The Wreck of Battleship Musashi

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Musashi

Musashi was the second ship of the Yamato class of Imperial Japanese Navy World War II battleships.

She was used to carry combatants and war equipment between Japan and several occupied islands in 1944.

While carrying Japanese Army from Yokosuka to Palau Islands in Micronesia, American Gato class submarine USS Tunny fired 6 torpedoes at her on March 29, 1944.  First five missed Musashi, but the sixth one blew a hole near her bow.  The hole was 19ft in diameter and killed 7 of her crew.

After temporary repairs, she had to sail for Japan for thorough repair.  She took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June, 1944.

While transiting the Sibuyan Sea in the Philippines on October 24, 1944, the Japanese fleet was spotted by a US reconnaissance aircraft from fleet carrier USS Intrepid.  Within couple of hours, Musashi was attacked by eight ‘Curtiss SB2C Helldiver’ dive bombers from Intrepid.

More attacks followed and she took total 17 bombs and 20 torpedoes in a massive American airstrike.  Within four hours she capsized and sank in 4,430 feet (1,350 m).  1,376 of her 2,399-man crew were rescued.

Source: Wikipedia