The legendary USS Harder, a World War II submarine, was found at the bottom of the South China Sea

Researchers say they have found the final resting place of one of the most famous ships of the Second World War: USS Harder.

Here's What We Know

The US Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) confirmed the discovery on Thursday, 23 May, citing data collected by the Lost 52 Project, which is dedicated to finding all 52 US submarines sunk during the war.

According to the NHHC, the submarine was found at a depth of more than 900 metres underwater at the bottom of the South China Sea. The vessel is said to be almost intact, except for the wheelhouse.

"Identifying submarines can be difficult due to their very design, but the excellent state of preservation of the site and the quality of the data collected by Lost 52 allowed the NHHC to confirm the wreck's identity as Harder," the NHHC said in a statement.

The search used advanced photogrammetry and underwater robotics to locate and capture stunning images of the USS Harder, which was sunk by Japan off the coast of the Philippines in 1944.

The legendary vessel had 79 servicemen on board, including the famous commander Samuel Daly. According to the NHHC, during one patrol, Harder sank three enemy destroyers. The boat was searching for new targets with its sister ship, the USS Hake, near Dasol Bay in the northern Philippines. The pair began hunting for two Japanese ships. The Harder fired three torpedoes before falling victim to a series of submarine hits.

Source: Business Insider