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Download the Full Article As Pdf ⬇︎ Japanese Wrecks of KwajaleinText and photos by Brandi Mueller 14 X-RAY MAG : 72 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Kwajalein C THORPE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN Japanese ships (left) under attack in Kwajalein lagoon as seen from a US Navy Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator, circa December 1943; A convoy (above) sails under the watchful eyes of three of VMB- 613’s crews. Patrols of the shipping lanes began on 3 April 1945 and continued through the end of WWII; The island of Ebeye (below) in Kwajalein Atoll being shelled by US Navy ships on 30 January 1944, among them US NAVY / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN was the battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59) Look at a map of the Pacific The Marshall Islands Ocean and follow a line south- consist of 29 atolls with a total land mass west of Hawaii. Right after cross- around 180 square ing the International Date Line, kilometers (70 sq. but just before crossing the miles), (about the size equator sits the Republic of the of Seattle), but the at- olls cover over 750,000 Marshall Islands. What could square miles of ocean possibly be a map maker’s (think the size of Mex- accidental green spots in the ico.) Anyone looking vast pool of blue represent- at this region of the Pacific would guess ing the Pacific Ocean, many the diving would be have never heard of these tiny pretty amazing and islands which are home to fan- it doesn’t disappoint. Healthy reefs, plenty US NAVY / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN tastic underwater treasures. of fish, and a lagoon The Marshall Islands, particu- filled with WWII shipwrecks, airplanes, many’s defeat in WWI. During WWII, in larly Kwajalein Atoll, played a discarded military supplies. There is even retribution for Pearl Harbor, United States large role in the Pacific Theater a ship that almost survived two nuclear forces attacked in 1943 and 1944. Many bombs. Welcome to Kwajalein Atoll. divers know all about Operation Hail- of World War II and what was stone which took place in Truk Lagoon, left behind in one of the Earth’s WWII—Operation Flintlock because it gave us some of the best largest atolls will keep any diver Kwajalein Atoll was an important base tropical wreck diving in the world. But entertained for many dives. for the Japanese Imperial Navy that less know about Operation Flintlock, a had been awarded to them after Ger- campaign in January and February of Kwajalein Atoll from above. PREVIOUS PAGE: Green sea turtle on a kingpost of Asakazi Maru 15 X-RAY MAG : 72 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Kwajalein Diver (left) photographs batfish on Asakazi Maru; Nurse shark (top center) and eagle ray (above) with diver over Asakazi Maru; Bow and bow gun of Asakazi Maru (right) 1944 prior to that in Truk. This battle was lowing days. Kwajalein was bombarded goons. Almost 75 years later, those wrecks cember 1943 with Operation Flintlock K-5, is a popular wreck with a resident also devastating to the Japanese Impe- at the southern tip of the atoll. The attack have been reborn underwater. Today, starting 29 January 1945. In December, green sea turtle usually seen sleeping in rial Navy, leaving more than 12 large came by air and sea, and media reported they are covered in colorful corals and several ships were sank, including the one of the kingposts. It is thought that wrecks sunk as well as several airplanes that more than 1,600 tons of ammuni- sponges, the bow guns have tiny blue Asakazi Maru, Choko Maru and Shoyei three 1,000lb bombs hit the vessel and and much military surplus underwater. tion was expended upon Kwajalein over damselfishes living in them, and green Maru. The Asakazi and Choko were both it was reported to have sunk in less than Prior to Operation Flintlock, air raids had 24 hours, which equates to at least three sea turtles find refuge on the crossbeams attacked on December 4 and the Shoyei five hours. The damage from the bombs already sunk and damaged cargo ships, shells or bombs hitting the island every of kingposts. Nutrient rich, warm tropical Maru on December 19. can be easily seen underwater as the en- and light cruisers around both Roi-Namur second. The islands of Kwajalein and Roi- waters have led to marine life flourishing tire superstructure lay in a heap. Recent and Kwajalein islands. Starting on 29 Janu- Namur, as well as others, were leveled to on these