Written by Todd DePastino
In a special livestream with the Explorer Vessel Nautilus crew of the Ocean Exploration Trust, we heard about the crew’s recent deep-sea discovery of the long-lost bow of the USS New Orleans (CA-32) in the waters of Iron Bottom Sound off Guadalcanal.
This remarkable find sheds new light on a dramatic episode of World War II naval warfare and offers a rare glimpse into the physical legacy of one of the U.S. Navy’s most battered but resilient heavy cruisers.
The discovery came unexpectedly during a routine shift change, when sonar and ROV data showed a distinctive hull-shaped object on the seafloor. As the crew examined the imagery more closely, they spotted telltale features—such as the anchor collar and a unique indentation on the stem—that matched prewar photographs of the New Orleans. After comparing these details to drydock images and cross-referencing with naval archives, the team grew confident they had located the forward section of the ship, torn away in battle more than 80 years ago.
The New Orleans was the lead ship of her class of treaty cruisers, built under the strict tonnage limits of the Washington and London Naval Treaties. Commissioned in 1934, she fought in many early Pacific battles. On the night of November 30, 1942, during the Battle of Tassafaronga, she was struck by a Japanese Type 93 “Long Lance” torpedo that ignited aviation gasoline and black powder stored midship. The blast sheared off everything forward of Turret 2, including the bridge and forward magazines. Miraculously, the crew kept her afloat despite the catastrophic damage and loss of 183 men. The ship made it to Tulagi under her own power, where Seabees fitted a temporary bow so she could sail to Australia for full repairs. She would go on to fight again in the Pacific.
Until now, the fate of her missing bow remained a mystery. Some had speculated it was lost to the depths or destroyed beyond recognition. But the discovery in Iron Bottom Sound confirms what wartime records and survivor testimony suggested: the bow was torn off cleanly and sank to the bottom. Key structural evidence ruled out the possibility that it belonged to her sister ship, the USS Minneapolis (CA-36), which suffered similar damage in the same battle. Unlike New Orleans, Minneapolis’s bow remained partially attached, crumpled under the hull. Her forward section was eventually removed by Seabees in Tulagi. That left only one plausible identity for the wreck found by the Nautilus—the New Orleans.
This discovery is just one of many during the Nautilus team’s ongoing 2025 expedition across Iron Bottom Sound. In addition to the New Orleans bow, the team has surveyed wrecks of USS Vincennes (CA-44), USS Astoria (CA-34), USS Quincy (CA-39), USS Northampton (CA-26), and destroyers such as USS Laffey (DD-459), USS DeHaven (DD-469), and USS Preston (DD-379). Their dives are revealing not only the condition of the wrecks but also new insights into design vulnerabilities common in treaty-era ships. Many of these vessels—built to tight weight restrictions—had scant structural support in their bow and midship sections, making them especially vulnerable to torpedo hits. Across the class, the Nautilus team found that most had lost their bows, suggesting a systemic weakness in their design.
The visual data from these dives will be analyzed in detail over the coming months, with highlight reels already being edited and released for public viewing. As the Nautilus team continues to combine modern underwater technology with historical sleuthing, their discoveries are helping to deepen our understanding of World War II naval combat and the sacrifices of the sailors who lived—and died—aboard these steel giants.
Watch the full livestream dive and discussion here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEo2O9kkq3s
More on the USS New Orleans and her service history:
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/new-orleans-ca-32.html
Follow ongoing exploration updates from the Nautilus team:
https://nautiluslive.org/expedition/2025
