Researchers claim they have successfully discovered the ultimate resting place of one of the most renowned vessels from World War II: the USS Harder.
According to the archaeology branch of the US Naval History and Heritage Command, the submarine was discovered at the bottom of the South China Sea, resting at a depth of over 3,000 feet. Remarkably, the submarine remains nearly intact, with only minor damage observed on its conning tower.
The confirmation of the find was made by the US NHHC on Thursday. They acknowledged the data collected by Lost 52, a project that is committed to locating and honoring all 52 US submarines that were sunk during the war.
Entrepreneur and ocean explorer Tim Taylor, along with diving entrepreneur Christine Dennison, leads Lost 52.
Using advanced photogrammetry and underwater robotics, they were able to locate and capture breathtaking images of the Harder. The Harder, which was sunk by Japan off the coast of the Philippines in 1944, has now been brought to life through these stunning images.
Finding lost submarines can be a challenging task, as noted by Business Insider’s Elias Chavez in a previous report.
According to a statement from the NHHC, submarines can be difficult to identify due to their design. However, thanks to the exceptional state of preservation and the high-quality data collected by Lost 52, the NHHC was able to confirm that the wreck at the site is indeed the Harder.
On August 24, 1944, the Harder, proudly sailing under the slogan “Hit ’em Harder,” met its demise after achieving an impressive number of kills.
Commander Samuel Dealey, along with seventy-nine other servicemen, was on board the vessel.
According to NHHC Director and retired Rear-Admiral Samuel J. Cox, the course of victory came at a great cost as the Harder submarine employed remarkably daring tactics in its attacks against the Japanese.
According to NHHC, Harder sank three enemy destroyers and destroyed or damaged two more during a single patrol.
During its final patrol, the Harder, in collaboration with the USS Hake, embarked on a mission to locate fresh targets in the vicinity of Dasol Bay in the northern Philippines.
The duo embarked on a mission to track down and engage two Japanese vessels. Harder swiftly launched three torpedoes, but unfortunately, it was soon targeted by a relentless barrage of depth charges. Despite Hake’s attempts to evade capture, luck was not on Harder’s side.
The Lost 52 team has previously discovered at least six other US submarines.
“We respect the families and therefore, we have a policy of not revealing our current ongoing expedition plans,” states the group on its website. The group further emphasizes that they only announce their discoveries once they are fully confirmed.
Taylor, the CEO of Tiburon Subsea, is utilizing underwater drones to collect ocean-floor data through his company Lost 52.
Part of a multi-year $50 million project, the discovery highlights the increasing utilization of underwater photogrammetry to explore inaccessible deep-sea locations, as revealed by Taylor in an interview with BI.
According to Taylor, “Finding the Harder” emphasized the crucial role of ocean data collection and the value of underwater robotic technology.
According to him, it is a component of the expanding “blue economy,” which is projected to reach a value of $30 trillion by 2030.
Undersea photogrammetry involves divers or remotely operated vehicles capturing thousands of pictures from various angles, which are later merged using software, as explained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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