Destruction of Truk
(February 17-18, 1944)

Truk had been the main base for Combined Fleet since the beginning of the war, and for the first two years of the conflict was considered an unassailable bastion. However, by early 1944 the American carrier forces in the Pacific had grown so monumentally in strength that attacks that would have been unthinkable a mere six months earlier became possible. In early February, Task Force 58 under Admiral Mitscher came against Truk with an enormous force of eight carriers and six battleships. Warned by radio intelligence, the Japanese had withdrawn the majority of their heavy surface units immediately prior. However, the Americans had a field day against the few light surface combatants they found, as well as against the numerous transports anchored in the lagoon. In two days of raids, American aircraft destroyed most of the ground facilities and fighter cover, and wiped out practically everything afloat. Those vessels which managed to flee the atoll were eliminated by the American surface and submarine forces ringing the area. Truk was reduced to near-uselessness, and would sit out the remainder of the war as a virtual backwater, cut of from the ongoing American offenses in the central Pacific.

Destruction of TrukJapanAllied
Starting Forces Various light surface
Various transport vessels
x350 		x5
x3
x6
Numerous CA, CL, and DD
x600 (approx.)
Losses x2 sunk (Agano, Katori, Naka)
x2 sunk (Fumizuki, Tachikaze, Maikaze, Oite)
1 aircraft ferry, 2 sub tenders, 1 auxiliary merchant cruiser, 6 tankers, and 17 merchantmen sunk.
x230-280 (approx.) destroyed 		x1 moderately damaged (Intrepid)
x25 destroyed, including eight non-combat lost

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