July
2004 - Sakhalin Energy Investment Corporation (SEIC), and
their subcontractor Romona, conducted sub-sea surveys in La
Perouse Strait. At the request of the Wahoo Project
Group, they diverted from their normal routes to scan two sites
which were thought to be probable locations for Wahoo.
At the first site a freighter was found. But
at the second site,
the object pictured above was discovered. Ian Bullpitt, a contractor
for SEIC, came across this image during his normal work and
made it available to the Wahoo project team in 2005.
The image shows the form of an American fleet submarine of WWII
vintage. The stern is in the lower left, the bow in the upper
right. The white stalk jutting up amidships is the periscope
shears. The only known US submarine lost in the location the
scan was made was USS Wahoo (SS-238). Courtesy of
Bryan MacKinnon.
July
28-29, 2006 - While conducting a search for L-19,
a Russian submarine lost in La Perouse Strait during the closing
days of WWII, Vladimir Kartashev of Vladivostok reviewed the
SEIC side scan sonar images. In order to verify the pictured
boat was not the L-19, he led a team of divers to
the site and descended 185 feet to the wreck. As predicted,
the object was a sunken submarine, was of WWII vintage, and
was not Russian made. They found the boat sitting upright
on the bottom, remarkably intact. This shot of the bow reveals
the correct taper, bullnose, and deck openings for a Gato
class boat such as Wahoo. Courtesy
of Vladimir Kartashev.
July
28-29, 2006 - A 4-inch deck gun was found mounted just
in front of the conning tower fairwater, just as on Wahoo.
The gun training hand wheels, seat, and sight for the port
gunner are covered in marine growth.
Courtesy
of Vladimir Kartashev.
July
28-29, 2006 - Slightly lower shot showing marine growth
on the deck surrounding the gun. Courtesy
of Vladimir Kartashev.
Forward
gun comparison - This was Wahoo in July 1943. Her
4-inch gun forward of the conning tower fairwater matches
perfectly with the wreck images. Her torpedo loading crane
is mounted on the deck just forward of the gun.
July
28-29, 2006 - Forward gun looking aft at deck level.
Shape rising in the background is the conning tower fairwater.
Cylindrical
object lying on the deck running parallel to the gun tube
is most likely the encrusted torpedo loading crane. Courtesy
of Vladimir Kartashev.
July
28-29, 2006 - Slightly closer view of forward 4"
gun from same angle. The
deck seems to either have a large mass of growth near the
base of the gun to starboard. The wooden deck slats in this
area is deteriorated. Courtesy
of Vladimir Kartashev.
July
28-29, 2006 - Close-up of muzzle tampion for the forward
4-inch gun. Behind it the conning tower fairwater rises from
the deck. The periscope shears and forward 20mm gun mount
can just be made out at the top. Courtesy
of Vladimir Kartashev.
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