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Old 10-31-2019, 07:21 AM
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Arrow Deepest ever shipwreck discovered: USS Johnston, the warship sunk during the largest

Deepest ever shipwreck discovered: USS Johnston, the warship sunk during the largest naval battle of WWII, is found resting at 20,400ft in the Philippine Sea
By: Ross Ibbetson or Mailonline & Daily Mail UK - 10-31-19
RE: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ppine-Sea.html

Photo link: https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10...2528921636.jpg

Deepest ever shipwreck discovered: USS Johnston, the warship sunk during the largest naval battle of WWII, is found resting at 20,400ft in the Philippine Sea

- Experts from Research Vessel Petrel of Vulcan Inc. revealed discovery yesterday
- USS Johnston is famed for her bravery when outnumbered by the Japanese navy
- She was sunk in Battle of Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944 and 186 men were killed
- Previous record was a German vessel discovered at 18,904ft

The deepest ever shipwreck has been found in the Philippine Sea, according to ocean researchers who say it is a US Navy WWII destroyer.

The USS Johnston was found at 20,406ft in the Philippine Sea after it was sunk by the Japanese on October 25, 1944.

Experts from the Research Vessel Petrel, owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, released video of the battered and twisted hull lying eerily on the ocean floor.

Of the 327 naval personnel aboard the USS Johnston, just 141 survived. Of the 186 who died, around 90 were alive in the water as the ship sank but never seen again.

1st photo of remains found: https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10...2528831058.jpg
Experts from the Research Vessel Petrel, owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, released video of the battered and twisted metal lying eerily on the ocean floor.
The USS Jonston was sunk on October 25, 1944, after she was outnumbered and outgunned in a brave advance against the Imperial Japanese Navy

2nd is a video of the remains found: https://www.facebook.com/rvpetrel/vi...2037628757336/

'There is no hull structure intact that we can find. This wreck is completely decimated, it is just debris,' the crew said on Wednesday.

'This wreck is either the Johnston or the Hoel ... This wreck is in the southern part of where the battle took place and this is one of the reasons why we believe this is the Johnston, because she sank later, after Hoel did.'

The vessel is famed for her brave action in the Battle off Samar, outgunned by the Japanese, USS Johnston led an attack of a handful of lightships against a colossal fleet until it was surrounded.

According to the US Navy: 'One by one, Johnston took on Japanese destroyers, although Johnston had no torpedoes and limited firepower. After two-and-a-half hours, Johnston - dead in the water - was surrounded by enemy ships.

'At 9.45 am, Evans gave the order to abandon ship. Twenty-five minutes later, the destroyer rolled over and began to sink.'

Her action in the battle was central to the overarching Battle of Leyte Gulf, considered to be the largest naval battle in history with more than 200,000 personnel.

Map location: https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/10...2529240968.jpg
Movements during the Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944, it is cited as one of the greatest last stands in naval history.

The Imperial Japanese Navy rallied nearly all of its major naval vessels in the fight, in which the US and Australian forces intended to invade the islands in Southeast Asia through which Japan derived industrial strength.

The Allies were successful in defeating the Japanese warships despite kamikaze attacks raining down from the sky.

It is often cited as one of the great last stands in military history.

According to Guinness World Records, the deepest wreck before the USS Johnston was a German vessel discovered at 18,904ft.

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Personal note: Being a former US Navy man - it must be a terrible site to see a ship and its men go down at sea. When the water is drained from the ocean in the future a great many historical artifacts will arise from the deep. I spent a great many days at see in my 12 years of service. I would look over the waters both day and night. In rough weather we would hear the winds and ocean banging against the ship. Water rushing over the bow and always thinking about what would it be like to be washed overboard or go down with the ship? I could swim like a fish but many on board I found out couldn't swim. It makes no difference to be lost a sea has got to be a lonely and scary thing. In warm waters you would see sharks in our wakes and knowing they were looking for dinner. Whew gives me a chill thinking about being shark bait.

Boats
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