historical wrecks from the past. Asakazi Maru. The Asakazi Maru, called storms have also caused more damage ary 1945, islands to the northeast of the the ground with hardly a tree left standing. K-5 Upright by local divers because it is to the ship. atoll were attacked, including Roi-Namur. Many ships and planes were sent to the Diving the wrecks—Kwajalein sitting upright and because of its close There is a 3-inch bow gun on a turret Smaller islands were captured in the fol- bottom of one of the world’s largest la- The attacks on Kwajalein started in De- proximity to a Coast Guard buoy labeled and a machine gun on the starboard 16 X-RAY MAG : 72 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Kwajalein Diver (top left), longnose hawkfish (left), bow gun (above) and lionfish (lower left) on the wreck of Choko Maru side of the wheelhouse. in the sand and many from Truk Lagoon, the ship received Popular artifacts to see pipes can be seen, hav- three direct hits on 31 January in the holds include sake ing fallen out of the holds 1944 from a single-engine plane bottles and the outer onto the seafloor. and was reported to have sunk in section of a small car. The less than five minutes. Today, the ship is 73m (424ft) and Shoyei Maru. The Shoyei ship is home to a timid school of the top deck sits at about Maru (or possibly Syoei barracuda and some very friendly 30m (100ft). Nurse sharks Maru) was sunk by a glide batfish that insist on following divers are often seen resting on bombing attack on 19 around throughout their dive. the top deck and eagle December 1943. The ship The ship has two kingposts that rays frequently swim past lies upside down at 42m are around 20m (60ft) and a large divers. (140ft). Next to the ship is smoke stack with a pretty anemone a F1M2 Pete, which may most divers visit on each dive. The Choko Maru. Also sunk on Decem- kingposts with resident longnose have been on the deck of the smoke stack also has the insignia ber 4 was the Choko Maru, known hawkfish. The 103m (340ft) ship is plane when it sank. markings of Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, as Barracuda Junction. Of course, sitting on its port side in 44m (145ft) the ship’s merchant owner. once you name a wreck after an of water. A 3-inch deck gun on a Akibasan Maru. The Akibasan The holds of the Akibasan Maru animal, you never see that animal platform at the bow points towards Maru, known as P-buoy, is one of are fantastic with many excit- there again. In lieu of barracuda, the surface at a very photogenic my favorite wrecks. Sitting upright ing artifacts. In hold #2, there are the wreck does have several lion- angle. Turtles and eagle rays are in about 49m (160ft), this 115m seaplane wings and pontoons with fish that live in the cargo holds as common visitors and the stern has (375ft) long ship is a fantastic dive. kanji characters, previously thought well as black coral on one of the bomb damage. Two kingposts rest Having arrived just two days earlier to be meant for Mavis seaplanes, 17 X-RAY MAG : 72 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Kwajalein Diver on the Tateyama Maru (left); Batfish on the Akibasan Maru (above); The Phantom Maru (top right) was so named because divers kept finding it and losing it and then finding it again; Pretty pink anemone on the Tateyama Maru (right); Unexploded ordinance in a cargo hold of Tateyama Maru (far right) although they were recently put a light to it and the shown to actually be for E14Y1 hull is covered in huge Glen floatplanes. Other holds purple elephant ear contain Japanese beer bottles, sponges that are often sake bottles and shoe soles. shading sleeping green sea turtles. The ship was Tateyama Maru. The Tatey- likely a converted water ama Maru (K5-side) is another carrier bringing supplies favorite of the Kwaj diving to Kwajalein and was community. This 103m (340ft) probably sunk by one or ship sits on its starboard side at more 1,000lb bombs. about 42m (140ft) in the sand. A pretty pink anemone sits on Phantom Maru. Head- the top rail with several anem- ing north, away from onefish and cleaner shrimp. the island of Kwajalein, several kept finding it and losing it and chine gun at the bow and the Schools of trevally are a com- ships can be found closer to the finding it again, is an unknown superstructure is mostly disin- mon sight, as are friendly batfish. island of Ebeye and even fur- Japanese wreck only about tegrated except for the metal The sponge covering a lot of ther towards Bigei.
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