Page 198 - Micronesia

HINKOKU MARU – The Shinkoku Maru was built in 1939 by the and her medical bay is always an interesting diversion along with
arrays of engine and docking telegraphs on an upper bridge level.
S Kawasaki Dockyard for the Kobe Sanbashi K.K. Line as a mod-
ern tanker. Her construction was subsidized by the fuel starved Huge diesel engines and guns fore and aft round out the attrac-

Japanese Navy and her first voyages were carrying oil from the tions. The bow gun of the Sinkoku Maru is heavily encrusted with

United States to Japan, prior to the embargo. The Imperial Japa- colorful coral, and this wreck is a wonderful night dive. The soft

nese Navy then converted her to a fleet oiler and Shinkoku Maru’s corals and hydroids are quite beautiful. And her operating room is

most noteworthy mission was her participation in the Pearl Harbor the only one in Truk Lagoon. This ship is, without a doubt, one of

attack as part of Admiral Nagumo’s strike force. Later she partici- the most popular and beautiful wrecks in the lagoon. LENGTH: 500

pated in the attack on Ceylon and then performed general re- Ft. / 152m, DEPTH: Superstructure: 40 Ft./12m, DEPTH: Deck: 65

supply duties. In August 1942, she was torpedoed by an American Ft./20m, DPETH: Bottom: 125 Ft./38m, Gross Tonnage: 10,020 tons.

submarine. She was at anchor in Truk at time of the “Hailstone” at- U NKAI MARU - The Unkai Maru was built in 1905 by the W. Grey
tack, surviving two days of attacks and two aerial torpedo hits un- Shipyard of England as the freighter S/S Venus. The ship was
til finally sinking in mid lagoon at center of then abandoned Com-

bined Fleet moorings. She sits in 30-125’ of water and was sunk by sold in 1911 to the Japanese Nakamura Kisen Line for use by the

USS Bunker Hill torpedo plane, after six shots initially missed the Japanese Navy as a general cargo transport. Unkai Maru survived

target. The masts used to stick out of the water, but were removed several attacks during “Operation Hailstone” before being sunk.

to prevent ships from snagging them. The wreck’s location was She was struck by an aerial torpedo and later by bombs. The fires

then forgotten, and it was rediscovered in 1971. Many types of and flooding finally put her on the bottom where she sits upright.

fish live in this wreck and has spacious storage area. The ship is The Unkai Maru is one of the oldest ships in Truk Lagoon. LENGTH:

one of the most interesting in the lagoon with vivid corals, and 305 Ft. / 93m, DEPTH: Superstructure: 80 Ft./ 24m, DEPTH: Deck:

fish life along with fine arrays of shipboard artifacts. Night dives 100 Ft./30m, DEPTH: Bottom: 130 Ft./40m, Gross Tonnage: 3,220

are supreme and rank with ‘best ever’. The soft corals and hydroids tons.

that emerge after dark turn Shinkoku Maru into a hanging garden