First, a bit of history and geography. Traditionally known as Chuuk (rhymes with duke), this isolated lagoon is a perfect harbor: the 140 mile circumference fringing reef only has 5 navigable passes and the interior is large enough to hold ALL of the other islands of Micronesia and still have room left! In the mid 1800s Spain sent a few missionaries out from their stronghold in the Philippines and Chuuk, like all of Micronesia, came under Spanish influence. After loosing the Spanish American War in 1898, Spain needed money and sold all of their Micronesian holdings to Germany. Germany's primary interest was in mining Palau, so their major influence in Chuuk was changing the name to Truk (imagine the German pronunciation of Chuuk). With the loss of World War I by Germany, Japan received control of Micronesia as the "Mandated Islands". In the 1920s, Japan began quietly fortifying the islands, including Truk. Truk was an ideal fueling and supply station for ships of the era (both merchant and military), being about half way between the Philippines and Hawaii. Japanese domination of the Pacific starting December 7, 1941 required the extensive submarine, aircraft (float and wheeled) and surface vessel base created at Truk. After World War II, Truk and the rest of Micronesia came under the Trust Territory of the United States. Now the FSM is independent and Chuuk has taken back its original name. However, it has a US Zip code and Area Code and the US dollar is the official currency. The lagoon will be referred to here as Truk, in difference to the name underwhich it became known to everyone during World War II.

If Truk hadn't had such strategic importance in World War II, it might be even less well known, like its sister states Kosrae and Pohnpei. This importance led to the US Operation Hailstone in February, 1944. In two days, Operation Hailstone caused the loss of about 60 Japanese ships, hundreds of aircraft and thousands of lives. This was one more retribution for Pearl Harbor. The buildup, attack and follow through are well documented in William H. Stewart's book Ghost Fleet of the Truk Lagoon. These sunken ships and planes rested quietly in the shallow lagoon (about 250 feet deep at the deepest) for decades. Coral and sponges grew on them until the metal began to resemble the surrounding reefs. They became refuges for all forms of life. Then, with the increase in Scuba as a sport in the 70s, the search began to find some of the "Ghost Fleet"! Most have now been located and identified and many are within sport diving depths.

Continue the Truk Lagoon tour