Undersea expedition discovers bow of USS New Orleans, lost in WWII
By Dave Kindy
Jul 8, 2025, 12:53 PM
A team of scientists led by undersea explorer Robert Ballard discovered the bow of the heavy cruiser New Orleans on Monday. (Ocean Exploration Trust)
On Nov. 30, 1942, a torpedo slammed into the heavy cruiser New Orleans, sending the bow, two gun turrets and more than 180 sailors to the bottom of Ironbottom Sound, near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Its whereabouts were lost to history — until now.
A team of scientists led by undersea explorer Robert Ballard discovered the shipwreck Monday. Using a remotely operated vehicle, they confirmed it was the long-lost bow, located at a depth of 675 meters (2,214 feet).
Imagery sent back by the vehicle detected several features enabling the team to identify the wreck as the New Orleans with “99% accuracy,” according to retired Rear Adm. Samuel J. Cox, director of Naval History and Heritage Command. Among the discoveries were:
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2025/07/08/undersea-expedition-discovers-bow-of-uss-new-orleans-lost-in-ww2/
