Old US Warship Found at the Bottom of the Ocean

Private Explorer Makes INSANE Discovery At The Bottom Of The Pacific Ocean

(AmericanProsperity.com) – In October 1944, World War II would see its largest ship battle unfold in the Leyte Gulf. Japanese ships attempted to remove US forces from the area in the Philippines but met with great resistance, leading to heavy losses on both sides. Explorers recently found one of the US ships lost in that valiant effort at the bottom of the Philippine Sea.

Part of the dive on the Sammy B. It appears her bow hit the seafloor with some force, causing some buckling. Her stern also separated about 5 meters on impact, but the whole wreck was together. This small ship took on the finest of the Japanese Navy, fighting them to the end. pic.twitter.com/fvi6uB0xUQ

— Victor Vescovo (@VictorVescovo) June 24, 2022

Making History, Again

The USS Samuel B. Roberts, aka Sammy B, was part of the brave effort by the American Navy to hold off Japan’s 23-ship fleet despite being outmatched and outgunned. While the Sammy B may have sunk to the bottom of the ocean, it did its part in fending off Japan in what was not only the largest naval battle in WWII, but also its last battle on the water. Of the 224 crewmembers onboard the Sammy B, 89 died in the onslaught. Among the survivors was the vessel’s captain, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland, who claimed it was his highest honor to lead the crew. The former captain commended the sailors’ bravery and sacrifice.

Now, in 2022, the Sammy B is once again making history. Victor Vescovo, an explorer and founder of Caladan Oceanic Expeditions in Dallas, Texas, along with his team, discovered the sunken vessel 22,621 feet below the water’s surface. The depth measures 1,400 feet deeper than where explorers had found the USS Johnston, which was previously the deepest shipwreck to date.

Vescovo, who was once a naval commander himself, told the Associated Press, “It was an extraordinary honor to locate this incredibly famous ship,” adding this is a chance to retell the story of Sammy B and her brave crew, who sacrificed everything despite the odds being stacked against them. The former commander posted photos on Twitter, detailing just how dangerous these discoveries can be.

Some additional pictures from the Sammy B, highlighting the caution needed when diving military wrecks. You can spot the white-tipped rounds in the loading rack of the forward 40mm gun, as well as a depth charge still in its rolling launcher. She also rests on a steep slope. pic.twitter.com/5PgwNLiBCn

— Victor Vescovo (@VictorVescovo) June 28, 2022

The team of explorers noted that before they made the historic discovery, records of where Sammy B was at rest had been inaccurate. The team mentioned equipping their submersible with the largest side-scan sonar ever put on a submersible craft, which gave them the ability to easily surpass the commercial scan range of 19,685 feet.

Naval historian and retired admiral Samuel J. Cox told the AP that Sammy B’s grave served as a reminder “to all Americans of the great cost born by previous generations for the freedom we take for granted today.”

~Here’s to Your Prosperity!