The USS Albacore is pictured in Groton, Conn., on Might 9, 1942.

Naval Historical past and Heritage Command

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Naval Historical past and Heritage Command

The wreckage of a U.S. submarine from World Conflict II was discovered off the coast of Hokkaido in northern Japan — after disappearing virtually 80 years in the past.

The USS Albacore, credited with sinking a minimum of 10 enemy vessels through the battle, was discovered by the College of Tokyo’s Tamaki Ura and positively recognized by the Naval Historical past and Heritage Command, the Navy mentioned on Thursday.

Albacore was lengthy assumed to be misplaced eternally. In keeping with Japanese information, the submarine, with a crew of 85 males on board, seemingly struck a mine simply off the shore of Hokkaido on Nov. 7, 1944, the NHHC mentioned.

“Most significantly, the wreck represents the ultimate resting place of Sailors that gave their life in protection of the nation and needs to be revered by all events as a battle grave,” learn the Navy’s press launch.

The NHHC mentioned its archaeologists used underwater imagery supplied by Ura’s crew to verify the stays had been these of the Albacore. Knowledge from the Japan Middle for Asian Historic Data mentioning the lack of an American submarine steered Ura to the positioning of the wreckage. Ura’s crew used information collected from a remotely operated automobile to confirm the historic information.

Six of the Albacore’s enemy sinkings had been enemy fight ships, making the vessel certainly one of World Conflict II’s prime fight submarines, in line with the Navy.