SouthernWorldwide.com – American officials have announced the discovery of the wreck of the Coast Guard cutter Tampa, a vessel whose sinking marked the deadliest U.S. naval combat loss during World War I.
The Coast Guard revealed in a news release on April 29 that the ship was found approximately 50 miles off the coast of Cornwall, located at the southwestern tip of the United Kingdom.
A British technical diving team known as Gasperados located the wreck, which rests at a depth exceeding 300 feet.
The Tampa was torpedoed by a German submarine in 1918 and sank within a mere three minutes.
Tragically, all 131 individuals on board perished. This group included 111 Coast Guardsmen, 16 British Navy personnel and civilians, and four U.S. Navy personnel.
“When the Tampa was lost with all hands in 1918, it left an enduring grief in our service,” stated Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard.
“Locating the wreck connects us to their sacrifice and reminds us that devotion to duty endures. We will always remember them. We are proud to carry their spirit forward in defense of the United States.”
The discovery is the culmination of a three-year effort.
The Coast Guard Historian’s Office was initially contacted by Gasperados divers in 2023 regarding the potential location of the wreck. Collaboration between the two parties was instrumental in confirming the site.
The release noted that the all-volunteer team conducted an extensive search for the wreckage over the past three years.
Moving forward, the Coast Guard is planning to undertake further underwater research at the discovery site.
William Thiesen, a Coast Guard Atlantic Area historian, explained that multiple clues had pointed towards Tampa’s final resting place.
Thiesen shared with Fox News Digital that contemporary records provided crucial information about the sinking. These included the reported position of a U-boat commander, accounts from Tampa’s convoy hearing an explosion, and an aircraft spotting debris along with logged coordinates.
“The problem was many of the bearings and locations noted had to be cross-referenced with wrecks on the sea floor,” the historian elaborated.
“Until the Gasperados volunteered for the mission to find Tampa three years ago, the task seemed impossible.”
Thiesen further mentioned that the dive team faced significant challenges, including low water visibility and poor weather conditions, in addition to operating in very deep water.
“There are countless wreck sites in that region to complicate the search process,” he said.
“Before finding the current site, the Gasperados located other wrecks believed to be Tampa that proved to be fishing vessels or other sunken wrecks. These obstacles seemed insurmountable, but the group pushed on for over three years.”
Researchers confirmed the wreck by meticulously cross-referencing detailed historical records. Thiesen emphasized that the site is being treated “with the utmost respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country and our allies.”
He added, “The Gasperados, who located the site, adhere to the strictest standards of respect for the wreck site and the losses it represents.”
“Any plans for the future will also be carried out with the utmost respect for the site and its integrity.”
Thiesen also indicated that the ship’s discovery “begins the process of closing this tragic chapter in our history.”
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He continued, “To bring closure for the service and the families of Tampa’s lost crew is the greatest gift one can give. … The Gasperados dive team has done a great service not only for the Coast Guard, but to the nation — and we’re very grateful.”
