The USS Edsall played a key role in the Allied Pacific campaign in World War II. More than 80 years after it sank in battle, the wreckage of the American warship has been found.
The Royal Australian Navy made the discovery 200 miles east of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Capt. Joshua Nix, 33, had more than 200 servicemen aboard the Edsall before Japanese forces sank the ship on March 1, 1942, just three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, this did not come without a fight; According to the U.S. Navy, the Edsall dodged bombs from warships all day using slick techniques and smoke screens, prompting opposing forces to dub the ship the “Dancing Mouse.”
The US Navy has confirmed that the wreck discovered by the Royal Australian Navy last year is that of the USS Edsall (DD 219). The exact fate of the Edsall, lost in the Indian Ocean in 1942, was unknown until a decade later, when recorded Japanese film revealed that the destroyer… pic.twitter.com/k6tm4x3RoZ
— US Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) November 11, 2024
Caroline Kennedy, the US ambassador to Australia, announced the discovery of the shipwreck in a joint statement with Mark Hammond. It was first found last year, but its discovery was shared on Veterans Day in the US and Memorial Day in Australia.
“Captain Joshua Nix and his crew fought bravely, dodging 1,400 shells from Japanese battleships and cruisers before being attacked by 26 carrier-based dive bombers, scoring only one fatal hit,” Kennedy said. NBC News. “This is part of our ongoing efforts to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We can now preserve this important memorial and hope that the families of the heroes who died there will know that their loved ones rest in peace.”
Captain Nix's grandson, Jim Nix, shared his satisfaction with this closure The Washington Post. “When we asked about him as children, all we got was: 'He died in the war.' Nobody really knew,” said the Dallas resident. “It's a shame I didn't get to know him. But that's life.