I

n September 1944, United States
Navy Admiral “Bull” Halsey’s fleet
was heading north toward Luzon.
Having no accurate charts of the
area, he sent reconnaissance planes
ahead to map out a route. As they
flew over Coron Bay, they
discovered an auxiliary Japanese
fleet at anchor in the bay. He
immediately ordered an air attack.
The sortie was to cover a chart
distance of 350 miles (564km) from
the carriers east of Leyte to Coron
Bay. This became one of the longest
bombing missions in the history of
U.S. Naval aviation.
Action reports show that just
before dawn at 05:55 hrs. local time
on September 24, the carriers
Lexington, Intrepid and Cabot

launched their planes. In all, 24

bombers and 96 fighters were

ordered to sweep by on the bay

area. After a three-hour flight they

surprised 15 Japanese ships in the

bay, the Coron Passage, the area just

west of Coron Island as well as

three more vessels in a

remote anchorage at the northern

coast of Busuanga.

Ships attacked ranged in size from

small freighters to 15,000 ton

tankers. To date, nine of these

wrecks have been discovered

around Coron and are regularly

visited by divers. The others

believed to have been hit await

discovery. Corals and fish life now

thrive on the ships and many are

shallow enough for snorkelers.

The Skeleton Wreck

Coron War History