Haunting first sighting of sunken WW2 warship known as the ‘Dancing Mouse’ 81 years after it went down with 200 sailors

THE HAUNTING wreckage of an old World War 2 warship has been found after decades lost at sea after taking 200 sailors down with it.

The 314ft US ship, nicknamed "Dancing Mouse", was found by the Australian Navy after it went down during Pearl Harbour in 1942.

Eerie images of the perished vessel show its hallow remains at the bottom of the Indian Ocean in 2023.

This is 81 years after the warship was downed on March 1 1942.

Sonar snaps taken show the ship to look uncannily small, with yellow emanating off the ship.

Bizarrely, the ship was found whilst Navy officials were on an unrelated mission.

The Dancing Mouse earned its moniker for its deftness at avoiding so many shells from Japanese warships.

This includes deploying smokescreens and pulling off some particularly difficult manoeuvres.

The ship was reportedly given this name by a Japanese combatant, suggesting that the destroyer was a legend of its day.

Caroline Kennedy, US ambassador to Australia, paid her respects to the fallen in a statement.

Caroline said: “Captain Joshua Nix and his crew fought valiantly, evading 1,400 shells from Japanese battleships and cruisers, before being attacked by 26 carrier-dive bombers, taking only one fatal hit.

“This is part of our continuing efforts to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We will now be able to preserve this important memorial and hope that the families of the heroes who died there will know their loved ones rest in peace".

Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, head of the Royal Australian Navy echoed Caroline.

He said: “The USS Edsall served valiantly during WWII, most notably in the early Pacific campaign.

"She operated alongside Australian warships protecting our shores, and played a role in the sinking of the Japanese submarine I124 off Darwin".

Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti said: “The wreck of this ship is a hallowed site, serving as a marker for the 185 US Navy personnel and 31 US Army Air Force pilots aboard at the time, almost all of whom were lost when Edsall succumbed to her battle damage.

“This find gives us the opportunity for today’s generation of Sailors and Navy civilians to be inspired by their valor and sacrifice.”

Pictures show the men who lost their lives that day, March 1, some 200 miles east of Christmas Island, south of Java.

Pictures capture the hundreds of sailors who were killed, posing in a traditional military photo.

The discovery was made possible using  “advanced robotic and autonomous systems normally used for hydrographic survey capabilities to locate the USS Edsall on the seabed”.

It is unclear what will be done with the remains, if they will be searched of taken anywhere for further examination.

PEARL HARBOUR'S IMPORTANCE

Pearl Harbour was one of the most important turning points in the war.

On December 7 1941, Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on the American Naval Base in Honolulu, Hawaii.

At the time, the US was considered a neutral party in World War 2.

This attack formally brought them onto Britain's fight against the Nazi Regime.

The attack cost thousands of lives, a total of 2,403 people.

Just as significantly, Pearl Harbour saw the US take heavy artillery losses.

Amongst the damage, 4 battleships sunk, 4 were damaged, and 188 aircrafts were destroyed.

It is estimated that 68 civilians were killed and 35 were wounded.

The battle is not just one of the most significant moments in the history of World War 2, but is considered a huge moment in US history, too.