Wreck of World War II submarine USS Harder found decades later

(CNN) – The wreck of one of the most storied U.S. Navy submarines of World War II has been found.

The USS Harder was sunk in a battle on Aug. 24, 1944, as the U.S. sought to retake the Philippines from occupying Japanese forces.

According to the Navy’s History and Heritage Command on Thursday, the USS Harder was found sitting upright and mostly intact.

The submarine was located 3,000 feet down in the South China Sea off the northern Philippine island of Luzon.

The Harder, which had the motto of “Hit ