Explorers examine a sunken U.S. WWII ship — and find a car

Wreckage of sunken Japanese WWII vessel recovered

Wreckage of sunken Japanese WWII vessel found 00:30

A unit researching an iconic U.S. Navy craft bearer that was sunk successful the Pacific Ocean during World War II made a singular find implicit the weekend.   

A conveyance was recovered successful the hangar of the USS Yorktown, which was famously torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during the Battle of Midway successful June 1942.

The find was made Saturday erstwhile the NOAA Ocean Exploration sent a remotely operated camera wrong the shipwreck arsenic portion of a weeks-long exploration of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument successful the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, astir 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu.

"It's a car. That's a car," 1 researcher was heard saying successful a livestream, according to the Miami Herald. "That is simply a afloat car."

Researchers with NOAA Ocean Exploration discovered a conveyance aboard the shipwreck of the USS Yorktown, a U.S. Navy craft bearer that sank during the Battle of Midway. NOAA

The USS Yorktown – famously known arsenic the "Fighting Lady" – was an 806-foot-long craft bearer that could accommodate 2,000 sailors. It was commissioned successful 1937 and played a immense relation successful the United States' Pacific run during World War II earlier it sank successful June 1942.

The Yorktown was archetypal located 25 years agone during a associated U.S. Navy and National Geographic Society expedition led by Robert Ballard, the laminitis of Ocean Exploration Trust.

The shipwreck has been well-documented since its discovery, but it seems similar determination is inactive much to find aboard the celebrated carrier.

At archetypal glance, the recently recovered conveyance appears to beryllium a subject jeep. It is resting upright and with the researchers noting its flared fenders, chrome trim, rag apical and a spare tyre connected the backmost door.

"Wow, isn't that something?" a researcher tin beryllium heard connected a livestream connected Sunday.

"Now, that's conscionable amazing," different 1 said.

NOAA Ocean Exploration told the Miami Herald that they fishy the conveyance is simply a 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe "Woody" successful black.

"Yorktown's salvage unit worked tirelessly to jettison anti-aircraft guns and craft to trim its database (after the torpedo strike), but did they permission the car, thing they could rotation disconnected the side?" NOAA officials added.

The craft bearer USS Yorktown is successful adust dock astatine Pearl Harbor, being readied for the Battle of Midway. June 1942. © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

There are respective theories that could explicate wherefore a subject jeep was aboard the Yorktown during its last days astatine sea. One is that it mightiness person been Rear Admiral Frank Fletcher's emblem car arsenic the Yorktown served arsenic his flagship during World War II. Another is that it could person been brought aboard for repairs aft getting damaged astatine the Battle of Coral Sea, officials told the Herald.

CBS News has reached retired to NOAA for further comment.

1942: The Battle of Midway 24 photos

More than 3,400 radical were killed successful the Battle of Midway, and the immense bulk of casualties were Japanese work members, according to the National WWII Museum. About 362 U.S. troops were among the dead. Japan lost 4 craft carriers, 1 cruiser, and hundreds of aircraft, portion the U.S. mislaid 1 carrier, 1 destroyer and 144 craft during the battle.

Stephen Smith contributed to this report.

In:
• Shipwreck
• World War II