An iconic United States warship that was sunk by a German submarine in World War I has finally been discovered by a diving team off the coast of Cornwall.
More than a century later, the military ship’s wreckage was uncovered by a British diving team, around 50 miles off Newquay and 300 feet deep in the Atlantic Ocean. It was previously discovered but has been officially located and confirmed by Gasperados, a technical diving team based in the UK.
Called Tampa, the ship was lost in 1918 after being torpedoed by a German submarine in the Bristol Channel. The vessel sank in less than three minutes, resulting in the death of all 131 people aboard.
That included 111 coast guardsmen, four US. Navy personnel, and 16 British Navy personnel and civilians. It remains the largest single American naval combat loss of life in World War I.
“Since 1790, the Coast Guard has defended our nation during every armed conflict in American history, a legacy reflected in the courage and sacrifice of the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Tampa,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard.
“When the Tampa was lost with all hands in 1918, it left an enduring grief in our service. 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 defence of the United States.”
In 2023, the Coast Guard Historians’ Office was contacted by the Gasperados Dive Team regarding the Tampa. Over the past three years, the all-volunteer team conducted an extensive search for the wreckage.
“We provided the dive team with historical records and technical data to assist in confirming the wreck site,” said Dr William Thiesen, Coast Guard Atlantic Area Historian. “This included the archival images of the deck fittings, ship’s wheel, bell , weaponry, and archival images of the Tampa.”
The Coast Guard is now developing plans for underwater research and exploration in coordination with its offices of specialised capabilities, historians, cutter forces, robotics and autonomous systems and dive locker. Additional information about Tampa’s legacy can be found here.
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