WWII USS Abner Read stern located

The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

Section:Gallery

Wed., Aug. 15, 2018

In this July 18, 2018 photo provided by Project Recover, a Remote Environmental Monitoring Units (REMUS) glides away from a research boat before diving beneath the surface where it spent the next six hours systematically scanning the seafloor, searching for the stern of the destroyer USS Abner Read in the waters off Kiska Island, Alaska. The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

Project Recover Associated Press
In this July 17, 2018 photo provided by Project Recover, project engineer Andy Nager and archaeologist Andrew Pietruszka ready a pole-mounted multibeam sonar unit for survey as they search for the stern of the destroyer USS Abner Read in the waters off Kiska Island, Alaska. The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

Project Recover Associated Press
This July 18, 2018 photo provided by Project Recover shows No. 5 aft deck 5-inch gun of the USS Abner Read on the stern section of the destroyer USS Abner Read in 290 feet of water off of Kiska, Alaska. The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

Project Recover Associated Press
In this July 14, 2018 photo provided by Project Recover, scientists deploy one of four Remote Environmental Monitoring Units (REMUS) as they search for the stern of the destroyer USS Abner Read in the waters off Kiska Island, Alaska. The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

Project Recover Associated Press
In this July 13, 2018 photo provided by Project Recover, team members Bob Hess and Eric Terrill prepare to launch one of four Remote Environmental Monitoring Units (REMUS) as they search for the stern of the destroyer USS Abner Read in the waters off Kiska Island, Alaska. The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

Project Recover Associated Press
This undated U.S. Navy hoto, provided by the National Archives, shows the destroyer USS Abner Read at sea. The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

U.S. Navy National Archives
In this Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 photo, Daryl Weathers poses for a picture at his home in Seal Beach, Calif. Weathers was aboard the USS Abner Read after it hit a sea mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943.

Chris Carlson Associated Press
This undated U.S. Navy photo, provided by the National Archives, shows the destroyer USS Abner Read at sea. The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

U.S. Navy National Archives
In this Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 photo, Daryl Weathers poses for a picture at his home in Seal Beach, Calif. Weathers was aboard the USS Abner Read after it hit a sea mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943.

Chris Carlson Associated Press
In this Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 photo, Daryl Weathers points to the spot where USS Abner Read broke apart after hitting a sea mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, at his home in Seal Beach, Calif. Scientists say they have discovered part of the ship that was blown off the Navy destroyer during World War II in Alaskas Aleutian Islands

Chris Carlson Associated Press
This undated U.S. Navy photo, provided by the National Archives, shows the destroyer USS Abner Read at sea. The Abner Read hit a mine left by the Japanese after they abandoned Kiska Island in Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1943, ripping the stern off. But the ship never sank and was refitted and returned to duty. Now, 75 years after the ship's stern broke off, it has been located off Kiska by a team of scientists funded by the U.S. government.

U.S. Navy National Archives