Page 161 - Micronesia
P. 161
Operation Hailstone: Death and Destruction
During World War II, Truk Lagoon was most formidable of all Japanese strong- radar station were constructed during the
the Empire of Japan’s main base holds in the Pacific. On the various islands, war. Protecting these various facilities were
in the South Pacific theatre. Truk was a the Japanese Civil Engineering Depart- coastal defense guns and mortar emplace-
heavily fortified base for Japanese opera- ment and Naval Construction Depart- ments. Due to its heavy fortifications, both
tions against Allied forces in New Guinea ment had built roads, trenches, bunkers natural and manmade, the base at Truk
and the Solomon Islands, serving as the and caves. Five airstrips, seaplane bases, was known to Allied forces as “the Gibraltar
forward anchorage for the Japanese Impe- a torpedo boat station, submarine repair of the Pacific”.
rial Fleet. Truk Lagoon was considered the shops, a communications center and a
