Yesterday, February 12th, 2019, we covered one of the most exciting artifact finds. The late Paul Allen’s exploration company Vulcan Inc. used their famed submarine called RV Petrel to find USS Hornet which sank 77 years ago.
The company initially released just a few pictures but has now opened its floodgates on social media. You can find over a dozen never before seen photos of the ship below.
USS Hornet
The finding of this ship is significant because the ship itself made a difference in World War II. USS Hornet (CV-8) was launched in 1940 as a Yorktown-class aircraft carrier and was sent off to fight in the Pacific Theater.
A Japanese Type 99 Aichi D3A1 dive bomber (Allied codename “Val”) trails smoke as it dives toward the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8), during the morning of 26 October 1942. This plane struck the ship’s stack and then her flight deck. A Type 97 Nakajima B5N2 torpedo plane (“Kate”) is flying over Hornet after dropping its torpedo, and another “Val” is off her bow. Note anti-aircraft shell burst between Hornet and the camera, with its fragments striking the water nearby. | U.S. Navy / Public Domain
She fought nobly during the war taking major roles in both the Battle of Midway and the launch of the Doolittle Raid but was eventually struck on October 27th, 1942. During heavy fighting, Hornet was targeted by Japanese dive bombers, many of which scored major hits on both the hull and the bridge.
Hornet cruising off Hampton Roads in October 1941. | U.S. Navy / Public Domain
She eventually succumbed to her damage, sinking into the Pacific and taking 140 of the crew with her. The remaining survivors were picked up by surrounding ships.
Here’s what she looks like now.
This is the starboard forward 5″ gun mount posted for one of our followers. His father was one of the 12 to 15 men it took to operate this gun. | RV Petrel / FacebookAn Anti-Aircraft projectile still in the fuse setter for the starboard forward gun in the previous photo. | RV Petrel / FacebookA layout of all the pieces RV Petrel found. | RV Petrel / FacebookA view of the Signal Bridge. | RV Petrel / Public DomainThis is the hangar deck on the main part of the ship on the starboard side. You can see Hornet is nearly buried up to the Hangar Deck. | RV Petrel / FacebookAnother picture with possible damage from a torpedo or impacting the seafloor. That is the hangar deck visible towards the top of the photo. | RV Petrel / FacebookA 20mm Oerlikon AA gun on the port quarter. This part of the ship is 1 nautical mile from the main part of the wreck. | RV Petrel / FacebookOn Northampton’s last attempt at towing the Hornet they attached a cable to the port anchor chain visible here leading forward. The starboard anchor is visible in the lower left of the photo. | RV Petrel / FacebookA picture of the Signal Bridge. | RV Petrel / FacebookThe F4F Wildcat from the debris field and shown in the sonar mosaic. | RV Petrel / FacebookThe length of the Hornet as she sits now is 205 meters measuered on the flight deck. There is approximately 45 meters of the stern missing and is in the debris field 1 nautical mile away. You can also see the initial impact crater as Hornet hit the bottom and slid 100 meters. | RV Petrel / Facebook
In case you missed the initial report from yesterday, we’ve also included a news clip of the find as it was aired on CBS This Morning.
