NOAA researchers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explored with an underwater robot the wreck of one of the Japanese 'pocket submarines' that on December 7, 1941 tried - unsuccessfully - to violate the anti-submarine nets protecting the naval base of Pearl Harbor: to surprise and attack the US fleet at the founds (v.articolo).
On the occasion of the last anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, a NOAA team explored a small 'Ko-hyoteki' class submarine that has been lying for 75 years on the bottom of the Pacific near Pearl Harbor (Hawaii).
The submarine, 23 meters long and specially designed to be transported into the operational area by a 'mother' submarine and then governed by only 2 crewmen, was part of an expedition that was supposed to open a passage in the anti-submarine networks of the naval base American one hour before the embarked bomber formations of the first wave launched the attack from the air.
Detected by the USS destroyer Ward - who spotted the periscope during a patrol off the base - at 6:53 he was hit and sunk by a broadside of 4-inch guns: the shot fired from the USS Ward it can be considered the first shot fired by the Americans on the Pacific front.
As soon as the identification and sinking of a 'hostile' submarine confirmed, the commander of the USS Ward sent a report to the Naval Command of Oahu, but this was not enough to warn the fleet that only ninety minutes later perished under one of the deadliest surprise attacks in history.
Two more Japanese pocket submarines were destroyed by the USS that morning Current and from the USS Monaghan, off Bellows Beach and Keehi Lagoon. Both were recovered.
This latest wreck is located at a depth of 335 meters and will be the subject of further exploration by NOAA.
(images: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research)
