Ear: Ship

A World War II U.S. Navy destroyer, the 377-foot USS Johnston, sunk off of Samar Island in the Philippine Sea on Oct. 25, 1944, and settled in at 21,181 feet deep (about 4 miles). It is the world’s deepest known shipwreck, The Straits Times reports; only 141 of the ship’s 327 crew survived.

The ship’s location was actually discovered in 2019 but the expedition group’s remotely-operated vehicle did not have the ability to reach it. But Texas-based undersea technology company Caladan Oceanic was capable of getting there, and the ship was surveyed and photographed during two 8-hour dives by a crew in a submersible — thereby making history as the deepest wreck dives. One of their photos is shown, courtesy of AFP/Caladan Oceanic.

The damage incurred during the battle was visible on the wreck. “(The destroyer) took fire from the largest warship ever constructed — the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Yamato,” team member Parks Stephenson said, “and ferociously fought back.” Rest in peace.