TRUK and YAP in March

[pilot fish]

The troop transport was the aikoko and im sure it had 1600 on board, what are the books you have?

"Hailstorm Over Truk Lagoon" by Lindeman and "WWII Wrecks of Truk Lagoon" by Dan Bailey.

 

[pilot fish]

The troop transport was the aikoko and im sure it had 1600 on board, what are the books you have?

I don't see the Aikoko listed in either book but I do show a ship close to that name, Aikoku Maru, an auxilary cruiser, not troop ship. What was the name of the troop ship?

 

[Mike Veitch]

oops.. yes Hailstorm

Desecrate was Palau

 

[pilot fish]

oops.. yes Hailstorm

Desecrate was Palau

Informative book but no data of Japan's personnel losses in the raid on Truk. Strange, huh?

 

[+Jon+]

Aikoku Maru was being used as a troop transport....its the ship ive been calling aikoko

 

[pilot fish]

Aikoku Maru was being used as a troop transport....its the ship ive been calling aikoko

Yes, ship was refitted in 1943 as transport but it lists a complement of 133 crew and 400 passengers, with no detail of passengers at time of sinking. It gives every other type of detail but not death toll. It is very possible it was carrying the passenger load, 1600, you quote but it does not state that anywhere. Frustrating to see such a crucial detail omitted. Why

 

[+Jon+]

There is a book more detailed than the hailstorm book but cant remeber the name of it, its a hard cover with glossy photos it also has each ships layout...At the time of the attack the aikoku had just loaded up with soldiers i think, it was sunk not far from what was then a dock. There are several docos about the attack with actual footage taken from the attacking aircraft....cpt lance on the thorfinn has all of this stuff.

 

[Diver Dennis]

There were a lot of islanders killed on these ships as well I think. Someone there told me the Japanese had them doing maintenance etc.

 

[pilot fish]

There is a book more detailed than the hailstorm book but cant remeber the name of it, its a hard cover with glossy photos it also has each ships layout...At the time of the attack the aikoku had just loaded up with soldiers i think, it was sunk not far from what was then a dock. There are several docos about the attack with actual footage taken from the attacking aircraft....cpt lance on the thorfinn has all of this stuff.

That's Dan Bailey's "WWII wrecks of Truk Lagoon", which I have, which also does not give that data.

 

[pilot fish]

There were a lot of islanders killed on these ships as well I think. Someone there told me the Japanese had them doing maintenance etc.

That's correct. Some islanders got their revenge when they gave testimony at War Crimes trials of beheadings, stabbings and beatings of American, British and Australian prisoners of war, the greatest number being Americans.