A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
The last remaining piece of a damaged American World War II warship has been found. Scientists and explorers in the South Pacific discovered the severed bow of the USS New Orleans off the coast of the Solomon Islands. A Japanese torpedo tore away the bow during the battle of Tassafaronga.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
But surviving crew members managed to keep the vessel afloat until it could be repaired in Australia. The mission to find the missing piece was a huge team effort as well, requiring support from around the globe, including the University of Kyoto. Frank Thompson is a part of the science team now aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, where, not far from where the discovery was made, he told us he dreamed of moments like this as a kid.
FRANK THOMPSON: I've been in this line for 33 years. I got my start as an 11-year-old kid on a trip to Hawaii, bought a book in the Arizona Memorial gift shop about navy ships, and I've just continued reading about them ever since.
MARTÍNEZ: Now, to make this find, Thompson says they turned to archival research and advanced technology, relying on the U.S. Navy's extensive notes and first-hand accounts about each wrecked ship.
THOMPSON: Reading what some of the crews went through gave us an idea of what damage we could look for, what were some of the key points on the wreck to look for as well.
MARTÍNEZ: They spotted the bow by mapping the sea floor, and then officially confirmed it was part of the storied cruiser.
THOMPSON: When you see the actual ship that was lost, and then you know you can recognize what it is, you see these key features, and you're like, wow. I mean, it is an amazing feeling.
MARTIN: The discovery was shared with the world. Every single Nautilus expedition is streamed live 24 hours a day. Thompson is excited for what they can accomplish next.
THOMPSON: I don't think there's really any kind of end to what this technology can be adapted to, and it's a thrill to be part of the developing stages of this because I think the next generation of explorers will have better tools, and there's no end to what they can and can't do.
MARTIN: In this case, diving thousands of feet below the surface to recover a legendary part of history.
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