Ocean Explorers Spot ‘Surprise' Woodie Car In World War II Shipwreck

Forbes

24-04-2025

A NOAA expedition discovered this woodie vehicle in the wreck of the USS Yorktown.
When the crew of the Okeanos Explorer sent cameras down to the wreck of the USS Yorktown, they expected to spot the ruins of a United States Navy aircraft carrier sunk at the Battle of Midway during World War II. They found the ship, but they also came across some surprising extras, including a mysterious automobile.
Okeanos Explorer is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship. The Yorktown dive took place on April 19 and 20 as part of a larger remote-operated vehicle and mapping expedition in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument near Hawaii.
A view of the rear of the woodie.
The car first came into view on April 19. It's located in the aft hangar deck on the carrier's port side. 'The team aboard Okeanos Explorer and contributors ashore analyzed diagnostic features of the vehicle observed during the follow-up April 20 dive and tentatively identified the car as a 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe 'Woody' in black,' NOAA said in a statement.
NOAA described the car as a 'surprise automobile.'
Car enthusiasts often use the spelling 'woodie' to refer to vehicles made with wood bodywork. Woodie station wagons became associated with surfing culture in the 1960s thanks to their affordability and cargo space with room for surfboards.
While the Yorktown car is in rough condition after decades under water, there are some clues as to its identity. The wagon has a split front windshield, canvas top, chrome bumper, a rear-mounted spare tire and parking lights located above the headlights.
The car is 'almost certainly' a 1941 Ford Super Deluxe, says National Woodie Club member Roddy Sergiades, editor of Woodie Times. 'That is quite an interesting discovery,' Sergiades says. 'If only that Ford could speak.'
The woodie's front plate shows its connection to the Navy.
The Okeanos Explorer ROV camera spotted writing on the vehicle's front plate indicating it was a Navy car. NOAA speculates the woodie may have been used by the ship's captain or crew while visiting foreign ports. The Naval History and Heritage Command did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
NOAA posed a series of questions about the car. Yorktown underwent a two-day repair period at Pearl Harbor before joining the Battle of Midway. The NOAA researchers are curious why the car was stowed in the hangar deck at that point. 'During the valiant efforts to right Yorktown's list, why too wasn't this car jettisoned like the anti-aircraft guns and the aircraft?' NOAA asked. 'Did this automobile carry any particular importance to crew and officers who hoped it could be saved?' Those questions are unanswered for now.
NOAA's ROV spotted this hand-painted mural on the ship.
The car wasn't NOAA's only surprising find. The expedition also turned up views of a hand-painted mural called 'A Chart of the Cruises of the USS Yorktown' inside one of the ship's elevator shafts.
The painting is a world map showing the carrier's travels. 'Measuring approximately 42 feet by 12 feet, its motifs showcase the pride that Yorktown's sailors had for their ship, the global scale of Yorktown's activities, and the strategic role that the ship played in defending the United States,' NOAA said.
Several planes were spotted on the Yorktown, including this SBD Dauntless.
It took some fancy maneuvering for the ROV Deep Discoverer to explore Yorktown. The ROV's agility led to an important find. 'The dives resulted in the first-ever underwater discovery of aircraft on the Midway battlefield, a seminal clash between sea and air power,' NOAA said.
The expedition spotted at least three Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers. One may have been held in reserve while two others may have been recoveries that belonged to another aircraft carrier.
The Okeanos Explorer expedition is shedding new light on an important piece of world history. Said NOAA, 'The wreck of USS Yorktown is a protected sunken military craft managed by the Naval History and Heritage Command, and, most importantly, serves as the final resting place for hundreds of servicemen that gave their lives in defense of the nation.'