Tonoas, the traditional name for the island called
Dublon during the war, was the location for the Japanese
military and civil headquarters for Chuuk before, and during
World War II. Tonoas was extensively modified leading up to, and
during the war. Land was reclaimed, trees and vegetation were
cleared, and traditional historic sites were interfered with.
The massive migration of Japanese onto Tonoas had a big effect
on the Chuukese living there.
Before the war,
under military (Navy) administration from 1914 to 1922, then
civilian administration from 1922 to about 1937, Japanese and
Chuukese lived reasonably comfortable together. The Japanese
provided Chuukese with work, education and health, and as in
other colonial settings, alienation of Chuukese land, and the
breakdown of Chuukese traditional lifestyles occurred at this
time. The war changed this delicate relationship, many Chuukese
were forced from their homes, and the island itself; education
stopped; forced labor was introduced to carry-out the many
military construction projects; and the breadfruit, coconut and
banana trees were either cut-down or made unavailable for
Chuukese consumption.
During the war Tonoas was a hive of activity. A civilian
township comprising all the facilities to expect of a small
town, called Dublon Town was located in the southeast section of
the island. The Japanese Fourth Fleet was based on Tonoas and
they established buildings and facilities, many of them were
prefabricated wooden structures, built onto concrete foundations
with a tin roof. There was also a submarine base, a seaplane
base, a number of very large fuel tanks, and a repair facility
for vessels. There was also a number of small and large
buildings established as 'comfort houses' where women were
forced to entertain Japanese men. The island contains numerous
guns that were used in its defence, as well as many small and
large tunnels to shelter people, equipment and munitions from
the bombing.
Another example is to be found on the island of Weno, at Sapuk.
The Sapuk Lighthouse, located at the eastern end of Weno in the
vicinity of Sapuk village, was built by the Japanese in 1937 and
operated as a light for guiding shipping into the lagoon. During
the war it operated as an observation post and the location for
a powerful searchlight. Given its strategic proximity to the
north and north east passes through the barrier reef, the
vicinity was heavily armed with four 20cm coastal defense guns
and numerous other smaller calibre weapons (Bailey, 2000).
The four guns point 25°, 95°, 135° and 355°, ie. guarding just
west of north through to the south east, which includes the
north and north east passes. Gun 2 had the following inscription
on the rear of the breech 'Stabilimento Armstrong Pozzuoli'
being a gun manufactured by an Italian subsidiary of W.G.
Armstrong and Co. Ltd (Spennemann, 1995).
The lighthouse building consists of a circular concrete
structure approximately 12 metres in height and 50 cms in
thickness (at the base) which contains the circular staircase
leading up to the steel rotating mechanism for the light, which
is still insitu. The building is built of thick reinforced
concrete and has three levels, the ground floor comprises four
rooms and still has of its mosaic tiled floor in the largest
room. The second level contains a balcony that has a north /
north east aspect, perhaps built to allow for army personnel to
defend the position. The third level contains the rotating
mechanism.
Much of the outside of the structure shows the scars of the
strafing from USA/British aircraft.
Two small pillboxes are located adjacent the northern ground
floor level and what could be an air raid shelter is located 30
metres further north. Wells can be found on the western edge of
the boundary of the flattened area of land.
The remains of a Japanese road from the base of the small hill
and in the general area of the four 20cm guns leads up to the
remains of two small concrete buildings, of which one is covered
with thick vegetation. This is also the start of the 90 concrete
steps that lead up to the lighthouse circular tower and
building.
Colt Denfield (1981) who carried out a survey of the World War
II land sites in Chuuk stated about the Sapuk Lighthouse 'This
is an exceptional site complex when seen in context with the
turret guns below it; together they form one of the best
preserved defensive positions, not only in Truk, but in all
Micronesia.' The four 20 cm turret guns were taken from our
Japanese cruisers Iwami, Iwate, Nishin and Kasuga and are the
largest coastal defense guns located in Chuuk. They have a range
of 18,000 metres (11 miles).
Perhaps the most dramatic reminder of the war and how it shaped
Chuuk is in Etten (Eten) Island. This island was greatly
'enlarged' or reclaimed to accommodate its use as a fighter
plane airstrip. The USA dropped many bombs on this island, to
try and destroy it and these scars can still be seen today.
