# Wreck of IJN Kaga found! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969 "2019-10-18T20:28:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/1 "2019-10-18T20:28:28Z")
Paul Allen’s _Petrel_ has been on a tear locating and documenting the lost ships of the Pacific War. [Today they released footage of the wreck of _IJN Kaga_.](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/rv-petrel-battle-midway-kaga-wreck-aircraft-carrier-ww2-paul-allen-a9161481.html) What an amazing find! Unlike _Yorktown_ whose sinking location was recorded, most of the documentation and logs for the Japanese carriers at Midway were lost or destroyed so their exact sinking locations are unknown. With luck, knowing her location will make it easier to find the remaining ships of Midway. ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/2 "2019-10-18T20:31:20Z")
> [@txtumbleweed](#): > > Paul Allen’s _Petrel_ has been on a tear locating and documenting the lost ships of the Pacific War. > > [Today they released footage of the wreck of _IJN Kaga_.](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/rv-petrel-battle-midway-kaga-wreck-aircraft-carrier-ww2-paul-allen-a9161481.html) > > What an amazing find! Unlike _Yorktown_ whose sinking location was recorded, most of the documentation and logs for the Japanese carriers at Midway were lost or destroyed so their exact sinking locations are unknown. > > With luck, knowing her location will make it easier to find the remaining ships of Midway. Awesome. Thx for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/3 "2019-10-20T12:45:03Z")
It is good that the precise site is being kept secret and I hope it is deep enough to discourage the vultures that ravaged _Repulse_ and _Prince of Wales_. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/4 "2019-10-20T14:45:07Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > It is good that the precise site is being kept secret and I hope it is deep enough to discourage the vultures that ravaged _Repulse_ and _Prince of Wales_. If 18,000 feet of water won’t do it, I’m not sure what will. I am guessing those two wrecks are also quite a bit closer to a port capable of supporting salvage operations than Kaga is. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/5 "2019-10-20T15:42:40Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > It is good that the precise site is being kept secret and I hope it is deep enough to discourage the vultures that ravaged _Repulse_ and _Prince of Wales_. While I enjoy reading about these endeavors and looking at the pictures, I sometimes wonder, “Why?”. Like you say, the site is kept secret (Hey, it was pretty damn ‘secret’ before!), and I’m sure it ain’t cheap to go hunting for these ships. I know Paul Allen money is behind all this, but really, what exactly is the motivation? Joy of Discovery? Thrill of the hunt? Seems an awful lot of resources are spent for a few photo and then not tell anybody where you took them. I’ve got some crack-pot theories, but I’ll keep them to myself. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/6 "2019-10-20T17:06:55Z")
Is the Kaga designated a war grave? Can’t be disturbed? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/7 "2019-10-20T19:22:43Z")
It is strictly forbidden that anyone attempt to retrofit it with a wave montion gun and fly it to Iscandar. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/8 "2019-10-20T22:00:57Z")
Breaking news: They think [they’ve also found either the Akagi or the Soryu](https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/researchers-find-second-warship-from-wwii-battle-of-midway/), too. ---
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/9 "2019-10-21T03:36:51Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Breaking news: They think [they’ve also found either the Akagi or the Soryu](https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/researchers-find-second-warship-from-wwii-battle-of-midway/), too. That’s great! _Kaga_, _Soryu_ and _Akagi_ were rendered _hors de combat_ almost simultaneously and never moved that far from where the US dive bombers struck so if you find one, the others should be close by. If they have already found a second carrier it would seem to bear this understanding of events out. _Hiryu_ continued the battle on her own, closing with the US fleet so she could be far from her sister carriers. In addition, the scuttling of _Hiryu_ was pretty sloppily done and the only a single torpedo struck her near the bow. For whatever reason, the destroyer assigned the job left without confirming the sinking and _Hiryu_ drifted several more hours before sinking to the northwest of Midway. The last ship to sink was the cruiser _Mikuma_. I believe her sinking location is known so hopefully they have the time/money to locate her as well. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/10 "2019-10-21T05:12:06Z")
Depending on the condition of the wreck it may be easy to tell which one it is, since the _Akagi_, like the _Hiryu_, had a portside island while the _Soryu_’s was to starboard. The _Akagi_ was also larger, though the discrepancy wasn’t as great as was thought at the time (the _Soryu_ was considered to be about the size of an escort carrier, while in reality it was roughly equivalent to the USN _Yorktown_ class). ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/11 "2019-10-22T00:02:12Z")
