by The crew of the NOAA research vessel Okeanos Explorer, setting out to survey a sunken World War II aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean, certainly did not expect to find an old civilian Ford car there. However, the remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer nevertheless spotted it.
An Incredible Find at Depth
This astonishing discovery occurred on April 19 last year. Operators were maneuvering the underwater vehicle with high-definition cameras around the USS Yorktown — an aircraft carrier that sank during the Battle of Midway in June 1942.
Sam Cuellar, NOAA Ocean Exploration expedition coordinator, was watching the live feed when two round, shiny objects glinted in the murky water from the other side of the ship. As the camera approached, the shape became clearer, white sidewall tires came into view, and realization dawned: there was a car lying on the seabed.
The Car’s Condition After Decades
Next to the ship’s port hangar, at a depth of about 5,200 meters (17,060 feet, or roughly 3.2 miles), lay a 1941 Ford Super Deluxe Woody. Eighty-three years on the ocean floor had taken a heavy toll, but the car was still recognizable.
As these images show, many of the Woody’s most recognizable classic features have survived through the decades, including the split windshield, which remains in the same place it was installed at the Ford factory, and chrome bumpers. The wooden door frames that gave the car its name are also visible, although the wood has almost completely rotted away during its time underwater.
How Did the Ford End Up on the Aircraft Carrier?
How and why did the Woody end up on the USS Yorktown in the midst of World War II? Although Ford began producing the Woody in 1929, by early 1942 it had ceased production of all civilian automobiles, focusing on defense products.
The prevailing theory is that this Woody belonged to the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and was possibly brought onto the ship when it was undergoing repairs after the Battle of the Coral Sea in early May 1942. A handmade plate reading “SHIP SERVICE ___ NAVY” supports this version, identifying the car as shipyard property, not someone’s personal transport.
Three days later, the aircraft carrier was repaired and urgently sent back to sea, likely before anyone could retrieve the Woody. After being hit by torpedoes from the Japanese submarine I-168, the USS Yorktown sank on June 7, 1942, taking this Ford with it to the bottom.
This find is a unique testament to history, blending civilian life and military tragedy. It reminds us how quickly and unexpectedly the fates of people and objects can intertwine in the tumult of historical events. The fact that a car, likely used for everyday needs at a naval base, ended up on board a warship that participated in one of the key battles in the Pacific Ocean adds another dimension to our understanding of World War II. The preserved details, such as the split windshield and wooden panels, make this find not just a heap of metal on the seabed, but a genuine historical artifact that continues to tell its story even decades after the tragedy.
