The wreck of a WWII destroyer known as the “Pacific Ghost Ship” has been found off the coast of California

A team of investigators says they have discovered the wreck of the USS Stewart, a US Navy destroyer that served under the American and Japanese flags during World War II.

The USS Stewart, once known as the “Ghost Ship of the Pacific,” served on the front lines of World War II. It was stationed in Manila as part of the US Navy’s Asiatic Fleet Press release It details its discovery during the war in February 1942. A freak accident occurred in a dry dock for repairs on the Indonesian island of Java, and the ship was abandoned as Japanese forces approached. It was later commissioned into service with the Imperial Japanese Navy as a patrol boat. Allied pilots claimed to have seen the ship in service with the Japanese Navy, earning it its nickname.

The ship was later found in Kure, Japan after the war and re-entered the US Navy. The vessel was towed to San Francisco and used as a destination vessel in a final service, according to the news release.

Although the ship was deliberately sunk, its whereabouts remained a mystery for decades. Now, 78 years after it sank, the destroyer has been found by a joint effort of the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the Naval History and Heritage Command, marine technology company Ocean Infinity, and the Global Maritime Archeology Organization. Search.

Ocean Infinity deployed three autonomous underwater vehicles off the coast of Northern California on August 1, 2024. Unmanned submarines searched the area for 24 hours, and when they reviewed the data, researchers found a “shocking and clear image of a sunken ship 3,500 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

Sonar scans revealed that the vessel was “largely intact” and its hull was nearly upright on the seabed. According to the press release, it may be one of the best-preserved examples of the ship type and provides valuable information about naval architecture and technology from the time it was built and operated.

“USS Stewart represents a unique opportunity to study a well-preserved example of early twentieth-century destroyer design,” said SEARCH Senior Vice President Dr. James Delgado, who was previously NOAA’s Director of Maritime Heritage. “Its story, the Japanese capture from US naval service and its repetition, is a powerful symbol of the complexity of the Pacific War.”

After the vessel was located, search teams conducted another inspection and visual inspection using a live video feed sent from a remotely operated submarine. That search allowed the team behind the discovery to examine the wreck in real time and learn more about the explosion that sank Stewart seven decades ago.

Data collected during the surveys will be used by NOAA’s Cartel Bank National Marine Sanctuary to support environmental assessments in the area and learn more about the habitats and marine life in this part of the ocean.