WWII Japanese Carriers 'Kaga' and 'Akagi' found in Pacific
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50124313
Deep sea explorers have found two Japanese aircraft carriers that were sunk in battle in World War Two.
The carriers were among seven ships that went down in the Battle of Midway, a major air and sea battle fought between the US and Japan in 1942.
One ship, the Kaga, was discovered last week, while wreckage from another carrier, Akagi, was found on Sunday.
Until now only one other ship sunk in this battle had ever been found - the American vessel USS Yorktown, in 1998.
This month's discoveries came after weeks of searching by crew members based on the research vessel Petrel. The vessel is owned by Vulcan Inc, a company created by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
The crew deployed an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) fitted with sonar, which helped to pinpoint the locations of the Kaga and Akagi.
Image copyright U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command
Image caption The Akagi aircraft carrier was sunk during the Battle of Midway, during which hundreds of Japanese and US sailors died
The Petrel also worked with the US Navy, as according to US law it is otherwise illegal to disturb underwater war graves - that is, sites where the wrecks of US military ships lie.
Both ships were found lying about 18,000 feet (5,490 metres) under water within the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument - the largest marine conservation area in the world.
Midway Atoll, a small group of islands in the North Pacific, was used as a US military installation during the war.
Japan had planned to capture the islands after its surprise attack on a US base in Pearl Harbour. But America intercepted its communications, and when Japanese troops arrived at the islands on 4 June 1942, they found the Americans waiting to meet them.
More than 2,000 Japanese people and 300 Americans were killed in the battle that ensued, and a total of seven ships were sunk - four of which were Japanese carriers.
America's victory at Midway dealt a huge blow to Japan's naval capabilities and was seen as a turning point in the Pacific War.
Deep sea explorers have found two Japanese aircraft carriers that were sunk in battle in World War Two.
The carriers were among seven ships that went down in the Battle of Midway, a major air and sea battle fought between the US and Japan in 1942.
One ship, the Kaga, was discovered last week, while wreckage from another carrier, Akagi, was found on Sunday.
Until now only one other ship sunk in this battle had ever been found - the American vessel USS Yorktown, in 1998.
This month's discoveries came after weeks of searching by crew members based on the research vessel Petrel. The vessel is owned by Vulcan Inc, a company created by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
The crew deployed an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) fitted with sonar, which helped to pinpoint the locations of the Kaga and Akagi.
Image copyright U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command
Image caption The Akagi aircraft carrier was sunk during the Battle of Midway, during which hundreds of Japanese and US sailors died
The Petrel also worked with the US Navy, as according to US law it is otherwise illegal to disturb underwater war graves - that is, sites where the wrecks of US military ships lie.
Both ships were found lying about 18,000 feet (5,490 metres) under water within the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument - the largest marine conservation area in the world.
Midway Atoll, a small group of islands in the North Pacific, was used as a US military installation during the war.
Japan had planned to capture the islands after its surprise attack on a US base in Pearl Harbour. But America intercepted its communications, and when Japanese troops arrived at the islands on 4 June 1942, they found the Americans waiting to meet them.
More than 2,000 Japanese people and 300 Americans were killed in the battle that ensued, and a total of seven ships were sunk - four of which were Japanese carriers.
America's victory at Midway dealt a huge blow to Japan's naval capabilities and was seen as a turning point in the Pacific War.
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they thought they were badass.
...75 years later two of their ships are found at the bottom of the sea...0 -
I see there's a new Midway movie being put out this year. I don't see the US task force commander listed in the cast, nor Yorktown's commanding officer. A fair number of young ladies as Navy wives and some Japanese officers. I guess that's the way it goes in 2019. 0 -
I think we sank a total of 29 Imperial Japanese carriers (fleet - auxiliary - and gyro support types)
The new Kaga and Akagi (fleet carriers - VTOL and VSTOL full length straight deck with capabilities to carry 12-14 F-35 fighters) are shaking down now and running fleet exercises with the US Navy...
They are better carriers than the new British classes.
They now have 8-12 carriers depending on who you believe.
They call them fleet defense destroyers (with 14 gen 5 strike fighters) yeah right.
Jane's has reported on the class and the converts and helo carrier - the Imperial Japanese battle flag has been seen flying again - Kempai tai insignia has resurfaced...
Some people needless to say are alarmed.
Don't believe me???
Mike0 -
dfletcher wrote:I see there's a new Midway movie being put out this year. I don't see the US task force commander listed in the cast, nor Yorktown's commanding officer. A fair number of young ladies as Navy wives and some Japanese officers. I guess that's the way it goes in 2019.
The original version is a great watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon....0 -
dfletcher wrote:I see there's a new Midway movie being put out this year. I don't see the US task force commander listed in the cast, nor Yorktown's commanding officer. A fair number of young ladies as Navy wives and some Japanese officers. I guess that's the way it goes in 2019.
BrokeBack Aircraft Carrier
The year's number 1 movie of unrequited love between two trans-seamen in the midst of an intense battle where some people did some things to some other people.
I won't be surprised when the snowflakes start tearing down our monuments and rewrite our history.0 -
mrmike08075 wrote:I think we sank a total of 29 Imperial Japanese carriers (fleet - auxiliary - and gyro support types)
The new Kaga and Akagi (fleet carriers - VTOL and VSTOL full length straight deck with capabilities to carry 12-14 F-35 fighters) are shaking down now and running fleet exercises with the US Navy...
They are better carriers than the new British classes.
They now have 8-12 carriers depending on who you believe.
They call them fleet defense destroyers (with 14 gen 5 strike fighters) yeah right.
Jane's has reported on the class and the converts and helo carrier - the Imperial Japanese battle flag has been seen flying again - Kempai tai insignia has resurfaced...
Some people needless to say are alarmed.
Don't believe me???
Mike
A carrier of any type will last about 10 minutes in a war today. A nuclear sub will take it out with a guided missile from a 1,000 miles away.0 -
Over three miles deep. That is unbelievable that they can find these ships. Outstanding! 0 -
The US NAVY is supporting and supplying and training is the new Imperial Japanese battle fleet - strike carrier force (8-12 full carrier groups with escorts and subs) in American carrier combined ops tactics and methodology...
The Japanese have only one Air Force base with 2 runways on Okinawa (a mixed use airport shared with commercial use transport and passenger airlines / civilian operation that stages through planes from the mainland and a limited small self defense force of sub hunters and small air superiority fighters / some tankers)
They cannot expand this airport / Air Force base - Okinawa has no real estate and there are flight restrictions based on noise and traffic patterns...
From Okinawa planes and a mainland based self defense force of littoral attack subs and small frigates and destroyers they try to defend and keep ownership of the sea of Japan.
China is spending almost 3% of GDP on the military and a now world dominating navy that only the US NAVY can compare to.
They have taken the spratleys and actually built islands and atolls and stacked military weapons on them...
They want the commerce and Taiwan and the oil and natural gas and galalinium nodule deposits.
Japan has bent the self defense force definition so far it's unrecognizable and laughable like some bad science fiction movie plot (no yamato or musashi replacements yet but arleigh Burke ageis class heavy middle cruisers are being laid down)
Japanese neighbors are scared of China but horrified by Japan.
Vietnam built a brand new modern spacious state of the art combined Air Force and naval base with space fore marine amphibious warfare groups - deep protected harbors - soup to nuts.
They have repeatedly tried to give it to the US military on a 99 year lease.
End times and scary portents.
Mike0 -
Yes we kicked them bad at Midway with wooden decked aircraft carriers 0
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