Expedition on E/V Nautilus to Explore Lost Shipwrecks of Iron Bottom Sound
Posted
Last Updated
Located in the Solomon Islands, Iron Bottom Sound was the site of five major naval battles during the early years of the Pacific campaign during World War II. Over 100 naval vessels were lost during battles here, but only 30 have been located, and at least 21 remain to be found in the deep waters of Iron Bottom Sound.
The 1942 Solomon Islands Campaign was the Allies’ first large-scale offensive initiative of World War II to halt and reverse Imperial Japanese expansion in the Pacific, breaking the pattern of Japanese territorial gains. While broadly known for brutal jungle warfare following the amphibious landing on the island of Guadalcanal, a series of fierce night-time naval engagements in the surrounding waters resulted in heavy losses on both sides. Between August and December 1942, 111 naval vessels and 1,450 planes were lost, along with 20,000 service members. To date, only 30 of the military ships lost in this area have been located, with at least 21 remaining to be found in the deep waters of Iron Bottom Sound.
During the expedition, the team will use the University of New Hampshire’s uncrewed surface vehicle DriX , controlled from a shore-based station in Honiara, to create high-resolution maps of shipwrecks in Iron Bottom Sound. They will then deploy E/V Nautilus’ remotely operated vehicles to conduct non-invasive video surveys, focusing on wrecks which have not yet been imaged at a high resolution. The coordinated technology approach being used during this expedition demonstrates new efficiencies in maritime archaeology and ocean exploration.
Read more at oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.
