“USS Harder, One of WWII’s Most Storied Submarines, Located at the Bottom of the South China Sea”

The USS Harder, one of the most storied US submarines of World War II, has been found at the bottom of the South China Sea by researchers involved in the Lost 52 project. The submarine, almost intact except for damage to its conning tower, was located more than 3,000 feet underwater.

The Lost 52 project aims to find and memorialize all 52 US submarines sunk during World War II. The discovery of the USS Harder was confirmed by the US Naval History and Heritage Command, crediting data collected by Lost 52 for the find.

Led by entrepreneur and ocean explorer Tim Taylor, along with diving entrepreneur Christine Dennison, Lost 52 used advanced photogrammetry and underwater robotics to locate and take stunning images of the Harder. This submarine was sunk by Japan off the coast of the Philippines in 1944.

Submarines are notoriously difficult to locate and identify due to their design, but the preservation of the Harder wreck and the quality of data collected by Lost 52 allowed for NHHC to confirm its identity. The Harder, sailing under the slogan “Hit ’em Harder,” was known for its audacious attacks against the Japanese during the war.

The discovery highlights the importance of ocean data collection and the significance of underwater robotic technology in the growing “blue economy,” predicted to be a $30 trillion industry by 2030. Undersea photogrammetry, which uses divers or remotely operated vehicles to capture images for reconstruction, played a crucial role in finding the USS Harder at the bottom of the sea.