|
The Destroyer of USS Indianapolis, Japanese Submarine I-58 is found in April 2004.
Introduction.
Just two weeks before WW2 in the Pacific was brought abruptly to a close by the dropping of two Atomis bombs on Japan, the Japanese Submarine I-58 found, and torpedoed the US Navy heavy cruiser Indianapolis on the 30th. of July 1945. Ironically this ship had transported the heavy segments of these bombs across the Pacific from the United States.
See the story of her sinking on AHOY.
I-58 found in April of 2004.
A Professor of oceanography, William Bryant together with Brett Phaneuf, an oceanography graduate student, found I-58, last April, 50 miles off the coast of Nagasaki, where she rests some 675 feet below the sea's surface.
The US took control of Japanese Submarines in Sasebo Bay, near Tokyo, Japan after that country had surrendered on the 2nd of September 1945. They were fearful of these Submarines falling into the hands of the Soviet Navy, as the Japanese Submarines were technically very superior to any of the Russian Boats.
24 Japanese Submarines were scuttled.
24 of these submarines were scuttled post war, to make up the largest collection of sunken submarines world wide, Professor Bryant claims. The researchers have located 12 of these 24, having to abandon their search for the rest due to severe weather. Both the Professor and his student plan to renew their search in the summer of 2005.
The Discovery Channel funded this expedition, and will put to air a special covering this in January 2005.
Conclusion.
So, in 2004, 59 years after the sinking of Indianapolis, her slayer is found. Another chapter is opened on the disaster of her demise, when 833 crewmen died so long ago.
|
