After 75 Years Sunken US WWII Submarine Has Been Found

USS Greyback – Solving a 75-Year-Old Mystery

During World War II, the United States lost 52 submarines, many of which remained missing for decades. Ocean explorer Tim Taylor made it his mission to locate these lost vessels. After discovering his first submarine, the USS R-12, in 2010, he was determined to find more. Nearly a decade later, his efforts led to the incredible discovery of one of the most mysterious lost submarines of the war—the USS Greyback.

The USS Greyback – A Wartime Legend

Commissioned in 1941, USS Greyback (SS-208) quickly became one of the U.S. Navy’s most effective submarines during World War II. Over the course of 10 war patrols, it sank 14 enemy ships and destroyed over 63,000 tons of cargo.

The Greyback was not only a deadly war machine but also a hero at sea. In January 1943, it played a crucial role in rescuing six American airmen whose B-26 bomber had crashed. But just a year later, the submarine itself would need saving.

On January 28, 1944, after resupplying at Pearl Harbor, the Greyback embarked on its 10th patrol. It successfully sank two enemy cargo ships and, running low on torpedoes, received orders to return to base. But it never made it home.

The Last Transmission

On February 27, 1944, the Greyback reported sinking another enemy vessel. However, the Japanese military had already spotted it. A carrier-based aircraft launched an attack, scoring a direct hit. Japanese records revealed that the submarine exploded and sank instantly. Enemy ships then pounded the area with depth charges, leaving an oil slick on the water’s surface.

By March 30, 1944, the U.S. Navy officially declared the USS Greyback lost, along with its 80 crew members. Despite search efforts, the exact location of the wreck remained unknown for 75 years—until Tim Taylor decided to take on the challenge.

The Search for USS Greyback

Tim Taylor, already successful in locating lost submarines, founded the Lost 52 Project, dedicated to recovering missing U.S. Navy submarines from WWII. His team conducted extensive research, analyzing historical records, war reports, and even Japanese military documents.

During this process, they discovered a crucial error—a single-digit mistake in the original coordinates had placed the submarine over 100 miles away from its actual resting place.

In June 2019, Taylor and his team traveled to Okinawa, Japan, using advanced sonar, submersible drones, and high-resolution imaging technology. The search faced numerous technical issues, including equipment failures and refrigeration problems. Just as they were preparing to return to port, an unexpected camera glitch led to an astonishing sight—a plaque bearing the name USS Greyback.

A Historic Discovery

After 75 years, the USS Greyback had finally been found. The team worked closely with the U.S. Navy to verify the discovery, creating a detailed 4D model of the wreck.

For the families of the 80 lost sailors, this discovery provided long-awaited closure. Before announcing the news publicly, the team contacted relatives to give them time to process the information and honor their loved ones.

“Losing a loved one without knowing their fate leaves a painful void,” said Taylor. “It’s a missing piece of family history, something that haunts them for a lifetime.”

For Kathy Taylor, the niece of a USS Greyback crew member, the discovery was deeply personal. “Since I was a little girl, I committed myself to finding him or at least keeping his memory alive.”

Thanks to Tim Taylor and his team, USS Greyback and its brave crew are no longer lost to history. Their story, once buried beneath the ocean, has now been brought back to the surface.