Researchers on a month-long Reef Assessment and Monitoring cruise in Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument discovered the wreckage of the USS Mission San Miguel, a naval tanker that sank almost 60 years ago during World War II.
Sitting 80 feet down in the water, the Mission San Miguel is still largely intact, with the helm and steering wheel still standing. The researchers believe that the rest of the tanker is still buried under the sand, a 20-foot section waiting to be uncovered. No one had seen the Mission San Miguel since 1957 so spotting the shipwreck is a big deal.
Back during World War II, the tanker was built to transport fuel for use by the military. It received a number of commendations, including the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korea Service Medal, but glory was short-lived for the Mission San Miguel when it sank after running aground on the Moro reef during a trip from Seattle to Guam. Its crew was able to escape but that was the end for the bemedaled tanker.
"I had to stare at it for a little bit, then I started freaking out under water, screaming and motioning," said Rebecca Weible, one of three divers who discovered the Mission San Miguel. She was joined by Melissa Price and Jason Raupp.
"It's a really very, very exciting discovery for the monument," added Raupp, who is also the team's field leader.
Raupp recounted the discovery and said the divers got lucky because not only was visibility exceptional at the time but they were also on the last leg of assessing the area. Still, they were left with a day to study what they can about the Mission San Miguel.
Looking back, Price described the Mission San Miguel as eerie the first time she saw it looming in the water. Raupp said Weible and Price had eyes as big as pie plates the moment they realized what they were looking at.
The tanker is now part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument's protected waters. It will remain to facilitate mapping and studying on the ocean floor. Researchers have been looking for the Mission San Miguel for decades and now its final resting place has been found.
Photo: NOAA National Ocean Service | Flickr
