Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon

The present day location of the Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon is one of the more active regions of the Pacific World War II combat theater. It saw more combat activity, and ships that eventually were wrecked in the region than nearly any location in the Pacific wartime theater.

The Japanese had a series of active Imperial Navy bases located in the Central Pacific that span the area referred to now as the Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon Region. Many ships of the Japanese Navy hid in the area, and it was the scene of a huge Allied Navy attack in 1944.

During the US and Allied Forces Naval attack at Truk lagoon, nearly 50 ships were sank. The ships make up what is commonly referred to in modern times as the “Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon”.

The region is about 40 miles wide, and located across an oceanic atoll located close to the surface of the Pacific Waters. Parts of the region reach to depths of nearly 300 feet deep, and with the location of over 50 nearly intact shipwrecks, it is thought to be one of the most productive diving areas in the world for would be diving hobbyists.

The Japanese Imperial fleet based at one time nearly 1000 ships and different vessels in the Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon region. The Allied forces mounted what was called “Operation Hailstone” in 1944 to chase out or sink as many Japanese vessels as they could from the area.

Some of the best scuba diving in the world can be had in the Ghost Truk Lagoon region, but be warned, diving is possible but taking any artifacts or coins is strictly prohibited.

This activity destroyed the Japanese base and sank more than 50 ships and over 100 airplanes in the region. The Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon has been declared a historic area by the Government of Micronesia, and any taking of artifacts when diving is strictly prohibited.