The three happy Zeagle divers are "Chip" Lambert, his wife, Pam Lambert, and Pat Scannon, all from the San Francisco Bay Area. They're happy because they have just located an important historical wreck– one which had been sought for 57 years.
The Tug Muncee is almost entirely surrounded by flames in this photograph taken by Sid Harris
The 553 foot U.S. Navy Auxiliary Oiler USS Mississinewa went down on November 20, 1944 in the lagoon of Ulithi atoll, a remote group of islands between the western Pacific islands of Yap and Guam. During WWII Ulithi was one of the largest naval bases in the world, however today it has reverted to being a remote and traditional outpost with about 700 inhabitants.
The Mississinewa was the only large US Naval WWII shipwreck that was both known to be at diveable depths and had never been located. She was also the only US Navy vessel to have been sunk by one of the Japanese manned suicide torpedoes known as "Kaiten."
Their search was facilitated by a series of 37 incredible photographs taken of the sinking by Sid Harris, a crewman on the fleet tug USS Munsee, which fought the fire and played a significant role in rescuing survivors- at times being completely surrounded by walls of flame. Computer enhancement of some photographs revealed details of islands and allowed the search area to be narrowed to a few square miles.
The photos below, also taken by Sid Harris, show the last moments of the Mississinewa as she disappears for almost six decades, taking 63 of her crewmen down with her.
Even with the help of the photographs, the search had local residents tapping into the atoll's reserve supply of gasoline and was minutes from having to be called off before meeting with success.
The group had time for only two dives before departure, and out of respect for the Mississinewa's status as a grave site they agreed not to penetrate the wreck. The site is now off limits to recreational diving as the US Navy and the people of Ulithi decide how to best preserve the site.
Chip, Pat, and Pam are part of a group of active divers who have been working for years with WWII survivor's groups researching (and occasionally correcting) the historical records, and documenting the incredible sacrifices made by soldiers, sailors, and airmen in the South Pacific 60 years ago. You can find out more about their activities, including their discovery of the Mississinewa, on their web site at www.ussmississinewa.com.
Last picture is of the Mississenewa as she appears today. (Photo by Chip Lambert.) |
