On December 12, 1942, the Japanese destroyer Teruzuki was passing near the Solomon Islands when she was unexpectedly hit by two American torpedoes, causing her to catch fire and subsequently sink in the Pacific Ocean.
Ocean Exploration TrustThe ship was found in an area where more than 100 ships sank during World War II.
According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the Teruzuki was found at a depth of more than 800 meters. It was located between the islands of Guadalcanal, Savo and Nggela in the Solomon Islands.
During World War II, soldiers called the area “Iron Bottom Sound” because of the large number of ships sunk there. Five major battles took place here between August and December 1942, resulting in the loss of 111 ships, 1,450 aircraft and more than 20,000 lives.
The remains of the Teruzuka were first discovered by the DriX drone, operated by the University of New Hampshire, while scanning the seafloor to map the location of the wreck.
“We didn't know what it was,” said Larry Mayer, director of the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire. “It hadn't been identified before.”
Later, researchers sent two remotely operated vehicles to the wreck site to obtain high-quality images and determine what kind of vessel it was and who owned it. Thanks to high-quality photographs and other historical data, the team was able to confirm that the object found was indeed the Teruzuki.
“The original uniform is still in excellent condition, and based on the appearance of the gun turrets, there is no doubt that it is the Teruzuki,” Kazushige Todaka, director of the Kure Naval Museum in Hiroshima, told The Japan News.
How the Teruzuki Sank in the Solomon Islands During the Guadalcanal Campaign
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