Legendary U.S. WW II Submarine Found 3,000 Feet Underwater 80 Years After Fierce Battle With Japanese Ship© Knewz

Legendary U.S. WW II Submarine Found 3,000 Feet Underwater 80 Years After Fierce Battle With Japanese Ship

The Naval History and Heritage Command had recently announced their joyful discovery of a U.S. World War II submarine. The submarine, USS Harder—nicknamed 'Hit 'em HARDER'—was found near the Philippine Island of Luzon, 3,000 feet underwater, sitting upright and mostly undamaged. Tim Taylor, CEO of the Lost 52 Project, had led the team that located it.

According to CBS News, NHHC Director Samuel J. Cox, a retired U.S. Navy admiral, said in a press release, "Harder was lost in the course of victory. We must not forget that victory has a price, as does freedom." He added, "We are grateful that Lost 52 has given us the opportunity to honor once again the valor of the crew of the 'Hit 'em HARDER' submarine that sank the most Japanese warships—in particularly audacious attacks—under her legendary skipper, Cmdr. Sam Dealey."

Knewz.com noted that Tim Taylor, along with diving expert Christine Dennison, had used advanced imaging tools and underwater robots to find and capture incredible images of the Harder. The submarine had been sunk off the coast of the Philippines by Japan in 1944 during World War II. NHHC stated, "Submarines, by their very design, can be challenging to identify, but the excellent state of preservation of the site and the quality of the data collected by Lost 52 allowed NHHC to confirm the identity of the wreck as Harder."

Tim Taylor and his team had also located other lost World War II submarines, including the USS Grayback, USS Stickleback, and USS Grunion. In recognition of his efforts, Taylor received a Distinguished Public Service Award from the Navy in 2021.

The USS Harder, commanded by the renowned Commander Samuel D. Dealey, had gained fame for sinking three Japanese destroyers and damaging two others within four days. However, Harder’s luck changed in 1944. On August 22, Harder and the USS Haddo sank three escort ships near Bataan. Later that night, Harder, Haddo, and USS Hake headed toward Caiman Point on Luzon. On August 24, Haddo and Hake evaded enemy ships, but Harder remained and fired three times at an escort ship, missing each shot. The escort ship then attacked with depth charges, sinking the Harder and killing all 79 crew members.

According to CNN, the National Medal of Honor Museum described Dealey’s tactics: "At 1,500 yards, Dealey fired three torpedoes and ordered the sub to dive. As the Harder passed 80 feet underneath the destroyer, two of the torpedoes struck the ship, sending shock waves through the submarine." Harder’s achievements earned it a Presidential Unit Citation for its first five missions and six battle stars during World War II. Its courageous commander, Dealey, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, a Navy Cross, two Gold Stars, and a Distinguished Service Cross.

The waters around the Philippines had seen many shipwrecks. In 2015, U.S. billionaire Paul Allen discovered the Musashi, one of Japan’s largest warships, in the Sibuyan Sea. Just last September, explorers had documented images of three shipwrecks from the Battle of Midway, including the first close-up photos of a Japanese aircraft carrier sunk in 1942.