After 75 Years, a Sunken US WWII Submarine Has Been Found

During World War II, the United States lost 52 submarines in battle, their locations and fates remaining a mystery for decades. Among them was the USS Grayback (SS-208), a legendary vessel that vanished without a trace in 1944. For years, historians and naval experts speculated about its fate, but no solid evidence surfaced—until an unexpected breakthrough in 2019.

For ocean explorer Tim Taylor, finding these lost submarines was more than just an interest—it was a mission. In 2010, his team discovered their first WWII submarine, but it took nearly a decade before they would uncover one of the most significant underwater discoveries in U.S. naval history. This was the moment when the USS Grayback was finally located, solving a 75-year-old mystery and bringing closure to families who had waited for answers.

The USS Grayback was commissioned in 1941 and quickly became one of the most successful submarines of World War II. Over the course of ten war patrols, it sank over 63,000 tons of enemy cargo, including 14 Japanese ships. The Grayback was a key force in the Pacific, striking enemy supply lines and assisting in rescue missions. In January 1943, the submarine famously saved six survivors of a downed B-26 bomber, further cementing its status as a formidable asset in the war effort.

However, fate took a tragic turn during its 10th patrol mission in 1944. After leaving Pearl Harbor on January 28, the Grayback continued its deadly efficiency, sinking two more enemy cargo ships. But as the submarine prepared to return for resupply, disaster struck. On February 27, 1944, it sent a final message confirming another successful attack on a Japanese naval transport vessel. Shortly after, it was fatally struck by an enemy aircraft.

By March 30, 1944, after no further communication, the USS Grayback was officially declared lost. Japanese records from the time described a submarine being bombed and destroyed in the East China Sea, but no one could pinpoint its final location. For decades, the mystery endured.

For decades, search efforts failed to locate the USS Grayback. The U.S. Navy records indicated that the submarine was lost 100 miles southeast of Okinawa, Japan, in the South China Sea. But despite numerous attempts, it was never found.

Enter Tim Taylor, a professional ocean explorer and CEO of Tiburon Subsea, a New York-based firm specializing in underwater vehicle technology. In 2010, Taylor and his team launched the Lost 52 Project, dedicated to locating missing WWII submarines. Over the course of a decade, they discovered five different submarines before finally setting their sights on the Grayback.

Through extensive research, Taylor’s team discovered a critical translation error in the original Japanese military records. A single digit was incorrect, shifting the Grayback’s recorded coordinates by over 100 miles. Armed with this new information, Taylor and his team set out to find the real crash site in June 2019.

Equipped with state-of-the-art submersible drones and sonar technology, Taylor’s team scanned the ocean floor near Okinawa. The expedition was fraught with challenges—technical failures, equipment malfunctions, and even navigation issues threatened to derail their search. But just as they were preparing to return to port, their sonar picked up a massive shape resting deep underwater.

As the team reviewed the high-resolution footage, they noticed a plaque on the wreck—the unmistakable marking of the USS Grayback. After 75 years, the legendary submarine had been found. The emotional discovery confirmed the tragic fate of the 80 sailors aboard, bringing long-awaited answers to their families.

Before making the discovery public, Taylor and his team ensured that the families of the fallen sailors were informed first. For decades, these families had lived without closure, never knowing what had truly happened to their loved ones. The discovery finally allowed them to honor and remember their relatives with certainty.

Kathy Taylor, the niece of one of the Grayback’s crew members, expressed the deep impact of the discovery. “I committed from the very beginning, as a little girl, that I was going to find him or keep his memory alive however I could,” she said tearfully. For her and many others, the wait was finally over.

The discovery of the USS Grayback was not just a historic breakthrough but a testament to perseverance, technology, and the dedication of modern explorers. The Lost 52 Project continues its work, using cutting-edge methods to locate and document the final resting places of lost WWII submarines.

The U.S. lost 52 submarines during the war, resulting in the deaths of over 3,100 sailors. Each discovery adds another chapter to history, ensuring that the sacrifices of these men are never forgotten.

For Tim Taylor, the mission is far from over. “It’s a missing piece of their family stories and their legacy. It haunts them their entire lives. It’s very, very sad, but rewarding to finally show these families where their loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice.”