The 1,931grt standard coastal freighter Gosei Maru was built in 1937 and requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1941. She was anchored off Uman Island in Truk Lagoon on 17 February 1944 as aircraft from the surprise U.S. Task Force 58 Operation Hailstone swept across the lagoon destroying Japanese fighter cover. She took an aerial torpedo hit from a USS Monterey torpedo bomber and began to roll over onto her port side. Being ‘light’ she sank quickly with no time for her lifeboats to be launched. She now rests on a steep slope with her stern in about 10 metres and her bow deeper in about 35 metres.

See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhsfDM36Lpo&t=13s

27 December. Unkai Maru No 6 – Truk Lagoon. New dive video tour released

The Unkai Maru No 6 is one of the oldest wrecks in Truk Lagoon. She was built in 1905 in Newcastle, England as the SS Venus and had a long sea life before she was bought by Japanese interests and subsequently requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was dive bombed, set on fire and sunk by Task Froce 58 aircraft during OIperation Hailstone on 17/18 February 1944.See the video here;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4-kz8adalw&t=74s

19 December 2018. New Truk Lagoon video tour released – Momokawa Maru

The Japanese auxiliary transport vessel Momokawa Maru was sunk by a 1,000-lb bomb from an American Curtiss SB2 dive bomber on 18 February 1944 during the 2-day fast carrier raid, Operation Hailstone. She was set on fire, settled by the stern and rolled to port. Here’s the link to my YouTube channel for it – subscribe if you want to be notified of further wreck tours:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osfjs5g233Y&t=264s

The Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Oite had rescued more than 500 crew from the sinking light cruiser IJN Agano and was entering Truk Lagoon on 17 February 1944 – just as the American Operation Hailstone 2-day fast carrier raid began. Trying to evade the U.S. attack aircraft she was moving at full speed and turning to starboard when she was hit amidships by an aerial torpedo. She split in two and sank quickly with great loss of life. Here’s the link to the YouTube video tour – subscribe if you want to be notified of further videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xa48kKe86E&t=279s