Legendary U.S. World War II Submarine Found 3,000 Feet Deep in the Philippines

The final resting place of a notable U.S. Navy submarine, sunk 80 years ago during World War II, has been discovered 3,000 feet below the ocean surface, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command.

The USS Harder – nicknamed “Hit ’em HARDER” – was located near the island of Luzon in the Philippines, sitting upright and “relatively intact” except for damage to the rear of its conning tower caused by a Japanese depth charge, the command reported. The submarine’s discovery was made possible by data collected by Tim Taylor, CEO of the Lost 52 Project, which aims to locate the 52 submarines sunk during World War II.

Under the command of the renowned Cmdr. Samuel D. Dealey, the USS Harder gained fame during its fifth patrol when it sank three destroyers and severely damaged two others in just four days, forcing a Japanese fleet to retreat early, the command said. This premature withdrawal caused the Japanese commander to delay his carrier force in the Philippine Sea, contributing to Japan’s defeat in the subsequent battle.

However, the Harder’s fortune changed in late August 1944. Early on August 22, the Harder and USS Haddo destroyed three escort ships near the coast of Bataan. Later that night, they joined the USS Hake, and the three ships headed to Caiman Point, Luzon, before the Haddo left to replenish its torpedo stock. Before dawn on August 24, the Hake sighted an enemy escort ship and patrol boat and dove deep to escape.

Later Japanese records revealed that the Harder fired three times at the Japanese escort ship, but it evaded the torpedoes and launched a series of depth charge attacks, sinking the Harder and killing all 79 crew members.

The “excellent state of preservation of the site” and the quality of the data collected by Lost 52 allowed the Naval History and Heritage Command to confirm that the wreck was indeed the Harder.
“The Harder was lost in the course of victory. We must not forget that victory has a cost, as does freedom,” said Samuel J. Cox, NHHC director and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral. “We are grateful to Lost 52 for giving us the opportunity to honor once again the valor of the crew of the ‘Hit ’em HARDER’ submarine, which sank the most Japanese warships – in particularly audacious attacks – under her legendary skipper, Cmdr. Sam Dealey.”

The Harder received the Presidential Unit Citation for its first five patrols and six battle stars for World War II service. Cmdr. Dealey was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. During his career, Dealey also received a Navy Cross, two Gold Stars, and the Distinguished Service Cross.

Tim Taylor, CEO of the Lost 52 Project, has previously located other submarines lost during World War II, including the USS Grayback, USS Stickleback, and USS Grunion. In 2021, Taylor received a Distinguished Public Service Award from the Navy for his work.

The Naval History and Heritage Command stated that the USS Harder wreck “represents the final resting place of sailors who gave their lives in defense of the nation and should be respected by all parties as a war grave.”

Other famous warships have been discovered in Philippine waters. In 2015, American billionaire Paul Allen found the wreck of the Musashi, one of the two largest Japanese warships ever built, in the Sibuyan Sea, Philippines.

Last September, deep-sea explorers captured images of three shipwrecks from the Battle of Midway during World War II, including the first detailed photos of a Japanese aircraft carrier since it sank during the historic battle in 1942.

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