In the Pacific Ocean, a group of divers has uncovered the remains of a US Navy warship that was lost during World War II by a kamikaze aircraft.
The USS Mannert L. Abele
On April 12, 1945, while conducting operations off the northern coast of the Japanese island of Okinawa, the USS Mannert L. Abele found itself surrounded by hostile planes, according to a news release issued this week by the Naval History and Heritage Command.
According to NBC News, the command reported that after the Sumner-class cruiser attacked and destroyed numerous enemy aircraft, one managed to fall close to it, breaching its side. One minute later, the plane was "at the waterline by a Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka."
Based on the press release, the Ohka, also known as the "Cherry Blossom," was the first US warship to be sunk by a rocket-powered human-guided bomb, and its rapid bow and stern buckle were caused by the explosion.
The Ohka was called one of the first cruise missiles. Its maximum speed during launch was 425 miles per hour.
As four fighter planes took to the air, inshore Fire Support ships started rescuing the crew of the Abele from the attackers. Unfortunately, 84 servicemen were missing at sea.
Command Director Samuel J. Cox, a retired US Navy rear admiral, stated that the finding of the ship offers closure to the families of the dead and gives them all another chance to remember and respect them.
The Lost 52 Project
The ship was discovered in December 2022 by the Lost 52 Project, an organization that looks for WWII-era Navy submarines and warships.
According to a statement posted on their website, the Lost 52 Project confirmed that the ship was aiding Operation Iceberg, another name for the Battle of Okinawa.
It also noted that the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the same day cast a gloom over the tragedy. About five weeks later, the US used atomic bombs to decimate the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In a statement, Tim Taylor, head of the Lost 52 Project, noted that the findings were "very emotive" for him since his father had gone "close to the same fate" when the USS Telfair was attacked by kamikazes.
The command claimed to have officially recognized the Abele as a "sunken military craft protected by US law and under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy," as well as a war graveyard of sailors to be honored by everyone.
There are still exploration missions set out to find US Navy ships that went missing during WWII. In February, the command located the USS Albacore submarine off the coast of Hokkaido.