An update to the same story states that they have confirmed it as the Akagi. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/12 "2019-10-22T11:00:59Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > It is good that the precise site is being kept secret and I hope it is deep enough to discourage the vultures that ravaged _Repulse_ and _Prince of Wales_. Those same vultures have desecrated virtually every ship that went down at the Battle of Jutland- and indeed after the sinking of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow and shortly there after. Even HMS Vanguard (sunk 1917) was heavily salvaged. 845 men of the 847 on board died. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/13 "2019-10-22T12:18:54Z")
Perfectly timed to coincide with the upcoming opening of the movie “Midway.” Funny how these things happen. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/14 "2019-10-22T14:15:10Z")
Great news. Here’s CNN’s coverage: [Researchers discover Japanese warship from historic WWII Battle of Midway | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/21/world/japanese-warship-battle-of-midway-trnd/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/15 "2019-10-22T17:12:01Z")
Fascinating. Considering Japan was a feudal and intensely local power as late as 1854, her technological and military progress was astonishing. The _Kaga_ and _Akagi_ were the premiere instruments of an entirely new form of warfare and the lead ships of a new tactical formation, the massed carrier strike force, of which Japan wielded the best in the world (right up until the battle of Midway itself, anyway). Japanese war production may have been orders of magnitude less potent than that of her foes, but the ships and aircraft themselves were marvels in their day. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/16 "2019-10-23T10:24:34Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Fascinating. Considering Japan was a feudal and intensely local power as late as 1854, her technological and military progress was astonishing. > > The _Kaga_ and _Akagi_ were the premiere instruments of an entirely new form of warfare and the lead ships of a new tactical formation, the massed carrier strike force, of which Japan wielded the best in the world (right up until the battle of Midway itself, anyway). > > Japanese war production may have been orders of magnitude less potent than that of her foes, but the ships and aircraft themselves were marvels in their day. The Japanese may have progressed swiftly but they had plenty of assistance from the British (both officially and otherwise). The British who were the leaders in carrier flight and they contributed significantly as they did with the construction of battleships (although the Japanese forged ahead there) Have you heard of Patrick Rutland and William Forbes-Semple? The old boy system protected the latter. Carriers were virtually a one strike weapon early in the war- launch a trike and wait to be sunk when an incoming wave arrived The USA perfected the system with the help of their manufacturing base. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/17 "2019-10-23T13:59:42Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > …Carriers were virtually a one strike weapon early in the war- launch a trike and wait to be sunk… Well, as I see it, if you’re sending juvenile conveyances out to fight a battle, you deserve to lose. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/18 "2019-10-23T21:34:06Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Well, as I see it, if you’re sending juvenile conveyances out to fight a battle, you deserve to lose. Got me 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/19 "2019-10-24T00:35:50Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > Perfectly timed to coincide with the upcoming opening of the movie “Midway.” Funny how these things happen. haha! That movie’s preview looks god-awful. It appears similar to the recent-ish Pearl Harbor movie, which I made the mistake of watching. My big complaint- if your CGI can’t depict something accurately, then don’t depict that event with CGI. Second- combining characters is okay if necessary, but inventing situations and dialogue that are less interesting than the original is stupid. ETA: If you haven’t read it yet, _Shattered Sword_ is the best book on the battle in decades. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-ijn-kaga-found/841969/20 "2019-10-24T08:00:44Z")
> [@sps49sd](#): > > haha! > > That movie’s preview looks god-awful. It appears similar to the recent-ish Pearl Harbor movie, which I made the mistake of watching. > > My big complaint- if your CGI can’t depict something accurately, then don’t depict that event with CGI. > Second- combining characters is okay if necessary, but inventing situations and dialogue that are less interesting than the original is stupid. > > ETA: If you haven’t read it yet, _Shattered Sword_ is the best book on the battle in decades. The original movie was terrible so not much to have to cover.