The main section of the USS Johnston—sunk 77 years ago during the Battle of Leyte Gulf—has been discovered off the Philippine coast. Resting over 4 miles beneath the surface, it’s now the deepest shipwreck to ever be investigated.
With its gun turrets and torpedo racks still intact, the USS Johnston (DD-557)—a 376-foot-long (115-meter) Fletcher-class destroyer—was discovered in the Philippine Trench near Samar Island at a depth of 21,180 feet (6,456 meters). The ship sank on October 25, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Of the crew of 327, only 141 managed to survive.
The main section of the wreck, still resting upright, was discovered by Texas-based Caladan Oceanic, a private marine tech company. Caladan Oceanic surveyed the USS Johnston using the research vessel DSV Limiting Factor, according to its statement.
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