A long-lost legendary Naval submarine has finally been found — more than 80 years after it was torpedoed by Japanese forces.
The USS Harder was found resting 3,000 feet below the ocean near the Philippines island Luzon, the Naval History and Heritage Command announced Friday.
The World War II-era boat — which earned the nickname “Hit ’em HARDER” for its success rate — was found sitting upright and “relatively intact” except for some damage behind its conning tower.
“Harder was lost in the course of victory. We must not forget that victory has a price, as does freedom,” NHHC Director Samuel J. Cox, U.S. Navy rear admiral, said in a statement.
The USS Harder, which had a reputation for annihilating opposition Japanese submarines, was lost at sea on Aug. 24, 1944, with 79 aboard.
The sub was discovered using data collected by Tim Taylor of the Lost 52 Project, an organization that works to locate the 52 submarines sunk during World War II.
The sub, helmed by the famed Cmdr. Samuel D. Dealey, spent days fighting the enemy ships alongside the USS Hake and USS Haddo in the South China Sea.
The trio had sunk three escort ships, as well as a Japanese destroyer when their luck turned.
Haddo left to replenish their torpedo stockpile, shortly before two Japanese ships closed in to attack.
Hake survived the fire exchange and reported hearing 15 rapid depth charges explode in the distance, at least one of which likely sunk the Harder.
Japanese records later revealed that the Harder crew didn’t go down without a fight and fired three torpedos at their attackers before sinking.
Tragically, the 79-man crew didn’t survive to see Japan surrender just days later — a turning point in the war that the Navy attributes to their valiant efforts.
In the weeks before their final patrol, the USS Harder sunk three and heavily damaged two of Japan’s destroyers in just four days, forcing the Adm. Jisaburo Ozawa’s Mobile Fleet to depart Tawi-Tawi a day ahead of schedule,
“The premature departure upset the Japanese battle plans and forced Ozawa to delay his carrier force in the Philippine Sea, contributing to the defeat suffered by the Japanese in the ensuing battle,” the NHHC said.
Harder was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her first five patrols and six battle stars for World War II service, while Cmdr. Dealey was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his outstanding contribution to the war effort at the helm of the sub.
“We are grateful that Lost 52 has given us the opportunity to once again honor the valor of the crew of the ‘Hit ‘em HARDER’ submarine that sank the most Japanese warships – in particularly audacious attacks – under her legendary skipper, Cmdr. Sam Dealey,” Cox said.
The submarine will likely not be touched and acts as a war grave for the Harder crew.
