Back to Contents, WW2 Stories | Back to WWII Stories
Truk Surrender
  |
|
On August 28, 1945, a U.S. plane dropped a message on Dublon Island, directing the Japanese surrender of Truk. On August 30th, the USS Stack, with Brigadier General L. D. Hermle, USMC, aboard, and the USS Osmus arrived in Truk Lagoon. Rear Admiral Michi Sumikawa, chief of staff to the senior naval commander of the area, and five other officers boarded the Stack and received instructions for the surrender.
|
|
On September 2, Vice Admiral G. D. Murray, Commander Marianas Area, aboard the USS Portland (CA33), accepted the unconditional surrender of all the Japanese islands and military personnel under the jurisdiction of the senior Japanese Army and Navy officers based at Truk and of the civilian personnel of the South Seas Government.
This was the largest scale surrender in the Pacific Ocean Areas. The commander 31st Imperial Japanese Army, Lieutenant General Shunzaburo Magikura, controlled Truk, the Palaus, the Mortlocks, Wake, Mille, Ponape, Kusaie, Jaluit, Maloelap, Wotje, Puluwat, Woleai, Rota and Pagan. The Commander, Imperial Japanese Fouth Fleet, Vice Admital Chinchi Hara, was responsible for Namoluk, Nauru and Ocean Islands. The head of the Eastern Branch of the South Seas Government, Rear Admiral Aritaka Aihara, signed for the 9,000 civilians on all these islands.
|
 Lt. General Shunzaburo Mugikura, Commander Japanese 31st Army, signs the Surrender Document. National Archive Photo.
|
||
The surrender revealed that Truk had never been the Truk of legend, but only a "fraud among fortresses." The "impregnable defenses" proved to have been merely superficial at their best and the military force stationed on the atoll, reputed to number 130,000, actually amounted to 38,354, including 3,245 Koreans. Of this number, 14,294 were Army, 9,841 Navy, and 14,219 naval construction workers (Gunzokus). Enemy civilians on Truk totaled 1,590. Native Carolinians numbered 9,082. In addition, there were 793 Nauruans, 8 Germans, 7 Spaniards, and 6 Chinese. The Germans and Spaniards were missionaries.
Both the Japanese and the natives had survived the war well, although, since the supply ships had stopped coming more than a year before, a shortage of food had always been imminent.
Practically every square foot of open land was planted in sweet potatoes which provided the mail item for food. Only on Moen where insects had destroyed the crop was there any evidence of malnutrition. United States forces did not occupy Truk immediately after the formal surrender on September 2nd. At that time the Japanese officials were instructed to make preparations for the eventual occupation and on October 2, 1945, Brigadier General Robert Blake, USMC arrived at Truk aboard the USS Columbia (CL 56) to inspect the atoll.
|
|||
 Vice Admiral Chuichi Hara signs the Surrender Document before Vice Admiral George D. Murray, who accepts the surrender on behalf of Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean areas. National Archives Photo.
|
Japanese representatives had been previously directed by radio to proceed to his ship on October 3rd, and complying with this order a party composed of 16 Japanese army and navy officers with interpreters came out to our ship at 10000 the day after we anchored. They arrived in their own motor launch flying the Japanese flag flanked by a white surrender flag. It was a memorable sight to see the Japanese general and the admiral and their staffs saluting smartly as each stepped aboard our ship.
Their clothes were clean but often patched or frayed and while they wore various decorations and insignia of rank, they carried no swords or weapons and could be described as smartly dressed.
|
||
Places had been arranged for them at two large tables in the wardroom where General Blake and his staff sat facing them against a background of the American flag. In reply to questions as to progress made on the terms of surrender, they presented through their own or our inerpreters very complete charts and figures. During the two hour conference, they were given further instructions on procedure. The general argument they presented was that the supply of food especially rice would last only thirty days longer and that the entire garrison ov over 30,000 men was in a desparate situation....
They politely accepted cigarettes and matches and conducted themselves quite properly during the conference. The general impression was that they had made a good record to date in complying with the surrender terms handed to them by Admiral Murray several weeks before and that they wanted to finish the job and get back home as soon as Japanese troop ships could call for them.*
On October 4 and 5, General Blake and his party landed on Dublon and Moen Islands. The first Americans to go ashore in Truk in eighteen years. Both islands were inspected thoroughly and contact was made with the Trukese chiefs.
During September and October, several islands outlying from Truk were visited by search and evacuation parties and the surrender received of those where enemy forces were stationed.
Puluwat, to the west of Truk, had a garrison of 741 Army and 27 Navy personnel; all were removed on October 16 under the supervision Lieutenant Colonel L. D. Spurlock, USMC, with a detachment of Marines from the Truk Occupation Force. Nomoi, south of Truk, had 719 Army and 250 Navy personnel; their removal was completed on November 1. Namoluk, located between Truk and Nomoi, had 18 naval personnel removed during the same period.
The actual occupation of Truk took place on November 24 when General Blake returned as Commander Truk and Central Carolines Occupation Forces and landed his troops on Moen. The occupation forces, embarked in the USS Neville and the LST's 716, 757 and 842, consisted of the 2nd Battalion, Acorn 52, the Military Government Unit, a Base Headquarters Company (Provisional) and an Army Airways Communication System (AACS). The landing was completed on November 25 and the flag raised and Proclamation Number One read on the same day.
Because of the limited size of the occupation forces, the troop strength was concentrated on one island in the atoll. Moen was chosen as the site for the headquarters because of its airfield, one strip of which was 3,500 feet and capable of being extended to 5,000 feet.
 |
|||