The first major American ship to be completely destroyed by Japanese kamikaze planes in World War II has been located in underwater searches in the Pacific Ocean. This is the escort aircraft carrier USS St. Lo. The main part of the wreckage is located at a depth of 4,736 meters, at the edge of the Mariana Trench.
The aircraft carrier was attacked by a kamikaze plane near the Philippines in 1944. The suicide attack detonated torpedoes and bombs on the ship, killing 143 people on board. The boat sank.
The St. Lo was one of the ships of the Casablanca class of auxiliary aircraft carriers of which 50 were built and five were lost in action. The vessel had a full displacement of 11,077 t. length 156 m and width 33 m. It developed a maximum speed of 19 Knots. It had a crew of about 900 men, including pilots. Carried up to 27 aircraft.
Initially armed with one 127 mm gun, 8 Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns. and 12 anti-aircraft guns of 20 mm. She was later armed with 8 twin Bofors and 30 20mm guns. The vessel participated in the great naval battle of Leyte, where she was sunk after a kamikaze attack on October 25, 1944.
The aircraft carrier is on fire.
The aircraft carrier before its sinking.
The aircraft carrier is resting on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.