lagoon was known mainly as Truk (a mispronunciation of Ruk[citation needed]), until 1990. Other names included Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus.
Geography
Chuuk Lagoon is part of the larger
Main islands
This is a list of islands, villages and population following the 2010 census:
Island | Capital | Other Cities | Area (km2) | Population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chuuk Atoll | 93.07 | 36158 | ||
Faichuk | 41.8 | 11305 | ||
Fanapanges | Nepitiw | Peniamwan, Wichuk, Seisein, Sapotiw | 1.62 | 672 |
Paata |
Sapaata | Chukufefin, Nukaf, Epin, Pokochou, Etlemar, Onas Point | 4.4 | 1107 |
Polle | Nepanonong | Chukaram, Neton, Malaio, Unikappi, Sapou, Miari, Neirenom | 9.3 | 1496 |
Ramanum | Winisi | Chorong, Nepor Point | 0.856 | 865 |
Tol | Foson | Chukienu, Wichukuno, Wonip, Nechocho, Munien, Faro, Winifei, Foupo, Foup | 10.3 | 4579 |
Udot | Fanomo | Tunuk, Wonip, Ounechen, Monowe, Chukisenuk, Mwanitiw, Penia | 4.5 | 1680 |
Onei | Nambo | Onnap, Fanato, Nepos, Peniata, Sapitiw, Anakun, Tolokas, Ras | 10 | 638 |
Northern Namoneas | Weno | Neiwe, Mwan, Nepukos, Iras, Mechitiw, Tunuk, Peniesene, Penia, Wichap | 20.76 | 14620 |
Fono | Fanip | Mesor |
0.342 | 388 |
Piis | Nukan | Sapatiw | 0.32 | 360 |
Weno | Weno | Neiwe, Mwan, Nepukos, Iras, Mechitiw, Tunuk, Peniesene, Penia, Wichap | 19.1 | 13854 |
Southern Namoneas | 30.42 | 10233 | ||
Fefan | Messa | Sapota, Aun, Sapore, Upwein, Fason, Wininis, Pieis, Ununo, Fongen, Onongoch, Feini, Mwen, Saporanong, Manukun, Meseiku, Kukuwu, Sopuo | 12.15 | 3471 |
Tonowas | Nemuanon | Pwene, Chun, Nechap, Tonof, Pata, wonpiepi, Meseran, Fankachau, Sapou, Roro, Penior, Nukanap, Penienuk, Saponong, Supun, Nukan | 8.94 | 3294 |
Uman Island | Nepononong | Sapou, Nepon, Sapotiw, Sapota, Nesarau, Sanuk, Mochon, Nukan, Manukun | 3.86 | 2540 |
Climate
Climate data for Chuuk Islands | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30 (86) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
30 (86) |
31 (87) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
24 (76) |
24 (76) |
24 (75) |
24 (76) |
24 (76) |
24 (76) |
25 (77) |
24 (76) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 230 (8.9) |
170 (6.7) |
220 (8.8) |
310 (12.3) |
360 (14.3) |
300 (12) |
350 (13.7) |
350 (13.9) |
320 (12.6) |
350 (13.6) |
290 (11.3) |
310 (12.1) |
3,560 (140.3) |
Source: Weatherbase [3] |
History
Prehistory
It is not known when the islands of Chuuk were first settled, but archaeological evidence indicates that islands of Feefen and Wééné had human settlements in the first and second century BC. Later evidence indicates that widespread human settlements appeared in Chuuk during the 14th century AD.[5]
Colonialism
The first recorded sighting by Europeans was made by Spanish navigator Álvaro de Saavedra on board the ship Florida during August or September 1528.[6] They were later visited by Spaniard Alonso de Arellano on 15 January 1565 on board of galleon patache San Lucas.[7]
As part of the Caroline Islands, Truk was claimed by the Spanish Empire, which made an effort to control the islands in the late 19th century. Chuuk Lagoon was inhabited by several tribes that engaged in intermittent warfare, as well as a small population of foreign traders and missionaries. Spanish control over the islands was nominal. The Spaniards stopped to raise a flag over Chuuk in 1886 and returned in 1895 as part of an attempt to assert control and negotiate peace between warring Chuukese tribes. No permanent Spanish settlement was established, and tribal violence continued until the German colonial era.[8] The Caroline Islands were sold to the German Empire in 1899, after Spain withdrew from the Pacific in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War.
During the First World War, The Japanese Navy was tasked with pursuing and destroying the German East Asia Squadron[9] and protection of the shipping lanes for Allied commerce in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.[10] During the course of this operation, the Japanese Navy seized the German possessions in the Marianas, Carolines, Marshall Islands and Palau groups by October 1914.[11] Chuuk then became a possession of the Empire of Japan under the South Seas Mandate following Germany's defeat.[12][11][13][14]
World War II
Naval Base Truk in the Truk Lagoon was the Empire of Japan's main base in the South Pacific theatre of World War II. Truk was a heavily fortified[citation needed] base for Japanese operations against Allied forces in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, serving as the forward anchorage for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). Truk Lagoon was considered the most formidable of all Japanese strongholds in the Pacific. On the various islands, the Japanese Civil Engineering Department and Naval Construction Department had built roads, trenches, bunkers and caves. Five airstrips, seaplane bases, a torpedo boat station, submarine repair shops, a communications center and a radar station were constructed during the war. Protecting these various facilities were coastal defense guns and mortar emplacements.
Because of its heavy fortifications[citation needed], both natural and manmade, the base at Truk was known to Allied forces as "the Gibraltar of the Pacific".[15][16] Some have described Truk as Japan's equivalent of the Americans' Pearl Harbor.[16]
A significant portion of the Japanese fleet was based at Truk, with its administrative center on Tonoas (south of Weno). At anchor in the lagoon were
In 1944, Truk's capacity as a naval base was destroyed through naval air attack in Operation Hailstone. Forewarned by intelligence a week before the US raid, the Japanese had withdrawn their larger warships (heavy cruisers and aircraft carriers) to Palau. Once the American forces captured the Marshall Islands, they used them as a base from which to launch an early morning attack on 17 February 1944 against Truk Lagoon. Operation Hailstone lasted for three days, as American carrier-based planes sank 12 smaller Japanese warships (light cruisers, destroyers, and auxiliaries) and 32 merchant ships, while destroying 275 aircraft, mainly on the ground. The consequences of the attack made "Truk lagoon the biggest graveyard of ships in the world".[18][19]
The attacks for the most part ended Truk as a major threat to Allied operations in the central Pacific. The Japanese garrison on
Economy and infrastructure
Most of the roads and transportation systems are poor or in disrepair; an extensive infrastructural redevelopment plan began, consisting of a five-phase project to completely reconstruct the existing sewer, water and storm drainage systems as well as pour concrete roadways in the majority of the villages of Weno.
Chuuk International Airport (IATA airport code TKK) is on the administrative island of Moen. It is served by United Airlines.
The government operates a radio station. Interisland communication is often accomplished using
Tourism, especially scuba diving among the many wrecks of Truk Lagoon, is the island's main industry. Copra (dried coconut meat) is the only cash crop, and output is relatively insignificant. Most of the inhabitants of outlying islands engage in subsistence activity only.
Recreational diving
In 1969, William A. Brown and French oceanographer
The coral encrusted wrecks attract a diverse array of marine life, including manta rays, turtles, sharks and corals. In 2007, 266 species of reef fish were recorded by an Earthwatch team, and in 2006 the rare coral Acropora pichoni was identified.[21]
On 12 April 2011, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation program Foreign Correspondent screened a report on Chuuk Lagoon likening the effect of the impending massive release of tens of thousands of tonnes of oil from the rusting Japanese warships into the coral reef to that of the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska.[22] However, given the poor state of the Japanese war effort in 1944, many of the ships may have had relatively small amounts of fuel in their bunkers. Environmental protection organizations are surveying the wrecks while also consulting with Japanese researchers to try to determine how much oil is likely to be in the hulls, particularly in three sunken oil tankers.[23][24] The ships are classified as a Japanese war grave, requiring Japanese government involvement in the eventual clean-up.
Shipwreck gallery
-
Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bomber
-
Bow gun of the Fujikawa Maru
-
1940's truck in the hold of the Hoki Maru
-
2-man tank on the deck of the Nippo Maru
-
Light artillery piece on the deck of the Nippo Maru
-
Divers next to the mast of the Unkai Maru
-
Diver photographing 14-inch artillery shells in the Yamagiri Maru
-
Diver and soft corals next to the mast of the Hoki Maru
See also
- List of United States National Historic Landmarks in United States commonwealths and territories, associated states, and foreign states
- US Naval Base Carolines
- List of wrecks in the lagoon
Notes
- ^ 1989 Census p. 1
- ^ 2010 Census p ii
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Chuuk Islands, Federated States of Micronesia". Weatherbase. 2011. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2012-06-09. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
- ^ "League of Nations chronology" (PDF). United Nations. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ISBN 978-0-87169-246-7.
- ^ Coello, Francisco (1885). "Conflicto hispano-alemán". Boletín de Sociedad Geográfica de Madrid. 19. Madrid: 234, 266. Archived from the original on 2020-08-19. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
- ^ Coello, Francisco (1885). "Conflicto hispano-alemán". Boletín de Sociedad Geográfica de Madrid. 19. Madrid: 241, 242, 289. Archived from the original on 2020-08-19. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
- ISBN 978-0-8248-2804-2.
- ^ Dan E. Bailey (2001). WWII Wrecks of the Truk Lagoon. Archived from the original on 2020-04-01. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ISBN 978-1-52670-295-1.
- ^ a b Ponsonby-Fane 1962, p. 348.
- ^ Mizokami, Kyle (27 July 2014). "Japan's baptism of fire: World War I put country on a collision course with West". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ^ Myers & Peattie 1984, p. 200.
- ^ "League of Nations chronology" (PDF). United Nations. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ISBN 978-0-688-01620-3.
- ^ a b "Truk Lagoon and the Lost Japanese Ghost Fleet – The Adventure Couple". Live-adventurously.com. 2012-03-08. Archived from the original on 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
- ^ Takizawa, Akira; Alsleben, Allan (1999–2000). "Japanese garrisons on the by-passed Pacific Islands 1944–1945". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. Archived from the original on 2016-01-06.
- ^ Video: Castle Films Yanks Smash Truk (1944). Castle Films. 1944. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- ^ Trumbull, Robert (April 30, 1972). "The 'Graveyard' Lure of Truk Lagoon". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Stewart, 1986
- ^ Scientists Find Oil Leak Threatening Chuuk Lagoon Archived 2019-06-12 at the Wayback Machine Newswise, Retrieved on August 28, 2008.
- ^ "Chuuk Islands – The Blue and the Black – Foreign Correspondent". ABC. 2011-05-20. Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
- ^ "Paradise island threatened by wrecked WWII oil tanker – environment – 02 September 2008". New Scientist. 2008-09-02. Archived from the original on 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
- ^ "Rainforest Conservation | Volunteer For Animals | Earthwatch News". Earthwatch.org. Archived from the original on 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
References
- L, Klemen (2000). "Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942".
- Myers, Ramon Hawley; ISBN 9780691102221.
- Ponsonby-Fane, Richard (1962). Sovereign and Subject. Ponsonby Memorial Society. pp. 346–353.