The wreck of the US Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, the largest American naval loss of the First World War, has been discovered by British divers off the coast of Cornwall. The vessel sank in 1918 with the loss of all 131 people aboard.
The Tampa was found approximately 50 miles from Newquay, lying more than 300 feet beneath the Atlantic Ocean. The discovery was made by the Gasperados Dive Team, who worked with the US Coast Guard Historian's Office for three years to locate the wreck.
The ship was sunk by a German submarine on September 26, 1918, after it had left a convoy due to low fuel. A single torpedo struck the vessel, followed by a secondary explosion, causing it to sink in just three minutes in the Bristol Channel.
Among the dead were 111 Coast Guardsmen, four US Navy personnel, 16 Royal Navy personnel, and civilians. Eleven Black crewmembers were among the casualties, making them the first minority Coast Guardsmen killed in combat.
Steve Mortimer, leader of the dive team, confirmed the discovery on Monday, stating that the final resting place of those lost is now known. The US Coast Guard released an image of the wreckage showing the sheared hull on the ocean floor.
Admiral Kevin Lunday, commandant of the US Coast Guard, said the discovery connects the service to the sacrifice of those lost and reminds them that devotion to duty endures. The wreck site has been confirmed using historical records and archival images.
