The wreck of the USS Edsall, an American warship sunk during a battle with Japanese forces in Second World War, was discovered more than 80 years after it disappeared at the bottom of the sea, American and Australian officials announced Monday.

The final resting place of the USS Edsall, a Clemson-class destroyer, was discovered late last year at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, according to the US Navy and the Royal Australian Navy.

“Working with the US Navy, the Royal Australian Navy used advanced robotic and autonomous systems, normally used for hydrographic survey capabilities, to locate the USS Edsall on the seabed,” the Royal Chief said. Australian Navy, Vice-Admiral Mark Hammond. in a statement.

The warship was sunk on March 1, 1942, three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, during an encounter with Japanese battleships and dive bombers.

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The USS Edsall was a Clemson-class destroyer, measuring 314 feet long and capable of reaching 35 knots. (US Navy)

“Captain Joshua Nix and his crew fought valiantly, dodging 1,400 shells from Japanese battleships and cruisers, before being attacked by 26 dive bombers, suffering only one fatal hit. There were no casualties. survivor,” said Caroline Kennedy, the United States Ambassador to Australia, said in a statement.

Japanese forces spotted the Edsall about 225 miles south of Christmas Island while the American warship was en route to assist another ship. Historians said the Edsall had already suffered damage that would prevent it from outrunning Japanese cruisers or battleships.

Put in a “desperate” position, historians say Nix, in an act of defiance against the enemy, “chose to make it a fight”, laying down a smoke screen and beginning evasive maneuvers that thwarted the Japanese objective for over an hour before being defeated by dive bombers.

The Japanese used this photo of the USS Edsall blown out of the water as propaganda during World War II. (US Navy)

Nix’s evasive actions gained the respect of the Japanese, who said the Edsall behaved like a “Japanese dancing mouse”, a popular pet in Japan at the time, known for its manic movements.

“Edsall’s commanding officer upheld the U.S. Navy’s principle of ‘Don’t abandon ship,’ even in the face of insurmountable odds,” Lisa Franchetti, the U.S. Navy’s chief of naval operations, said in a statement. .

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“The wreck of this ship is a sacred site, serving as a landmark for 185 members of the US Navy and 31 United States Air Force pilots on board at the time, almost all of which were lost when the Edsall succumbed to her battle damage,” the statement continued.

While it was believed that all of the Edsall’s passengers had died at sea, it was later learned, several years after the end of the war, that a few survivors had been picked up by the Japanese and beheaded on March 24, 1942.

Kennedy said the discovery was part of ongoing efforts to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“We will now be able to preserve this important memorial and hope that the families of the heroes who died there will know that their loved ones are resting in peace,” she said.

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