July 2004 - Sakhalin Energy Investment Corporation (SEIC), and their subcontractor Romona, conducted sub-sea surveys in La Perouse Strait. At the request of the Wahoo Project Group, they diverted from their normal routes to scan two sites which were thought to be probable locations for Wahoo. At the first site a freighter was found. But at the second site, the object pictured above was discovered. Ian Bullpitt, a contractor for SEIC, came across this image during his normal work and made it available to the Wahoo project team in 2005. The image shows the form of an American fleet submarine of WWII vintage. The stern is in the lower left, the bow in the upper right. The white stalk jutting up amidships is the periscope shears. The only known US submarine lost in the location the scan was made was USS Wahoo (SS-238). Courtesy of Bryan MacKinnon.

July 28-29, 2006 - While conducting a search for L-19, a Russian submarine lost in La Perouse Strait during the closing days of WWII, Vladimir Kartashev of Vladivostok reviewed the SEIC side scan sonar images. In order to verify the pictured boat was not the L-19, he led a team of divers to the site and descended 185 feet to the wreck. As predicted, the object was a sunken submarine, was of WWII vintage, and was not Russian made. They found the boat sitting upright on the bottom, remarkably intact. This shot of the bow reveals the correct taper, bullnose, and deck openings for a Gato class boat such as Wahoo. Courtesy of Vladimir Kartashev.

July 28-29, 2006 - A 4-inch deck gun was found mounted just in front of the conning tower fairwater, just as on Wahoo. The gun training hand wheels, seat, and sight for the port gunner are covered in marine growth. Courtesy of Vladimir Kartashev.

July 28-29, 2006 - Slightly lower shot showing marine growth on the deck surrounding the gun. Courtesy of Vladimir Kartashev.

Forward gun comparison - This was Wahoo in July 1943. Her 4-inch gun forward of the conning tower fairwater matches perfectly with the wreck images. Her torpedo loading crane is mounted on the deck just forward of the gun.

July 28-29, 2006 - Forward gun looking aft at deck level. Shape rising in the background is the conning tower fairwater. Cylindrical object lying on the deck running parallel to the gun tube is most likely the encrusted torpedo loading crane. Courtesy of Vladimir Kartashev.

July 28-29, 2006 - Slightly closer view of forward 4" gun from same angle. The deck seems to either have a large mass of growth near the base of the gun to starboard. The wooden deck slats in this area is deteriorated. Courtesy of Vladimir Kartashev.

July 28-29, 2006 - Close-up of muzzle tampion for the forward 4-inch gun. Behind it the conning tower fairwater rises from the deck. The periscope shears and forward 20mm gun mount can just be made out at the top. Courtesy of Vladimir Kartashev.

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