Latest news with #OkeanosExplorer
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
1940s Ford car found on wartime US carrier wreck
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Researchers exploring the underwater wreck of an American aircraft carrier have discovered what's left of a wood-panelled Ford automobile from the 1940s in the ship's hanger bay. It's not clear what the vehicle is doing there, but the researchers think it may have been used as a staff car by naval officers during World War II. The discovery was announced late last month by the Ocean Exploration program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which coordinated an expedition to the wreck of USS Yorktown in April by experts onboard the research vessel Okeanos Explorer. The Yorktown was badly damaged in fighting during the Battle of Midway in early June 1942; it was returning to Hawaii for repairs when it was sunk by torpedoes from a Japanese submarine on June 7, 1942. The new exploration also revealed the remains of three Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bombers on board — the first time that any warplanes from the Midway conflict have been discovered underwater. Research suggests that two of the aircraft were from another American aircraft carrier but had landed on the Yorktown after being damaged in the fighting at Midway; the third aircraft seems to have been one of Yorktown's reserve bombers. Related: 30 incredible sunken wrecks from WWI and WWII The Yorktown wreck was found in 1988 during an expedition led by the renowned American oceanographer Robert Ballard (who co-led the 1985 expedition that found the Titanic), about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) northwest of Honolulu and at a depth of about 18,000 feet (5,500 meters). That's far too deep for human divers and the Yorktown wreck has been explored only once before, with a remotely-operated underwater vehicle (ROV) in 2023. The latest discoveries were also made with ROVs tethered to the Okeanos Explorer. Marine archaeologist Philip Hartmeyer, who led the NOAA Ocean Exploration expedition, told Live Science the researchers were surprised to find the remains of the Ford car, but that they were emblematic of the Yorktown explorations. "Dives like those on Yorktown highlight how little we know about what lies in our deep ocean — from its history to marine life and habitats it harbors," he said in an email. "In addition to allowing the public to learn more about American history, the bravery of our military, and the museum that lies at the bottom of the sea, these dives help the nation better understand and appreciate the overall need to explore and manage our ocean resources," Hartmeyer said. Image 1 of 4 The front license plate of the vehicle reads "SHIP SERVICE ___ NAVY". Image 2 of 4 The remains of three Dauntless dive bombers were found on one of the carrier's elevators, which were used to transfer aircraft between the flight deck and the hangar deck. Image 3 of 4 The Yorktown sank in 1942 after being badly damaged during the Battle of Midway. The wreck was discovered in 1988 and has only been explored once before. Image 4 of 4 The researchers also used a remotely-operated underwater vehicle to image a hand-painted mural recording the carrier's voyages. The remains of the automobile were located on the port (left) side of the aft (rear) of the carrier's vast hanger deck, which ran almost the length of the ship beneath its uppermost flight deck. It has been tentatively identified as a 1940 or 1941 Ford Super Deluxe 'Woody' wagon. The vehicle was painted black and had exterior wood paneling when it was new, but the paneling has now rotted away underwater. The researchers think it may have been a staff car for naval officers or that it was used by the carrier's crew. As well as finding the remains of the Ford, the researchers used an ROV to image a hand-painted mural onboard the wrecked carrier that portrayed its voyages around the world. RELATED STORIES —Wreck of WWII 'Hit 'Em Harder' submarine, which sank with 79 crew on board, discovered in South China Sea —Why did the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima leave shadows of people etched on sidewalks? —Medieval crowns of Eastern European royalty hidden in cathedral wall since World War II finally recovered According to the statement, the mural measures 42 feet by 12 feet (12.8 by 3.6 m) and shows "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." The discoveries will help researchers piece together what actually happened during the famous wartime attack on the U.S. military base at Midway Atoll in the northern Pacific Ocean. The attack was defeated by U.S. forces and is thought to have been an attempt by Japan to lure American warships away from their base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. "The mission to Yorktown is exploration at its highest level, helping solve mysteries in unexplored parts of U.S. waters," Hartmeyer said.
Miami Herald
28-04-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Giant' monolith discovered towering on Pacific floor, NOAA says. ‘Super weird'
A massive stone monolith has been found poking out of the Pacific Ocean seafloor like a giant finger, according to NOAA Ocean Exploration. The pillar is 49 feet high, 36 feet long and 13 feet wide, and sits at a depth of about 6,700 feet, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a news release. It was encountered Tuesday, April 22, when the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer sent a remotely operated vehicle to explore a submerged ridge 1,160 nautical miles northwest from Honolulu. Scientists were initially unsure what was confronting them in the dark. 'That's like a huge rock, or is that a wall or what is that?' one researcher was heard asking during a live broadcast of the discovery. 'That's wild,' another said. 'This is a weird rock.... Looks like a chimney.' Closer inspection revealed the black crust was shiny and the rock had 'a forest' of sea life clinging to some sides, but not the others. The researchers quickly began tossing out possible explanations, leading them to the only logical conclusion: They found an unusual volcanic dike. 'It's an intrusive lava feature that will kind of shove itself between previously formed lava rock. Often times they're of a different composition of the rock that they're in, so they tend to be slightly more resistant to weathering,' one researcher explained. 'There was once rock around this and now it has weathered away and that's super weird. It's not common to see them this exposed.' Similar formations are found on land, including the Great Dikes of Colorado's Spanish Peaks, but this one is different, according to Val Finlayson, a University of Maryland geologist who was part of the NOAA expedition. 'What's unusual about this dike is that the (camera) came across it in an otherwise relatively flat area, just sticking straight up out of the ground,' Finlayson told McClatchy News in an email. 'It's interesting to see a standalone dike like this in a setting where the seamount may not have ever been above sea level, where typical erosion processes could have removed the host rock the dike intruded into. Some other sort of erosion or wasting process must have taken place.' An age for the formation has not been determined. But it's believed to be part of 'the volcanic plumbing system' of a nearby seamount, which began life as an underwater volcano. As for the 'shine,' that's due to the rock being polished by fast moving currents, the team concluded. The formation was discovered as part of a 28-day expedition to explore and map deep waters in and around Papahānaumokuākea, northwest of the Hawaiian Islands. The expedition began April 8 and continues through May 5. 'Waters in the Pacific Islands region ... span some of the last relatively pristine marine ecosystems on the planet and harbor numerous protected species, wondrous geological formations, and undiscovered shipwrecks,' NOAA reports.
Forbes
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Ocean Explorers Spot ‘Surprise' Woodie Car In World War II Shipwreck
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.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why was a car inside a sunk World War II aircraft carrier? NOAA researchers perplexed
It seems fighter planes and bombers weren't the only vehicles aboard a famous U.S. Navy aircraft carrier that was sunk during World War II. A crew exploring the USS Yorktown at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean recently came across the unexpected sight of a Ford automobile in the ship's hangar. The discovery was first made April 19 during an ongoing month-long expedition led by NOAA Ocean Exploration when the crew sent a remotely-operated vehicle to explore the iconic Navy warship in the depths of the ocean. USS Yorktown, which Japanese forces hit with torpedoes following the pivotal Battle of Midway in June 1942, has been explored several times since its final resting place was discovered in 1998. But the most recent operation was the first to delve into the ship's hangar. The baffling sight of the car inside the hangar came amid a larger expedition led by a team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The crew aboard a converted Navy vessel known as the Okeanos Explorer have since April 8 been mapping and exploring unexplored deepwater regions of Hawaii. The USS Yorktown, which could hold up to 2,200 personnel and 90 aircraft, was part of several operations during World War II after it was first commissioned in 1937. Damaged in the famous naval Battle of the Midway – a seminal clash between sea and air power – the carrier was ultimately sunk when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the ship while it was being hauled back to Pearl Harbor. The Yorktown's final resting place wasn't discovered until a 1998 expedition found it about 1,000 miles northwest of Honolulu. The most recent glimpse of the Yorktown wreckage came April 19 and 20 when explorers on the NOAA expedition sent a remotely-operated vehicle down to record new observations. The team anticipated seeing marine life, wrecked aircraft and other features inside the carrier, but they weren't expecting to come across a car. After the remote vehicle first spotted the upright automobile while peering through the hangar deck from the Yorktown's port side, the crew sent it back the next day to get a better look. That's what allowed the explorers to identify the car as a black 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe, colloquially known as a "Woody." On the front license plate were the words 'SHIP SERVICE ___ NAVY," according to NOAA. That feature is what prompted the team of researchers to theorize that the car could have been reserved for Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, as the Yorktown served as his flagship during World War II. Ship Captain Elliott Buckmaster or other ship crew could even have used it while Yorktown was docked at foreign ports, NOAA's team guessed. Questions remain though, about why the car was stowed on the hangar deck at all when the ship's officers knew it was heading to the Battle of Midway. Also puzzling is why the vehicle wasn't jettisoned with anti-aircraft guns and aircraft in an attempt to salvage the listing ship after it was damaged in the fighting. The dive to explore the USS Yorktown was part of a larger expedition in Papahānaumokuākea, a nationally protected area encompassing 583,000 square miles of ocean waters near the northwestern Hawaiian islands. During the exploration of the Yorktown, the team was able to image a famous hand-painted mural of a world map depicting the ship's voyages that had only partially been visible in historic photographs. The expedition also led to the first underwater discovery of aircraft on the Midway battlefield. Researchers even got a look at some of the marine life that have made the remnants of the aircraft carrier their home. The 28-day mission began April 8 and is due to end May 5. You can follow along with livestreams available on the expedition's website. Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Car found in sunken WWII-era ship. Why it's there is a mystery.
