Skip to main content Live Science Live Science Search Live Science View Profile Sign up to our newsletter Planet Earth Archaeology Physics & Math Human Behavior Science news Life's Little Mysteries Science quizzes Newsletters Story archive Buck Moon 2025 Earth spinning faster How pythons digest skeletons Texas flash flooding Prime Day deals Recommended reading Archaeology American submarine, lost for over a century, discovered 'remarkably intact' off the coast of San Diego Archaeology 1940s Ford car found on wartime US carrier wreck Archaeology 300-year-old pirate-plundered shipwreck that once held 'eyewatering treasure' discovered off Madagascar Archaeology Gold coins from 'world's richest shipwreck' reveal 300-year-old depictions of castles, lions and Jerusalem crosses Archaeology Titanic digital reconstruction sheds light on night ship sank Human Evolution 140,000 year old bones of our ancient ancestors found on sea floor, revealing secrets of extinct human species Archaeology Mass grave of Black Union soldiers slaughtered during the Civil War may lie under a Kentucky soybean field, high-tech scans reveal Archaeology Severed bow of US warship blown off by Japanese torpedo finally found in South Pacific Tom Metcalfe 10 July 2025 More than 180 lives were lost in the WWII attack, but the U.S. ship stayed afloat. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The researchers located the bow of USS New Orleans on the seafloor of Iron Bottom Sound, near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. (Image credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/Nautilus Live, NOAA) The bow section of the U.S. warship USS New Orleans, which was blown off by a Japanese torpedo in 1942, has been located near the island of Guadalcanal in the South Pacific Ocean. Although the ship survived the attack, more than 180 of the crew onboard the heavy cruiser were killed when one of the ship's magazines of ammunition was hit by a torpedo and detonated, tearing off the entire front of the vessel. According to a statement, the ship's bow section was discovered during seafloor mapping operations at Iron Bottom Sound, near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, at a depth of 2,214 feet (675 meters). You may like American submarine, lost for over a century, discovered 'remarkably intact' off the coast of San Diego 1940s Ford car found on wartime US carrier wreck 300-year-old pirate-plundered shipwreck that once held 'eyewatering treasure' discovered off Madagascar "By all rights, this ship should have sunk," the director of the Naval History and Heritage Command, retired Rear Adm. Samuel Cox, said in the statement. "But due to the heroic damage control efforts of her crew, USS New Orleans became one of the most grievously damaged U.S. cruisers in WWII to actually survive." The New Orleans was hit during the Battle of Tassafaronga near Guadalcanal on the night of Nov. 30, 1942, when U.S. warships attempted to intercept Japanese destroyers delivering supplies to the island. The naval battle took place several months after the successful landing of U.S. marines and soldiers at Guadalcanal — a major Japanese military base which was eventually captured in February 1943. Related: 30 incredible sunken wrecks from WWI and WWII Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/Nautilus Live, NOAA) Stamps visible on the ship's anchor and its structure helped confirm the identity of USS New Orleans' bow section. (Image credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/Nautilus Live, NOAA) The wreckage is now home to deep-sea corals, anemones, and basket stars that use the sunken bow section as their habitat. (Image credit: Ocean Exploration Trust) The researchers located the wreckage during seafloor mapping with remote-controlled vehicles from the OET exploration ship Nautilus. War wreckage The bow wreckage was found by the University of New Hampshire's uncrewed surface vessel (USV) DriX, which was mapping the seafloor with sonar equipment, using reflected sound pulses to estimate distances. The USV was being controlled by researchers aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, which is owned and operated by a U.S. nonprofit called the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET). The expedition was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). One of the search leaders, OET chief scientist Daniel Wagner, said in the statement that a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) was sent to explore the wreckage after its discovery by DriX; and that hundreds of experts around the world had worked to make a positive identification. USS New Orleans, a heavy cruiser, was hit by a Japanese torpedo that ignited its forward ammunition magazine, causing an explosion that tore off the entire bow section. (Image credit: US National Archives) RELATED STORIES —Wreck of WWII 'Hit 'Em Harder' submarine, which sank with 79 crew on board, discovered in South China Sea —Mass grave of WWII massacre victims could be hiding under field in Singapore —Drones equipped with lasers uncover secrets of bloody WWII battle After the explosion tore off its bow, the New Orleans began flooding; but the vessel was kept afloat by crew members who stayed at their posts, although some lost their lives and three Navy Crosses were awarded posthumously. The ship was temporarily repaired with a coconut log in a nearby harbor until it was able to sail back slowly to the United States for permanent repairs. "To find the bow of this ship is an opportunity to remember the sacrifice of this valiant crew, even on one of the worst nights in U.S. Navy history," Cox said. Severed Bow of USS New Orleans Discovered in Iron Bottom Sound | Nautilus Live - YouTube Tom Metcalfe Social Links Navigation Live Science Contributor Tom Metcalfe is a freelance journalist and regular Live Science contributor who is based in London in the United Kingdom. Tom writes mainly about science, space, archaeology, the Earth and the oceans. He has also written for the BBC, NBC News, National Geographic, Scientific American, Air & Space, and many others. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. American submarine, lost for over a century, discovered 'remarkably intact' off the coast of San Diego 1940s Ford car found on wartime US carrier wreck 300-year-old pirate-plundered shipwreck that once held 'eyewatering treasure' discovered off Madagascar Gold coins from 'world's richest shipwreck' reveal 300-year-old depictions of castles, lions and Jerusalem crosses Titanic digital reconstruction sheds light on night ship sank 140,000 year old bones of our ancient ancestors found on sea floor, revealing secrets of extinct human species Latest in Archaeology Stunning facial reconstructions of 'hobbit,' Neanderthal and Homo erectus bring human relatives to life Extraordinary 'sacrificial ass' with severed head discovered from Bronze Age Israel — and it was from a faraway land Rare form of leprosy infected people in Americas before European arrival, 4,000-year-old bones suggest Massive blocks from the Lighthouse of Alexandria, an ancient wonder, hauled up from the Mediterranean Oldest wooden tools unearthed in East Asia show that ancient humans made planned trips to dig up edible plants Neanderthal DNA may refute 65,000-year-old date for human occupation in Australia, but not all experts are convinced Latest in News Scientist's cat helps discover a rare virus — yet again Stunning facial reconstructions of 'hobbit,' Neanderthal and Homo erectus bring human relatives to life 3I/ATLAS: Everything you need to know about the new 'interstellar visitor' shooting through the solar system 'Alpha male' primates are rare, with females about as likely to dominate the opposite sex, study finds 'We're bringing back avian dinosaurs': De-extinction company claims it will resurrect the giant moa in next 10 years Echoes from the Big Bang suggest Earth is trapped inside a giant cosmic void, scientists claim LATEST ARTICLES Stunning facial reconstructions of 'hobbit,' Neanderthal and Homo erectus bring human relatives to life Mystery of Mars' missing water could be solved by the planet's tipsy tilt 3I/ATLAS: Everything you need to know about the new 'interstellar visitor' shooting through the solar system This expert works out for a living — here are their 3 top picks for portable exercise equipment 'Alpha male' primates are rare, with females about as likely to dominate the opposite sex, study finds Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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