SRC Project Display

Divers mapping Stanley wreck site, Isle Royale NP, MI

The USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

The coral reef environment at Biscayne NP, Florida

A green seaturtle off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii

Pearl Harbor - Japanese Midget Submarine

In September 2002, a Hawaii Undersea Research Lab (HURL) submersible piloted by Terry Kerby located one of the five Japanese midget submarines that attacked Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. The find provides archeological evidence of Japanese submarine presence at Pearl Harbor, confirming USS Ward crew accounts that they fired upon and sank a midget sub more than an hour before the infamous air raid.

The SRC had taken the lead in searching for the submarine since 1988 when it initiated sonar operations in the defensive perimeter in association with the Navy. A major search operation ensued in 1990 with SRC joint-venturing with the Navy, the National Geographic Society and Deep Sea Systems (private firm) to scan the high probability areas in the defensive zone and check sonar contacts with a remote operated vehicle (ROV). The midget sub wasnt located but many other vestiges of World War II were, including vintage planes, boats and trucks. This phase of the search was made into a National Geographic Explorer series program.

The stern of the Japanese midget sub, 2002

In December, 2002 and at the invitation of HURL and Discovery Channel, Larry Murphy and Dan Lenihan of SRC were given the opportunity to see the submarine first hand. Their visit to the relic in the company of Terry Kerby was filmed by Discovery Channel and is presently slated for airing sometime in 2003. Dan Basta from the NOAA Marine Sanctuary Program also made a submersible dive to the site and led a seminar on potential directions for future site management. Doug Lentz, superintendent of the USS Arizona Memorial was also present and made a dive. Subsequent protection and management of the site will hopefully be advanced by the participation of these individuals.

A partnership between the National Park Service, NOAA and the U.S. Navy for management of the site as a cultural resource is presently being considered. In accordance with United States Policy for the Protection of Sunken Warships, the United States will use its authority to protect and preserve this sunken craft, including preventing any unauthorized salvage, while completing discussions with the government of Japan. The submarine will likely be determined eligible for National Historic Landmark status.

2002 - Murphy and Lenihan were invited to dive the sub after it was found by HURL on a training dive of Pisces submersible funded by NOAA. Dive was filmed by Discovery Channel.
1990 - Search for the midget sub by SRC/National Geographic/US Navy team. Principal investigators, Dan Lenihan and Chris Nicholson; and Operations Officer Larry Murphy. Also Arnie Carr (AUSS) and John Fish, SAIC and other technology firms contributing. Many vehicles, boats and planes located but not the sub. National Geographic filmed operation for its Explorer series.
1988 - Search by SRC and US Navy EOD1 resulted in promising anomalies in the defensive zone.

Reference:

Lenihan, Daniel J., Editor, 1989, Pages 108-116 of Submerged Cultural Resources Study: USS Arizona Memorial and Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark. Submerged Resources Center Professional Report No. 9. National Park Service, Santa Fe, NM.

Related Links
Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL)