(WAVY) — The final resting place for a U.S. Navy submarine that sank the most Japanese warships in World War II has been found more than 80 years after it was sunk.
The USS Harder was found in the South China Sea, more than 3,000 feet below the surface off the coast of the Philippines’ northern island of Luzon, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command. The sub, with its 79-man crew, was sunk during a 1944, battle.
It was data collected and provided by Tim Taylor, CEO of Tiburon Subsea and the Lost 52 Project, that helped find the sunken submarine. Previous submarines found by the Lost 52 Project include the USS Grayback, the USS Stickleback, USS R-12, USS S-26, USS S-28 and the USS Grunion.
The first USS Harder was commissioned Dec. 2, 1942, with Cmdr. Samuel D. Dealey in command. It now rests upright and is relatively intact.
The NHHC said the excellent state of preservation of the site and the data it collected allowed it to confirm the wreck as the USS Harder.
The first USS Harder (SS 257) was commissioned on Dec. 2, 1942, with Cmdr. Samuel D. Dealey in command. It was lost at sea with 79 souls aboard on Aug. 24, 1944.
“Harder was lost in the course of victory. We must not forget that victory has a price, as does freedom,” said NHHC Director Samuel J. Cox, U.S. Navy rear admiral (retired). “We are grateful that Lost 52 has given us the opportunity to once again honor the valor of the crew of the ‘Hit ‘em Harder’ submarine that sank the most Japanese warships — in particularly audacious attacks — under her legendary skipper, Cmdr. Sam Dealey.”
The Harder made six patrols before it was sunk, with its fifth being the most successful, according to the NHHC, sinking three Japanese destroyers and heavily damaging or destroying two more in four days. Its last known location was in the South China Sea off Luzon during its sixth and last war patrol.
Japanese records later revealed Harder fired three torpedoes at its CD-22 vessel, the NHHC said.
“The Japanese ship evaded the torpedoes and began a series of depth charge attacks, [with] the fifth depth charge attack sinking Harder and her crew,” the NHHC said.
The USS Harder received the Presidential Unit Citation for her first five patrols, six battle stars for World War II service. Dealey was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor “for his outstanding contribution to the war effort on Harder’s fifth patrol.”
