Researchers stumble upon sunken US World War Two ship’s bow

The bow of a US Navy Cruiser damaged in World War Two has finally been found after over 80 years. By accident. Researchers who were aboard the NOAA Ocean Exploration Trust’s Nautilus vessel accidently found the USS New Orleans nearly 100-foot bow section while mapping the Iron Bottom Sound near the Solomon Islands earlier this week (Picture: Ocean Exploration Trust)

Where was the bow found?

Sitting beneath 675 meters (2,214 feet) the bow was discovered. It was found using remotely operated underwater vehicles during a 21-day, noninvasive archeological survey of cultural heritage sites in Iron Bottom Sound. It was during this did the surface vehicles flag an anomaly that was large, but not large enough to be a warship – and was covered in sea life (Picture: Ocean Exploration Trust)

The exact coordinates of the USS New Orleans remains are now being withheld in a measure that should protect their integrity. However, after confirming its location, researchers have answered one of World War II’s strangest and ingenious rescue efforts. And in the meantime, researchers still may find some more mysteries as the mission concludes on July 23 (Picture: Ocean Exploration Trust)

How was the USS New Orleans partly destroyed?

Allied forces and Japanese forces fought five major battles in the area between August and December 1942. This led to the loss of over 20,000 lives, 111 naval boats, and 1,450 planes. But on November 30, 1942, during the Battle of Tassafaronga, the USS New Orleans was struck by a Japanese torpedo that detonated its forward magazines, killing 182 men and ripping away a large forward section of the cruiser (Picture: US National Archives)

The crew wanted to save their ship, so developed a plan. The crew used an auxiliary craft to reach a nearby island, and felled coconut trees to use the logs to create a makeshift bow. They strapped it on, and set course to get to Australia. However, since there was no propeller, the crew had to sail the ship backwards, as it was no longer capable of sailing forwards. By December 24, the USS New Orleans managed to arrive at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney, Australia, where it received a full repair (Picture: Ocean Exploration Trust)

The heavy cruiser then remained in service until it was decommissioned in 1947. But the location of the bow of the USS New Orleans remained a mystery. Until the researchers who found the bow spotted details in the ship’s structure, markings, and anchor to positively identify the wreckage as from the USS New Orleans (Picture: Ocean Exploration Trust)

Ocean Exploration Trust’s Chief Scientist Daniel Wagner said: ‘The discovery highlights the power of having multiple scientists and technologies work together to achieve a common goal. The wreck was located during seafloor mapping operations by an uncrewed surface vehicle, then investigated shortly thereafter by a deep-diving remotely operated vehicle. This imagery was viewed in real-time by hundreds of experts around the world, who all worked together to make a positive identification of the finding’ (Picture: Ocean Exploration Trust)