Sunken LVT4 of Agat Beach, Guam

[wanderingwillys]

Sunken LVT4 off Agat Beach, Guam

This one is a bit past resto efforts but I was still pretty stoked to get the chance to dive the wreck and check it out while I was down in Guam doing a marine diesel engine overhaul for Military Sealift Command (250mm bore V-16 Bergen)...

Anyhow - enjoy - I took some video too but I think it's took big to post - might be able to link it

Matt

 

[wanderingwillys]

Also got to hike up to the Yona tank farm - only two things left up there these days but we slogged through plenty of scrub brush, sword grass, and the stickiest red mud you can imagine to check it out...

There is a Sherman with duckbills and the very sparce remains of another LVT4...

Cool stuff none the less...

How often do you get to see abandoned WWII armor!?



Matt

 

[camoyj7]

Very cool!

 

[Shark Bait]

Cool pics. Makes me wanna get in the water again, soon!

 

[salt6]

How deep was the LTV?

 

[Monkeyboyarmy]

I'm just starting the restoration of an LVT4. Can you get some dimensions for me lol? Great pics though.

 

[turnkey]

Got to go to Siapan and lots of cool stuff there to photo and play in.....Someone hual alot of stuff to the last jap command post like jap tanks ...minisub..and lots of weapons...took lots of photos dove on jap seaplane in habour ...70s..

 

[wanderingwillys]

How deep was the LVT?

It's sitting at 45ft to 50ft depending on the tide -- was pretty happy to find it since the directions were something like "go to the cemetery and look for a steel pipe going into the water; follow it until it goes into the surf, then swim due west and follow the coral canyons, stay straight-ish, and just when you think you won't find it... there it is"

 

[wanderingwillys]

This little guy is sitting by the entrance to big Navy... Would take a certain hardened individual to operate this battery operated tin can chasing after full sized ships...

The guns are in Piti and were not yet finished when the US invaded so they survived in the jungle and were discovered covered in camouflage net during the mop up - Vickers Model 3 140mm (5.5") coastal defense guns...

The last spider hole was just a random position that covers the reef break at Tumon Bay - I just stumbled upon it walking in front of the hotel...


Matt

 

[FrankUSMC]

Back in the 1990s, on Guam they uncovered a very complete Marine M3 halftrack with the 75mm cannon on it. It looked to have been bushed into a trench and buried at the end of the war. Is it on display on Guam?
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

 

[wanderingwillys]

Hiya Frank - the Pacific War Museum (which is a temple to the USMC) has a half track with just a 1919 on a tower but no 75mm cannon mounted - John's wife mentioned they have another site with lots more un-restored vehicles but didn't mention that half track specifically...

They had some cool stuff - lots of salvaged guns (light and heavy pieces), a weasel on 15" tracks, a V100, and a fairly complete Otter, and some other misc stuff... She said they also had a LVT4 but it's pretty tired (not on display)

 

[FrankUSMC]

WOW...wow, a Japanese 3x2 cargo motorcycle!! Is this the one known as a Sanrinsha?
On the Marine vehicles, I wish they would have taken an extra 5 minutes and looked up how to mark them, as they have some very nice and rare vehicles.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

 

[tbearatkin]

I have an old hand grenade I found right around that tank back in 1998-1999 time frame. That tank farm area is a popular hiking spot for many military members. There is a nice waterfall on up from their where people swim. Dove on the LVT as well. The two warships in the harbor that were sunk in two different wars sitting side by side was kind of strange. One was sunk in WW I and the other WW II. They are right around 90ft if I remember correctly. The Hand Grenade was made inert by EOD. Today it would not have made it on the airplane in my luggage. Lots of old ordance still on that Island. There is the tank cave up in the Navmag area as well.

 

[wanderingwillys]

Yeah - I totally wanted to dive the SMS Cormoran and the Tokai Maru but the schedule didn't quite line up - was also interested in the Seabee Junkyard but I guess now it's a boat access only dive since they gated the breakwater...

Interesting how much stuff gets spit out of the ground even 70 years later - I'll probably go back next year for more work at the shipyard so we'll see what else I can dive then... How much of the LVT next to the Sherman was left or is it pretty much as pictured when you were there?

Frank - I am not sure of the model - they were saying it was something like 1 of 3 known; so super rare regardless! - I think John had a bit of resto-mod in him - hence the markings are not 100% - more just for fun... It's a totally private museum so they do what they can - if they had a proper curatorial staff on hand the collection would be pretty amazing - it's still very good for a hobby museum