Page 210 - Micronesia
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CHUUK LAGOON – SIDE 2 KENSHO MARU 384’ (116m), 4,862-ton Passenger-Cargo ship was
struck by a bomb and set afire in December, 1943 in Kwajalein
FRANKO MAPS DESCRIPTIONS – SIDE TWO TOP HALF Lagoon, at which time she was run aground to keep from sink-
ing. On February 17, 1944 she was hit on the stern by a bomb
TRIBUTE TO KIMIUO AISEK When Operation Hailstone unfolded dropped by aircraft from USS Yorktown CV10. On February 18,
on February 17-18, 1944, Truk native Kimiuo Aisek was there to 1944, aircraft from USS Enterprise, USS Monterey and USS Bunker
eyewitness the terrifying events. The 17 year-old became a walk- Hill CV17 attacked the Kensho Maru. A torpedo hit amidships,
ing history of the battle, and he knew every event of the attack. and she promptly sank.
Years later Kimiuo’s memory came in handy as he began scuba
diving and finding the shipwrecks in the lagoon. Kimiuo gained MAIKAZE & NOWAKE 389’ (119m), 2,490-ton Kagero class De-
legendary fame as a great fisherman and a dive master, the stroyers
founder of the Truk Lagoon (Chuuk) underwater diving industry.
He is called the greatest diver in the Pacific, a great man of the AKAGI MARU 463’ (141m), 7,398-ton Cargo Ship
sea with a big heart.
HEIAN MARU 510’ (155m), 11,614-ton Passenger-Cargo Ship was
FUMITSUKI 320’ (98m), 1,913-ton Mutsuki Class Destroyer built built in 1930 at a cost of $15,000,000. On her maiden voyage she
in 1926 was one of only two real Navy ships in Truk Lagoon. She set a trans-Pacific speed record on a trip to Seattle with passen-
was capable of over 33 knots fully loaded, but was under repair gers traveling in English-style luxury. She was converted into
at the time of her demise, when around the middle of the day on a Navy submarine tender in 1941. On February 17, 1944 a dive
February 17, 1944, three 500-lb bombs were dropped on her as bomber from the USS Yorktown CV10 hit near the bow exploding
she tried to evade. The ship was engulfed in flames and began the superstructure in a fiery inferno. On the 18th two torpedo
to sink and list to port. She dropped anchors, but went down by bombers from USS Bunker Hill scored near misses, but damaged
the next morning. the ship. The ship was then hit by Avenger torpedo bombers,
which caused an explosion, sinking the ship.
