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USS Houston: Navy divers confirm sunken wreck is World War II cruiser Houston
Posted by Unknown on Thursday, August 21, 2014 | 0 comments
The survival of those men came as a shocking, though welcome, surprise in August 1945, the month the war in Asia ended with the surrender of the Japanese. In a wire story published in the Los Angeles Times under the headline "Men of U.S.S. Houston Come Back From Dead," a military official said that five men had escaped from a prisoner of war camp in Thailand and confirmed there were about 300 other survivors. By then 42 months had passed since all aboard the cruiser had been presumed dead. lRelated Navy conducts first series of drone and manned fighter jet operations NATION NOW Navy conducts first series of drone and manned fighter jet operations SEE ALL RELATED 8 In recent months Navy archaeologists worked with Indonesian Navy divers to survey the wreck over the course of 19 underwater searches, said U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Harry Harris. The Navy History and Heritage Command confirmed that the recorded data is consistent with the identification of the former Houston. Documented evidence shows the gravesite was disturbed, noting that hull rivets and a metal plate were removed from the ship. Both U.S. and Indonesia officials are working to coordinate protection of the historic site, which is also a popular recreational dive location. The report voices public safety and security concerns, citing "active seepage of oil from the hull." cComments Interesting article. Why did the ship have so many portholes? Would those windows not just speed up a sinking? SIX GENERATION ANGELENO AT 2:15 PM AUGUST 19, 2014 ADD A COMMENTSEE ALL COMMENTS 8 A final report will be completed in the fall as underwater archeologists continue to collect data from the dives. The Navy estimates more than 17,000 sunken ships and aircraft rest on the ocean floor.
