[blau993]

If we explore the wreck, we may be able to confirm what Admiral Kane (Medal of Honor and three Navy Crosses) theorized in his book about the Wahoo, i.e., that she had taken a hit from one of her own torpedos that circled back on her. He believes she was crippled, leaking oil, and not certain she could dive, which is why Morton attempted to run La Perouse Strait on the surface.

I have always wondered about this theory. The USS Tang, which Admiral Kane commanded after his stint as XO on the Wahoo, was in fact lost in that fashion (with Kane and a few others surviving to become Japanese prisoners). I always have wondered if he was "projecting" the fate of his own boat onto the Wahoo. Maybe now we will know.

Nothing we will learn, however, will ever take a thing away from Morton and his crew or from Admiral Kane and the men of the Tang. The Wahoo and the Tang and their people will always rank among "the special ones."

[Stonewall Jackson]

I've often wondered about that. The submarines Tullibee and Tang were both lost to circular runs of their Mark 18 torpedoes and the Wahoo was carrying a number of these torpedoes.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

From what I can tell the water depths are very shallow in that strait, under 200' which gives very little room for a sub to hide.

I'd put money on there being an expedition to film the wreckage, probably have to fight the currents though.

[AndrewB]

John Chatterton theorized the same demise for the U-869. Perhaps a common fate for those "still on patrol".