Researchers discovered the wreck of the “USS Stewart” in the Pacific at a depth of almost 1,067 meters. The ship has been missing since World War II.
Historic find: A dramatic chapter in naval history has been brought to light again. The legendary warship “USS Stewart”, which served for both the USA and Japan during World War II, has been discovered on the ocean floor off California after almost 80 years.
The wreck was discovered by underwater archaeologists and salvage specialists as part of a collaboration between NOAA, the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation, Ocean Infinity America and SEARCH. After analyzing historical logbooks from the 1946 naval exercise, they had conducted a systematic search in an area of the sea north of San Francisco. Three diving robots were used to scan the seabed with high-resolution sonar and echo sounding systems.
In fact, they were successful: The recordings showed the wreck of the destroyer “USS Stewart”, which is located in the Cordell Bank marine protected area, in great detail. It lies surprisingly well preserved on the seabed at a depth of 1,067 meters. “Preliminary sonar scans show that the ‘Stewart’ is mostly intact and her hull is nearly upright,” reports SEARCH’s James Delgado. “The good state of preservation is exceptional for a ship of this age and makes the ship one of the best-preserved destroyers of her kind.”
The USS Stewart was commissioned in 1920 and had an eventful history. In 1942, the ship was damaged in combat against Japanese forces and was later captured by the Imperial Japanese Navy, where she served as patrol boat No. 102. Allied pilots noticed an unusual sight at the time: an old American destroyer deep in enemy territory.
It was only when the ship was discovered in Kure, Japan after the end of the war that the mystery of the “Ghost Ship of the Pacific” was solved. After the war, the ‘Stewart’ was towed back to San Francisco and sunk as a target ship in a naval exercise. “Over 78 years passed before the wreck was found,” the researchers explained.
