A World War II American warship, destroyed by Japanese forces following the Pearl Harbor attack, has been located in the depths of the Indian Ocean.
The USS Edsall, which sank on March 1, 1942, resulted in the loss of over 200 American service personnel. The vessel was located by the Royal Australian Navy last year approximately 200 miles east of Christmas Island, below Java but the announcement was strategically timed to coincide with Veterans Day.
“Captain Joshua Nix and his crew fought valiantly, evading 1,400 shells from Japanese battleships and cruisers, before being attacked by 26 carrier-dive bombers, taking only one fatal hit,” Caroline Kennedy, US ambassador to Australia, said in a video statement alongside vice admiral Mark Hammond, head of the Royal Australian Navy.
“This is part of our continuing efforts to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We will now be able to preserve this important memorial and hope that the families of the heroes who died there will know their loved ones rest in peace,” Kennedy said.
A Japanese combatant dubbed the vessel a “Dancing Mouse” due to its remarkable ability to avoid enemy fire through sophisticated manoeuvres and smoke deployment.
The 314-foot destroyer’s discovery was unexpected by the Australian navy, which utilised advanced autonomous and robotic systems during an unrelated mission to locate the vessel on the seabed.
Hammond highlighted the Edsall’s significance in both nations’ naval histories, noting its protection of Australian shores and involvement in sinking the Japanese submarine I124 near Darwin.
“The wreck of this ship is a hallowed site, serving as a marker for the 185 US Navy personnel and 31 US Army Air Force pilots aboard at the time, almost all of whom were lost when Edsall succumbed to her battle damage,” Chief of naval operations Lisa Franchetti said in a statement.
“This find gives us the opportunity for today’s generation of Sailors and Navy civilians to be inspired by their valour and sacrifice.”
The Axis powers later used a notable photograph of the heavily damaged Edsall, taken from a Japanese vessel, as propaganda material.