The ships sank during the Battle of Midway.
Three historic shipwrecks from the Battle of Midway have been recorded in magnificent detail by an underwater survey, including the first sighting of the IJN Akagi since it sank in 1942.
Over four days, almost 3,400 sailors and airmen lost their lives during intense fighting between the US and Japan, a key battle to secure dominance in the Pacific during World War Two.
Now, a 28-day expedition to explore the shipwrecks is underway, and yielding fascinating details from the ghostly graves.
‘This expedition is not only rewriting history and our understanding of these special places, but also pushing the limits of what we thought was possible in terms of interdisciplinary collaboration,’ said Dr Daniel Wagner, chief scientist for the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET).
‘During over 43 hours at depth, we methodically circumnavigated these historic wrecks, bringing to light many features in great detail, including their armament, battle, and sinking-related damage.
‘Many anti-aircraft guns were still pointing up, providing clues about the final moments on these iconic ships.’
Footage of three wrecks has been shared – USS Yorktown, IJN Kaga and IJN Akagi, a Japanese aircraft carrier seen for the first time since the battle between American and the Imperial Japanese Navy. The IJN Akagi was originally built as a battleship, leaving it decked with multi-generational weapons.
The sight of the USS Yorktown wreck was discovered in 1998, but this was the first view of the ship in real time since the day it sank.
The OET said the aim of the surveys are to document the wrecks, examine their condition and honour all who lost their lives on both sides.
The wrecks lie within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, a Unesco World Heritage site of cultural and natural significance northeast of Hawaii around the Midway Atoll.
Non-invasive visual surveys of the wrecks were carried out at depths of more than 5km, using remotely operated vehicles deployed off the E/V Nautilus.
Throughout the mission the surveys were livestreamed, enabling both the public and fellow scientists to observe the wrecks. Archaeologists from Japan, the US and across the world contributed to the findings.
‘On this occasion, we meet on those same Pacific waters in which Japan and the US once met in battle, but this time as allies and fellow researchers,’ said Kosei Nomura, a minister at the Japanese embassy in Washington.
‘We are reminded that today’s peace and tomorrow’s discoveries are built on the sacrifices of war, and so in my view, it is meaningful that Japan and the US are now deepening their cooperation at Midway, utilising such cutting-edge technology.’
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