AHC: Have 1st atomic bomb target struck be Truk (Chu'uk) lagoon IJN anchorage (as planned at one poi

Against the shore facilities, raharris1973 . See MAP.



The Japanese Combined Fleet held administrative control over the naval base> There were four principle anchorages.\
a. Capital ships were berthed in the lee waters off Fefan Island, south of Mount Iron. 
b. Merchant vessels and logistics ships were parked to the east of Fefan and north of Umman.
c. Destroyers, tenders, submarines and large auxiliaries were assigned anchorage spots in deep water southeast of Moen, between the protective reefs that acted as natural anti-torpedo defenses and a natural boundary marker, since this area was a bit too shallow for the deeper draft Japaneses warships.
d. Onamue Cove was a delousing and overflow parking space for unassigned new arrivals, since Piannu Pass was the primary entry and exit into the lagoon. 

In many ways, Chu'UK was laid out much like Scapa Flow. It presented an interesting air raid problem. How to hit it might not be obvious. The Americans chose the southwest vector, being a bit obvious about it. They were after Japanese "Battleship Row". They were disappointed to find the IJN fled in December of 1943, leaving behind only stranded merchantmen and naval auxiliaries.       

There was a major airfield complex  and seaplane base on Fefan on the southern shore and plain. Tol had the most airfields, with 3 or 5, I forget how many. This is where the Japanese flattop air groups parked themselves ashore when not embarked. The dashed lines are the various entry / exit channels and routes assigned to ships based on their drafts, with arrows that lead to their appropriate berth areas as those were deemed to suit the ship's drafts. 
  
Obviously, you drop two bombs as close together in time as you can manage on Fefan and Tol, one bomb each, to wreck the shore facilities. Once the Japanese come boiling out for a fight, you wait with the Fifth Fleet and go full Turkey Shoot on them, if you can catch them as they emerge before they form up. 

That was the intent of HAILSTONE originally, minus the atomic bombs, of course.