Irish Daily Star
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Daily Star
Sunken WWII battleship expedition finds mysterious car on board
A car has been found on a sunken WWII battleship. Researchers using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) spotted a wood-panelled Ford station wagon in the wreckage of the USS Yorktown. It was reported that the vessel was crippled by Japanese dive bombers in the Battle of Midway in June 1942 before being sunk to a depth of 5,000 ft by submarine torpedo hits. The U.S. government's NOAA Ocean Exploration of the location in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands says that on Saturday, they saw a faint outline of an automobile while peering into the aft hangar deck from the port side of USS Yorktown "The team aboard Okeanos Explorer and contributors ashore analysed 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," members of the NOAA team stated. With 'SHIP SERVICE ___ NAVY' written on part of its front plate, this car is hypothesised to have been used for Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, Captain Elliott Buckmaster, or other ship crews while USS Yorktown was conducting business in foreign ports. Read More Related Articles White House branded 'narcissistic' after brief 5-word tribute to Pope Read More Related Articles Donald Trump branded 'dumbest President ever' after six-word comment about Congo Researchers using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) spotted a wood-panelled Ford station wagon in the wreckage of the USS Yorktown. (Image: NOAA Ocean Exploration / SWNS) However, the presence of the car left team members scratching their heads with confusion. "Why, though, did the car remain stowed in the hangar deck after a brief 48-hour repair period in Pearl Harbor, when the ship's officers knew it was heading to the Battle of Midway," the team questioned. "During the valiant efforts to right Yorktown's list, why too wasn't this car jettisoned like the anti-aircraft guns and the aircraft," the team wondered. "Did this automobile carry any particular importance to the crew and officers who hoped it could be saved?" However, the presence of the car left team members scratching their heads with confusion. (Image: NOAA Ocean Exploration / SWNS) The discovery comes months after construction workers in Newtownards, Germany, discovered an undetonated bomb from WWII. It was reported that the 83-year-old device posed a significant threat to public safety , according to Superintendent Johnson McDowell. He called it a "highly complex operation" with a disposal team comprised of members of the Army's 321 EOD and search squadron. Upon investigation, it was determined to be a 500kg (1,100lb) air-dropped SC-500 - a German bomb that was likely dropped during World War II but did not detonate. Police and British Army bomb experts were at the scene. Munitions experts created a sand-filled structure before triggering the controlled explosion to reduce any harm. The ship was destroyed in 1942 during the Battle of Midway when Japanese forces attacked the vessel (Image: NHHC / SWNS) The bomb was detonated in a controlled explosion on Tuesday, at 3:38 pm local time, and despite evacuating 400 homes in the surrounding area, the sound of the explosion and the grey smoke could be seen and heard for miles. Historical records indicate that Northern Ireland had been a target for German aircraft during the Second World War, particularly Belfast , for its shipyards and factories. It suffered devastating damage. The U.S. government's NOAA Ocean Exploration of the location in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands says that on Saturday, they saw a faint outline of an automobile while peering into the aft hangar deck from the port side of USS Yorktown (Image: NOAA Ocean Exploration / SWNS) Following the detonation of the bomb, residents were free to return to their homes. It was not immediately clear if there were bombs in the area. For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .
