The Rediscovery of the Ghost Ship: A Journey Through Time and Technology.

Every once in a while, a story comes along that captures the imagination, blending history, technology, and mystery. The rediscovery of the USS Stewart (DD-224), a World War II vessel lost to the depths, is one such tale. As underwater drones scoured the Pacific Ocean, what they found was not just another wreck, but a piece of history, a “Ghost Ship,” waiting to tell its story. With a life full of twists, turns, and resurrections, the USS Stewart stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of history and the remarkable progress of technology.

In a world that constantly marches forward, uncovering the remnants of our past can sometimes feel like opening a time capsule. And in the case of the USS Stewart, a Clemson-class destroyer from the early 20th century, it’s a time capsule buried deep in the Pacific Ocean, covered by decades of marine growth. It was technology — autonomous underwater drones, to be specific — that brought this ghostly figure back into the light, allowing it to tell its story once more.

A Ship with Many Lives

The USS Stewart’s tale begins in 1920 when it was first launched as part of the Asiatic Fleet. It wasn’t long before it found itself amidst the intense turmoil of World War II, specifically during the Battle of Badung Strait in 1942. Severely damaged during the battle, the US Navy, unable to repair the ship, made the painful decision to scuttle it. The idea was to prevent the vessel from falling into enemy hands, and so they sank it deliberately. At this point, the USS Stewart’s journey should have ended.

But history, like life, is unpredictable. A year later, something remarkable happened — the Imperial Japanese Navy raised the USS Stewart from its watery grave. Instead of being lost forever, it became part of Japan’s Southwest Area Fleet, where it served primarily in escort missions. This twist was unexpected, especially for the U.S., who believed they had seen the last of this warship.

By 1945, the ship returned to the hands of the U.S., only to meet a new fate. This time, it was decommissioned and renamed DD-224. The ship that had survived two different fleets was eventually used for target practice in 1946. This time, it seemed, the USS Stewart would rest on the ocean floor for good.

Technology Meets History

For decades, the USS Stewart was lost, its exact location unknown. While its documented history was clear, there was one missing piece: its final resting place. The ship had been scuttled during target practice, but where exactly had it sunk? The answer to that question would remain elusive until modern technology stepped in.

Jim Delgado, a senior vice president at SEARCH, Inc., a maritime archaeology firm, reflected on the rediscovery of the ship: “We’re in the midst of, I think, a radical change in ocean discovery.” Delgado’s words underscore the fact that the discovery of the USS Stewart wasn’t made by an adventurous diver or a sophisticated submarine. Instead, it was the work of three autonomous drones — unmanned underwater vehicles that scanned the ocean floor in search of the ship.

In August 2024, these drones were deployed as part of a technology demonstration, with a specific target in mind: the USS Stewart. Equipped with the latest sonar and imaging technology, these torpedo-shaped, 20-foot-long robots dove into the depths of the Pacific, scanning a section of the ocean floor 3,500 feet below the surface. After a day of searching, they located the ship — almost perfectly intact, sitting upright on the seafloor.

The Role of Robotic Exploration

The fact that these drones were able to find and document the wreckage of the USS Stewart is no small feat. As Russ Matthews, president of the nonprofit Air/Sea Heritage Foundation, noted, “The whole history of that ship was actually exceptionally well documented. The only piece of that story we didn’t have is, what does it look like today?”

The search for the USS Stewart had been going on for years, but the challenges of finding a shipwreck are immense. The Pacific Ocean is vast, and pinpointing the exact location of a vessel that sank almost 80 years ago requires both precision and resources. Enter Andy Sherrell, the director of maritime operations for Ocean Infinity, a marine robotics firm. When Matthews and Sherrell met in April of this year, it became clear that Ocean Infinity’s fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) could play a pivotal role in finally locating the Ghost Ship.

On August 1, 2024, the search began. The AUVs spent the day scanning the seabed, and on that very same day, they found what they were looking for. Three days later, more AUVs were sent down to capture detailed images of the ship. What they found was extraordinary. Despite being underwater for decades, the USS Stewart was in remarkable condition. Covered in marine growth but otherwise intact, the ship stood as a near-perfect example of early 20th-century naval engineering.

