One of the few warships of the US Navy that acquired the tag of an icon was USS Nevada. It was in action during both the world wars. Its checkered history included action in various capacities in different locations, including in Pearl Harbor. The authorities took a decision to decommission it in 1946 and subsequently use it for naval gunfire practice. That was on July 31, 1948. Since then, its whereabouts remained unknown. However, with advanced technologies at the disposal of the authorities, the missing USS Nevada has now been located. It is lying in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor.
Daily Mail UK says the credit for the discovery goes to a specialist setup that makes extensive use of robotics. The company Ocean Infinity has its own team of specialists. Once it received the go-ahead for the mission, it lost no time to establish the presence of the wreckage and its whereabouts. Initial observations indicate it is resting in an inverted position. There is debris all around that extends to thousands of feet from the hull. Moreover, some portions of the vessel appear to be missing. Images of the initial survey of the seafloor are with archeologists who are examining them in detail. It is possible that a second torpedo could have sunk the ship.
Pearl Harbor cannot forget the role of USS Nevada
USS Nevada was of 1914 vintage and commissioned in 1916. It had a checkered career in both World War I and World War II and was the only battleship to get underway in the Pearl Harbor attacks in December 1941. During the Pearl Harbor attack, the Warship sustained heavy damages, including one torpedo hit.
It sunk with heavy casualties and rejoined the war after salvation. It took part in the D-Day landings. Its initial mission was to support the forces ashore. Later, it deployed the guns against the shore to counter the German attack. Then USS Nevada sailed to the Pacific in February 1945 to participate in another invasion. At the end of WWII, it became a target ship for atomic experiments in 1946.
The ship was located 65 miles SW of Pearl Harbor.https://t.co/o8B7i4n5XT
— FOX26 News (@KMPHFOX26) May 11, 2020
Daily Mail UK adds the experience with atomic bombs was something new in those days. There were two atomic bombs used. The purpose was to detonate them and check out their effectiveness against the ship. However, the first was very much off-target, and USS Nevada survived. The second left the ship extremely radioactive from the attack. The authorities towed it to Pearl Harbor, decommissioned it in 1946, and later sunk it for naval gunfire practice.
USS Nevada has intrinsic links with Pearl Harbor
According to The Stripes, the remains of USS Nevada are located off the coast of Hawaii. That was its last port of call since 1948 after enduring World War II.
The lifespan of this warship was exceptional, and it survived not just two world wars but also two nuclear-bomb tests. It was a tribute to the engineering skills that went into the making of a ship that helped the United States defend two global wars. The lack of light and oxygen at the extreme depth helped preserve the wreckage in good condition. USS Nevada was at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the Pacific Fleet. Nevada suffered torpedo strikes and bombings but managed to sail on its power to the US West Coast.
American history linked to Pearl Harbor
The modern-day history of America has close links to Pearl Harbor. It was not just a port in Hawaii for ships but also the scene of a do-or-die battle between the Japanese and the Americans.
Some describe the battle of Pearl Harbor as a family affair. This is because of the death of siblings belonging to many American families. In 2018, World War II veterans remembered the attack on Pearl Harbor. The occasion was its 77th anniversary. Incidentally, times have changed. Japan is now an ally of the United States, and Hawaii is an attractive Travel destination.