Elleda Wilson: Finding 'Sammy B'

Jul. 7—There is a good deal of interest in the shipwrecks in this neck of the woods. That being said, the deepest shipwreck ever located was discovered last month off the Philippines, the USS Samuel B. Roberts, which rests at about 22,600 feet, Phys.Org reports.

The wreck was found by Texas undersea technology company, Caladan Oceanic, which sent a team, led by founder Victor Vescovo, in a crewed submersible to take photos (one is shown) and survey the wreck over a period of eight days. They were also looking for the USS Gambier Bay, which is believed to be even deeper than the "Sammy B," but couldn't find it. This time.

The "Sammy B," a U.S. Navy escort destroyer, was sunk on Oct. 25, 1944, during a battle to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation during World War II. The destroyer's 224 crew members, according to Navy records, "floated for nearly three days awaiting rescue, with many survivors perishing from wounds and shark attacks." Eighty-nine died.

For comparison, the Titanic rests 13,000 feet below the surface.