Watch Divers Discover USS Johnston Deep Underwater

The wreck of the USS Johnston was discovered after nearly 77 years undisturbed on the Pacific Ocean floor. This ship was sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in World War II. Resting more than 20,000 feet below the surface, it is the deepest shipwreck ever discovered, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command.

The Discovery and History of the USS Johnston

Back in October 2019, a research vessel named Petrel, owned by Vulcan Inc., located the wreck of a Fletcher-class destroyer on the edge of an undersea cliff. However, the identity of the ship remained unconfirmed until recently. Using advanced technology, the undersea exploration company Caladan Oceanic, led by retired naval officer Victor Vescovo, managed to identify the ship by its hull number, 557.

The USS Johnston was lost during the Battle off Samar, which was part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944. Japanese forces, with nothing much to lose and seeking a dramatic end, planned to engage the U.S. Navy in one final showdown. Despite having better technology, the Americans underestimated their enemy, and Admiral Bill Halsey led the U.S. sailors into a dangerous trap with a much larger Japanese force consisting of four battleships, including the super-battleship Yamato, six heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and eleven destroyers.

Admiral Chester Nimitz, who was in Hawaii at the time, couldn’t understand the confused situation and sent a famous sarcastic message to Halsey: “Where repeat where is Task Force 34? The world wonders.”

While all this was happening, the crew of the USS Johnston had no time to ponder. Led by Commander Ernest Evans, the heavily outmatched ship charged into the line of Japanese warships to protect the American landing force attempting to liberate the Philippine Islands. Commander Evans had previously made it clear that the Johnston was meant to be a fighting ship, saying, “This is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harm’s way, and anyone who doesn’t want to go along had better get off right now.”

The Heroic Last Stand of the USS Johnston

The Johnston faced enemy shells that caused widespread damage and casualties. Even after being seriously wounded, Commander Evans ordered a second attack. With no remaining torpedoes and limited firepower, the brave crew continued to fight, firing 30 more rounds into a 30,000-ton Japanese battleship. When enemy ships began to target the escort carrier Gambier Bay, Commander Evans ordered his crew to draw enemy fire away from it, which the Japanese began to do.

After two-and-a-half hours, the USS Johnston, now immobile in the water, was surrounded by enemy ships. At 9:45 a.m., Commander Evans gave the order to abandon ship. Twenty-five minutes later, the destroyer rolled over and began to sink. Out of the 327-man crew, only 141 survived. Commander Evans was not among them; he was later awarded the Medal of Honor, becoming the first Native American in the U.S. Navy and one of only two destroyer captains in WWII to receive the honor.

According to Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison, “In no engagement in its entire history has the United States Navy shown more gallantry, guts and gumption than in the two morning hours between 0730 and 0930 off Samar.” Because of Commander Evans’ bravery and the Johnston’s sacrifice, General Douglas MacArthur was able to retake the Philippines. However, due to Admiral Halsey’s miscalculations, “the Battle off Samar was for a time the victory whose name the navy dared not speak,” as historian Jim Hornfischer noted.

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