The USS Harder went missing on August 24, 1944. The WW2 submarine sank the most Japanese warships in World War II. Nearly 80 years later, there's finally some closure on what happened to the vessel. The wreckage of the submarine was found in the South China Sea.
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Before it disappeared, 79 sailors were aboard the USS Harder. It's been a mystery for years about what exactly happened to the vessel after it sank. Researchers discovered the wreckage of the submarine off Luzon island in the Philippines. Tim Taylor, CEO of Tiburon Subsea and the Lost 52 Project provided the crucial data needed to find the vessel.
"We are grateful that Lost 52 has given us the opportunity to once again honor 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," NHHC Director Samuel J. Cox, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, said in a statement.
According to the agency, the wreckage is "resting at a depth of more than 3,000 feet." It "sits upright on her keel relatively intact except for the depth-charge damage aft of the conning tower." Meanwhile, Taylor explained how he found the USS Harder, saying it involved "archival research and applying multiple autonomous robots to cover vast swaths of the search efficiently."
WW2 Submarine Honored After Sinking
Commissioned in December 1942, the WW2 submarine went on six war patrols, sinking three Japanese and damaging two other in four days on its fifth patrol. On its last patrol, it destroyed three escort ships near Baatan. Ultimately, a Japanese ship sank the vessel. "Japanese records later revealed Harder fired three torpedoes at CD-22," NHHC revealed. "The Japanese ship evaded the torpedoes and began a series of depth charge attacks," it added. The "fifth depth charge attack sinking Harder and her crew."
For its service World War II, the USS Harder and its crew received the Presidential Unit Citation and six battle stars. "Cmdr. Dealey was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his outstanding contribution to the war effort on Harder's fifth patrol," the organization also said. "Dealey's other awards included a Navy Cross (Sept. 1943) for Harder's first war patrol; a Gold Star in lieu of second Navy Cross (Nov. 1943) for second war patrol; second Gold Star in lieu of third Navy Cross (Feb. 1944) for third war patrol; the Distinguished Service Cross (July 1944); a third Gold Star in lieu of fourth Navy Cross (July 1944) for fourth war patrol; and the Silver Star (posthumously, Oct. 1948) for the sixth war patrol."
The discovery of the wreckage comes in time for Memorial Day.
