Truk Lagoon

North of New Guinea is a sheltered body of water in the central Pacific that consists of 11 large islands and 46 smaller ones. Ironically, these islands were given to the Japanese after its seizure from the Germans and mandate from the League of Nations post-World War I. These islands served as a forward anchorage for the Japanese Imperial fleet during World War II. It was heavily developed, described as the equivalent of America's Pearl Harbor.

Truk Lagoon was attacked on February 17, 1944 by Allied forces. The assault (Operation Hailstorm) spanned three days, resulting in the sinking of 60 ships and 275 aircraft. These found their place at the bottom of the sea where for many decades they sat in a gloomy abyss. Alien to their environment, they served as a catalyst for marine life in the area. Today they are a protected reef considered to be a diver's paradise after being popularized by Jacques Cousteau's 1971 television documentary where he brought the coral-encrusted wrecks to light. This new synthetic ecosystem now houses over 266 unique species (2007 Earthwatch study).

[Image courtesy of http://aquaviews.net]