oldabewla Posted April 15, 2019 Share #1 Posted April 15, 2019 This WWII USS Wasp helmet was found at the bottom of the ocean last month! still there after 77 years. I'll post the story with the picture! RIP for the ones that are still on duty at sea! https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/magazine/uss-wasp-world-war-ii-aircraft-carrier.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybean Posted April 15, 2019 Share #2 Posted April 15, 2019 Great pick and story. Helmet is haunting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberThe5thESB Posted April 15, 2019 Share #3 Posted April 15, 2019 I hate the ocean. Biggest fear of mine there... But I'm just gonna be on my way and learn how to scuba.. All jokes aside that's amazing to see, and very haunting indeed. Sent from my SM-J327V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted April 15, 2019 Share #4 Posted April 15, 2019 saw that a few weeks ago, and was amazed at the condition, and it's isolation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted April 15, 2019 Share #5 Posted April 15, 2019 Amazing photo.Time stood still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaptonIsGod Posted April 16, 2019 Share #6 Posted April 16, 2019 Wow. Any idea if they brought it up for museum preservation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogskin7 Posted April 16, 2019 Share #7 Posted April 16, 2019 Looks like a fixed loop Hawley set! Amazing photograph! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldabewla Posted April 17, 2019 Author Share #8 Posted April 17, 2019 Wow. Any idea if they brought it up for museum preservation? I believe it has to stay there as it's a war grave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor996 Posted April 17, 2019 Share #9 Posted April 17, 2019 I believe it has to stay there as it's a war grave. and it should being it's a war grave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted April 17, 2019 Share #10 Posted April 17, 2019 Fantastic photo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDermut99 Posted April 17, 2019 Share #11 Posted April 17, 2019 A truly sobering image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaptonIsGod Posted April 17, 2019 Share #12 Posted April 17, 2019 and it should being it's a war grave. I suppose that's kind of an age-old ethical question, which they've also broached with the Titanic (admittedly not a war grave but still a place of massive loss of life, and they chose to raise artifacts for preservation). I agree with both answers. On the one hand, it is part of a massive war grave, and it's entirely possible its owner died in the sinking. On the other hand, it doesn't have any remains near it, and will merely vanish into particles over time leaving no trace - when it could possibly find a place at the U.S. Navy museum or Annapolis where it'd be a preserved, visible, haunting connection to the wreck and the war for generations to come as the only piece above the surface. I'd personally lean toward the latter option (although obviously that would have to be the Navy's decision), but it's also fortunate that it's so deep no looters will ever have a chance at making that decision for malicious purposes. Hopefully the expedition recorded its location so it can be revisited on future dives. At the end of the day, it's the same scenario as people digging up relics on the battlefield - it's a tradeoff between leaving things to rot away and recovering them to preserve their historical value for the future. We also presumably don't know how far from the wreck the helmet was located, if it's a significant distance perhaps it was lost overboard during the evacuation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor996 Posted April 17, 2019 Share #13 Posted April 17, 2019 I suppose that's kind of an age-old ethical question, which they've also broached with the Titanic (admittedly not a war grave but still a place of massive loss of life, and they chose to raise artifacts for preservation). I agree with both answers. On the one hand, it is part of a massive war grave, and it's entirely possible its owner died in the sinking. On the other hand, it doesn't have any remains near it, and will merely vanish into particles over time leaving no trace - when it could possibly find a place at the U.S. Navy museum or Annapolis where it'd be a preserved, visible, haunting connection to the wreck and the war for generations to come as the only piece above the surface. I'd personally lean toward the latter option (although obviously that would have to be the Navy's decision), but it's also fortunate that it's so deep no looters will ever have a chance at making that decision for malicious purposes. Hopefully the expedition recorded its location so it can be revisited on future dives. At the end of the day, it's the same scenario as people digging up relics on the battlefield - it's a tradeoff between leaving things to rot away and recovering them to preserve their historical value for the future. We also presumably don't know how far from the wreck the helmet was located, if it's a significant distance perhaps it was lost overboard during the evacuation. Are there not similar models of helmet available for museum presentation without touching this one? I think there are and this one and all stuff in military graves should remain where they are. NO reason to go down and start establishing precedent that 'its ok' to start bringing things back to the surface from sunken warships. Had this ship not been found, and had we not had the technology to find it, it would remain there in that place untouched and unfound until it vanishes into no trace. I am sorry, but I am vehemently against retrieving any relics from places like this. for any reason. From what I have heard the Navy knows exactly where this ship is and I'd assume are in the process of mapping [if they have not already done so with the aid of Paul Allen's ship] every foot of it. I am just as vehemently against bringing artifacts up from the Titanic. Just My thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaptonIsGod Posted April 17, 2019 Share #14 Posted April 17, 2019 Again I agree with you, I just would understand if it went the other way as well. Just a hypothetical opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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