The wreckage of the USS Harder, the famous US Navy submarine sunk by Japanese forces during the Second World War, has been found in the South China Sea.
According to a statement issued this Thursday by the US Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), the submarine is practically intact and standing at a depth of around 900 meters off the island of Lução, the largest Philippine island and the last known location of the famous US submarine.
The submarine shows only some damage behind the conning tower, caused 80 years ago by a depth charge launched by a Japanese CD-22 escort ship, which sank the vessel along with its 79 crew members on August 24, 1944.
The submarine - whose name comes from the expression “hit 'em harder” - was on patrol when it clashed with the Japanese ship.
It fired three torpedoes that missed their target and the lack of effectiveness proved fatal: it was then hit by a fifth and final depth charge attack that dictated the end of what was, according to NHHC director Samuel J. Cox, the submarine that “sank the largest number of Japanese warships.”
The iconic submarine was discovered using data collected and provided by veteran explorer Tim Taylor, CEO of Tiburon Subsea and the Lost 52 Project, which aims to locate and honor the 52 submarines lost by the US during World War II.
“The Harder was lost in the course of victory. We mustn't forget that victory comes at a price, just like freedom,” said Cox. Today, “it's a graveyard” with 52 men, he told NBC News.
Launched in 1942, the Harder was part of the Gato class of submarines and quickly distinguished itself for its efficiency and effectiveness.
Commanded by one of the most decorated officers in American naval history, Captain Samuel D. Dealey, it sank a total of 16 Japanese vessels, with the highlight being the sinking of five Japanese destroyers in just five days, a feat that earned it the nickname “The Destroyer Killer”.
