The crystal blue waters of the South Pacific hold the remnants of the last century’s Pacific Theater – war between Japan and the US that left so many dead, maimed and imprisoned in horrific encampments all through the area. Now Shipwreck Secrets peels back time and reveals the history of the Japanese ghost fleet on Sunday’s no miss episode.
The treasure and artifact hunting series on Science Channel rounds out their Sunday programming paired with the Curse of The Bermuda Triangle, the explorations at times overlapping but with decidedly different angles.
And this weekend, we’ll see one that will delight anyone who is a WWII history buff, and anyone interested in maritime riddles.
The Japanese Ghost Fleet
This Sunday, join Science Channel as we head beneath the waves of a cerulean blue lagoon in the tranquil South Pacific, the beautiful setting belies the fact that there are more than 60 shipwrecks, and scattered munitions and bombs, bullets, and even beach mines that still have explosive power and can kill an unwary tourist.
These highly explosive products on board are examined by Michael Barnette and his team of experts who all agree, the Japanese Ghost Ships existing still is a miracle, not vaporized during the attack
We learn in the exclusive clip that most of these iron skeletons of what were once lethal warships have been well documented, but one
underwater explorer now believes that he has evidence of an unknown wreck which may rewrite the history of what happened at this spooky underwater marker of lives lost.
This wartime graveyard is scattered about in Micronesia, mainly around the Dublon, Eten, Fefan and Uman islands found in the Truk group, and as we learn, a number of these wartime shipwrecks lie in stunning crystal clear waters less than 50 feet below the surface.
The video reveals Barnette and his crew finding something new and not known to be in that area.
It’s a bit detective work, some forensics and historical digging, and with scant records that can help and little to no help from the people on the island, they have to piece together war records and oral histories of those who had participated in the battles and perhaps knew something about this mysterious now underwater fleet.
Barnette aims to find out why the ship is there what will they discover and will it reveal. Could there be lost secrets of what has become known as the Japanese ghost fleet resurrected and fleshed out?
What is Shipwreck Secrets?
Host and marine biologist and underwater explorer Michael Barnette takes us all over the planet as we find ships and vessels thought lost forever.
He offers a fascinating insight and uses scientific means to find and explore archived and forgotten wrecks as he investigates the missing and the mysterious wreckage under the water’s surface.
What other maritime mysteries are explored?
The SS Justicia — A British ship sunk during World War I, torpedoed by a submarine near Malin’s Head, Ireland.
The Ghost Ships of Chuuk Lagoon — In 1944, American forces launched an attack on Japan’s primary World War II base in the South Pacific, and over a two-day bombardment, more than 60 Japanese Imperial Vessels ended up on the floor of the lagoon, partly in retribution for Pearl Harbor.
And the Lake Serpent — A 200-year-old schooner lies at the bottom of Lake Erie, which was an integral part of the North American trade route through the Great Lakes.
Tune in Sunday to see why the Japanese fleet is where it lays and what dangers are still present to this day:
Shipwreck Secrets airs Sundays at 8/7c on the Science Channel.