A group of explorers looking at the sunken USS Yorktown, a big ship from World War II, were shocked to find an old Ford car inside the wreckage.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) used its ship, the Okeanos Explorer, to map the site on April 19. That’s when they found the car, the Miami Herald reported. Part of the car’s license plate said “SHIP SERVICE __ NAVY,” which makes it even weirder how a car got on a warship.
The USS Yorktown was a huge aircraft carrier, about 809 feet long. It carried over 2,200 people and 90 planes when it was used in the war. It sank after a major battle called the Battle of Midway.
“It’s a car. That’s a car. That’s a full car,” a researcher said during a live stream of the team exploring the wreck of the USS Yorktown. The surprising find was an old Ford car, likely a 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe ‘Woody’, painted black.
The car had wooden panels, which gave the ‘Woody‘ model its name. The camera showed parts like curved fenders, shiny chrome trim, a soft top, and a spare tyre. A license plate on the front said “SHIP SERVICE”, but the rest of the writing couldn’t be read because of rust.
These types of cars were often used by the Navy and Army on land, but experts haven’t found proof of this particular ‘Woody’ model being used on ships, making it a rare and interesting discovery. A NOAA researcher said, “If you know anything about this kind of car, please share it. Your help could give us more clues.”
Researchers were surprised to find the car still on the USS Yorktown because it added extra weight that could have been thrown off to help save the ship after it was hit by a torpedo.
NOAA officials told the Miami Herald that the salvage team had worked hard to throw off heavy items like anti-aircraft guns and planes to stop the ship from sinking. So they wondered, “Why didn’t they roll the car off the side too? Maybe it belonged to someone important like the captain or an admiral.”
They also questioned why the car was still on board even after the Yorktown stopped at Pearl Harbor for repairs just before the big battle.
The USS Yorktown was an important ship in World War II. It took part in major battles like the Coral Sea and Midway. It was built in 1937 and sank in June 1942.
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