The Significance of the Discovery

For historians and maritime enthusiasts, the rediscovery of the USS Stewart is more than just a curious footnote in naval history. The ship is one of the best-preserved examples of a U.S. Navy “four-piper” destroyer, a type of vessel that played a crucial role in early 20th-century naval warfare. Maria Brown, superintendent of both the Cordell Bank and Greater Farallones national marine sanctuaries, remarked on the significance of the find: “This level of preservation is exceptional for a vessel of its age.”

The discovery opens up new opportunities for research and education. While the ship may never be raised from the ocean floor, its condition allows archaeologists and historians to study it in ways that were previously impossible. The wreck offers a unique window into naval warfare during World War II and provides insights into the life and service of a ship that lived several lives before finally coming to rest.

The USS Stewart’s long and storied history, from its initial launch in 1920 to its role in both the U.S. and Japanese navies, to its final resting place as a target ship, is a reminder of how much history is still hidden beneath the waves. As technology continues to advance, who knows what other ghost ships may soon emerge from the depths?

The Future of Ocean Exploration

The rediscovery of the USS Stewart also highlights the growing role of autonomous technology in ocean exploration. In the past, uncovering shipwrecks required manned submarines, divers, or surface vessels with advanced sonar systems. Today, drones are taking over much of that work, making it faster, cheaper, and safer to explore the ocean’s depths.

Ocean Infinity, the company behind the search for the USS Stewart, is at the forefront of this technological revolution. With the world’s largest fleet of AUVs, they are able to deploy multiple drones simultaneously, covering vast areas of the ocean floor in a fraction of the time it would take a human crew. This efficiency is crucial when searching for wrecks in deep and often treacherous waters.

Jim Delgado’s comment about a “radical change in ocean discovery” is not an exaggeration. The use of AUVs has opened up new possibilities for marine archaeology, allowing researchers to explore areas of the ocean that were previously inaccessible. As these technologies continue to evolve, we can expect to see more discoveries like the USS Stewart in the years to come.

The Emotional Impact of the Rediscovery

While the rediscovery of the USS Stewart is undoubtedly a triumph of technology and historical research, it also carries an emotional weight. This is a ship that served in one of the most tumultuous periods in modern history. It was involved in battles, scuttled to prevent its capture, raised by an enemy fleet, and eventually returned to the U.S. only to be sunk once more.

For the American sailors who served aboard the USS Stewart, and for the families of those who fought in World War II, the ship’s rediscovery is a reminder of the sacrifices made during that time. The fact that it is so well-preserved makes it all the more poignant — it is as if the ship itself has survived the passage of time, standing as a silent witness to the events that shaped the world.

The USS Stewart may never sail again, but its story lives on, thanks to the remarkable technology that brought it back to the surface — figuratively, if not literally. Its rediscovery is a testament to the power of human curiosity, the resilience of history, and the extraordinary potential of technology.

Closing Thoughts

The tale of the USS Stewart is far more than a simple shipwreck story. It is a saga that spans decades, wars, and oceans. From its launch in 1920 to its rediscovery in 2024, the ship has experienced more lives and transformations than most could imagine. The fact that it was found intact, 3,500 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, is a testament to the enduring nature of history and the remarkable capabilities of modern technology.

As we move further into the 21st century, the USS Stewart reminds us that there is still much to discover, both in the ocean and in our past. The advances in underwater exploration technology, particularly the use of autonomous drones, are opening up new frontiers in our understanding of history. But beyond the technical achievements, the story of the USS Stewart also serves as a reminder of the personal and emotional connections we have to the past. Each shipwreck, each discovery, is a bridge to another time, offering us a glimpse into the lives of those who came before us.

In the end, the USS Stewart’s journey — from being sunk in World War II to being rediscovered by underwater drones nearly 80 years later — illustrates how the past and present are forever intertwined. And as long as there are people willing to explore, uncover, and remember, the ghosts of history will continue to rise from the depths, telling their stories for generations to come.