Wreckage of US warship named 'Ghost Ship of the Pacific' found in 'exceptional' condition

CNN
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The wreckage of a US Navy destroyer known as the “Ghost Ship of the Pacific” has been found by underwater investigators off the coast of California.

The USS Stewart was intentionally sunk during a U.S. Navy exercise in May 1946 and its final resting place has now been found, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Air Sea Heritage Foundation and Search Inc., both of which were involved in the investigation.

Three autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) deployed by robotic marine survey company Ocean Infinity scanned the seafloor at Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary off Northern California for 24 hours starting August 1. Sonar and multibeam sonar data showed that the Stewart was 3,500 feet (1,036 meters) below the ocean's surface.

“Preliminary sonar scans revealed that Stewart is largely intact and that her hull – which is still slim and imposing – rests almost upright on the seabed,” the statement said.

“This level of preservation is exceptional for a ship of its age, making it perhaps one of the best-preserved examples of a known U.S. Navy 'Fourstacker' destroyer.”

The team also conducted another sonar survey and sent down a remote-controlled vehicle with a camera for visual inspection.

Commissioned in 1920, the USS Stewart had a turbulent life.

The ship was damaged in combat against Japanese forces in 1942 and captured by the enemy, becoming Patrol Boat No. 102 of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the release said.

“Soon, distant Allied pilots began reporting the strange sight of an old American destroyer operating deep behind enemy lines,” the statement said.

“It was only when the Stewart was found floating in Kure, Japan at the end of the war that the mystery of the Pacific ghost ship was finally solved.”

It was subsequently towed back to San Francisco before being used as a target ship during a naval exercise and sank after absorbing fire for more than two hours.

“In the decades that followed, the story of the Stewart captured the interest of historians, archaeologists and marine enthusiasts, and the rediscovery of her wreck became a top national priority for exploration,” the statement said. “It would take more than 78 years before it was found.”

Retired U.S. Navy Adm. Samuel J. Cox, director of the Naval History and Heritage Command and curator of the U.S. Navy, praised the team that found the ship.

“Whether lost in battle or sunk as a target, a warship remains sovereign property in perpetuity,” he said in the statement.

“It is important to know the location and condition of such wrecks so that they can be protected from unauthorized disturbance in accordance with the U.S. Sunken Military Craft Act.”

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