Product Description

Truk was an important World War II island stronghold functioning as a vital airbase and headquarters for the Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet. It became a potential "roadblock" for the American Pacific Fleet in its advance towards the Japanese Empire. These islands were targeted twice by US Navy carrier striking forces with a powerful group of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers for support. Target objectives included the destruction of the shipping, aircraft, and installations. In addition, land-based US Army Air Force B-24s and B-29s carried out an extensive bombing campaign against the islands. The Japanese defenders were overwhelmed by the concentrated bombing, torpedo, rocket, and strafing attacks by the planes of the US Navy carrier forces and by the heavy pounding given them by land-based Army Air Force bombers. Huge rusting guns in the Japanese-built caves, pillboxes, open emplacements, and a lagoon filled with ship and aircraft wrecks are an important legacy from World War II in this tropical central Pacific island group. The sheer number and diversity of the wrecks found in the relatively shallow lagoon waters brings thousands of divers to this remote location every year. Truk, now known as Chuuk State, has become one of the most desirable dive locations in the world.

This 533-page volume documents the Japanese occupation and build-up of Truk into a strategic naval base, the air campaign against the ships, aircraft, and installations, and the exploration/descriptions of the ship and aircraft wrecks that remain. Many new details of the Operation Hailstone raids of February 17-18, 1944 and the Japanese reaction have been included from information found in intelligence file references. Emphasis on the aerial combat between the Japanese and American planes, descriptions of Japanese installations and defenses, and information on the intensive US fast carrier raids of April 29-30, 1944 against Truk have been published for the first time. A total of 173 maps and drawings, 101 black and white photos, and 150 color plates are included in this book.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #85629 in Books
• Published on: 2001-02-12
• Binding: Hardcover
• 533 pages

Combined Fleet Website
"Spectacular in every dimension - photography, history, and cartography."

Scuba Travel Website
"Thank you to Dan E. Bailey for sharing what must be a lifetime's work. -Andrew Reay-Robinson

Diver Magazine (UK)
Dan Bailey's book is almost impossibly comprehensive... This is a remarkable work that rewards a steep cover price. -Bernard Eaton

Customer Reviews

A Must Read
I recently completed seven days of wreck diving in Truk Lagoon in the Federate States of Micronesia. I went to Chuuk (the main island's current name) knowing vitrually nothing about the island, the people or the wrecks located there, except that it was loaded with Japanese ships from WWII. While there I was loaned this book by the dive operator as a reference for planning my dives. The first night I opened the book to peruse it my immediate reaction was that I wish I would have known this book was out there prior to taking the trip.

The book opens with a bit of history of Chuuk, touches on the culture of the people then immediately dives in (no pun) to the details about "Operations Hailstone" in February 1944 which resulted in the sinking of many of the ships that currently lie in Truk Lagoon. All this background makes for great reading to anyone who is interested in the history of WWII as I am. But if you're a diver, and enjoy wreck diving, the true value of the book lies in it's second half.

It is here where the author dissects each ship with its history, its role during the war, and the circumstances surrounding its sinking. Because Bailey has dived these wrecks numerous times he is intimately familiar with their depth, points of interest for each, and the potential hazards of exploring them. It is this information that anyone planning a dive trip to Truk needs to be familiar with.

His research was meticulous, the photos first rate and the information was spot on. If you are planning to dive Truk for the first time, or you have an interest in this subject matter, this is a must read and worth the price.

I'm currently reading "WWII Wrecks of Palau" by Bailey in preparation for my May 2008 dive trip to Palau. I will be much better informed and ready for the Palau trip than I was for my trip to Truk Lagoon.

World War II Wrecks of the Truk Lagoon
What an outstanding written document on what happened and on what is below the surface in that special part of the world. It's a must for history lovers and for scuba diving fans. And it's mandatory for individuals that fit both categories.

A must have
Bought this book before diving in Truk Lagoon. A must have and a great book to read before one does the actual dives. The authority on dives in Truk Lagoon