〈Video = YouTube Caladan Oceanic〉During World War II, an American destroyer that sank against Japanese fleet off the coast of the Philippines was discovered on the seabed after 77 years.
According to major foreign media such as the BBC on the 3rd of the local time, US submarine exploration business, Caledon Oceanic, took video and photos of the US destroyer Johnston at 6,456 meters below the sea level off Samar Island in the Philippines.
The Johnston was a 2,700-ton destroyer commissioned in 1943, fought in the Battle of Leyte Bay to recapture the Philippines, which was occupied by Japan, and sank on October 25, 1944.
At the time, Johnston’s Captain Ernst Evans, knowing that a friendly escort aircraft carrier had been targeted, ordered the Japanese fleet assault.
The Japanese fleet consisted of the Yamato battleship, known as the world’s largest battleship, six heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and 11 destroyers. The weight of the main turret of the Yamato battleship is equal to the weight of the Johnston.
Johnston approached the Japanese fleet and fired guns. I fired all the torpedoes I had. The Johnston was heavily damaged by an enemy ship’s counterattack, but fired more than 30 rounds.
The Johnston later sank while intercepting an enemy ship approaching a friendly ship. This battle killed 181 of the 327 crew members of the Johnston, including the captain.
“We found two-thirds of the ship’s front part standing intact at 6,456 meters below the sea level,” said Viktor Vescovo, a submarine pilot at Caladon Oceanic. “I expressed it.”
“The turret of the Johnston was pointing in the exact direction we thought it was because it had a fire right before it sank.” .
An empty Johnston torpedo launcher. 〈Photo = YouTube Caladan Oceanic〉
