Photos taken by the three underwater robots that explored the wreck reveal it is still in surprisingly good shape, despite being submerged for over 80 years. Live Science
The wreck of USS Stewart, the only warship to serve both the United States and Japan during World War II, was recently discovered. The remains were located in early August at a depth of around 3,500 feet (1,065 meters) in the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, approximately 50 miles northwest of San Francisco. The ship had been sunk during target practice in 1946, but its exact resting place remained unknown for decades. It was rediscovered by three autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) deployed by the marine robotics company Ocean Infinity.
The AUVs, equipped with high-resolution sonar, were able to scan a vast 37-square-nautical-mile area of the seafloor in under 24 hours, efficiently pinpointing the wreck’s location. "We covered it very quickly, and in high resolution," said Andy Sherrell, director of maritime operations at Ocean Infinity, during an interview. The sonar images showed the USS Stewart standing upright on the ocean floor, still remarkably intact after nearly 80 years underwater.
A detailed sonar image reveals the warship wreck standing upright on the ocean floor, located around 50 miles northwest of San Francisco. Live Science
USS Stewart has a storied past. Originally commissioned as a U.S. destroyer designated DD-224, it was sent to Borneo in November 1941, right before the United States officially entered World War II. In the early months of the Pacific War, the ship served as an escort vessel but was damaged during the Battle of Badung Strait in February 1942. Despite the damage, Stewart managed to limp back to the port of Surabaya in Java. However, with Japanese forces closing in, the crew made the difficult decision to scuttle the ship, intentionally sinking it to prevent its capture.
The U.S. regained control of the Stewart after WWII. Initially sunk in 1942, the ship was later salvaged by the Japanese and used as a patrol boat. Live Science
But Stewart’s story didn’t end there. In 1943, the Japanese salvaged the ship, repaired it, and recommissioned it as a patrol boat for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The ship served Japan for the remainder of the war, adding a unique twist to its history as a vessel that fought on both sides of the conflict. After Japan's surrender in September 1945, the United States regained control of Stewart. The warship was briefly recommissioned by the U.S. Navy, but by then, it was in poor condition. The ship was decommissioned again in May 1946 and later used for target practice off the coast of California, where it was ultimately sunk by U.S. warplanes and warships.
In 1946, the old ship was used as a target for practice near the California coast and was ultimately sunk by gunfire from a U.S. warship. Live Science
Stewart’s history as a “Ghost Ship” gained notoriety during the war. It was spotted several times by American pilots behind enemy lines, a ghostly reminder of the shifting tides of war. Its final discovery brings a sense of closure to the ship’s journey. The wreck is in excellent condition, despite its time at the bottom of the sea, and will offer historians and archaeologists valuable insights into early 20th-century naval design and technology.
Maritime archaeologist James Delgado commented on the significance of the find, stating, “The USS Stewart represents a unique opportunity to study a well-preserved example of early twentieth-century destroyer design. Its story, from U.S. Navy service to Japanese capture and back again, makes it a powerful symbol of the Pacific War’s complexity.”
