Wreckage of WWII-era warship U.S.S. Indianapolis found after 72 years

A search led by billionaire Paul Allen locates the cruiser at the bottom of the Philippine Sea.

Update: Paul Allen passed away on October 15, 2018. The Microsoft co-founder and son of a World War II veteran, Allen supported a research team that spent years searching for shipwrecks associated with the war. His discoveries also include the U.S.S. Lexington and the world’s largest sunken battleship, the Musashi. David Mearns, a marine scientist who worked with Allen, shared the following today in an email to National Geographic: “Paul’s interest in marine exploration and shipwrecks was very personal, which grew in part from his father’s service during WWII. But in pursuing his passion and curiosity he also invited the world to join these exciting explorations through the computers he helped create. His important discoveries and illumination of naval history have ensured that the sacrifice of those who served is not forgotten.”

After decades of fruitless searches, the wreckage of heavy cruiser U.S.S. Indianapolis was found on the floor of the Philippine Sea on August 19, 2017.

Searchers located the remains of the ship 5,500 meters (18,044 feet) below the sea, according to billionaire Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, who led the expedition. "Important chapter of WWII history concludes," Allen wrote on Twitter. "I hope survivors/families gain some closure."

There were nearly 1,200 sailors on board, and about 300 died when the ship went down. Unable to secure life rafts, survivors were left adrift in the shark-infested Philippine Sea. Dehydration, starvation, and salt poisoning were responsible for hundreds more deaths. Oceanic white-tip sharks and tiger sharks also attacked the vulnerable men.

The Navy failed

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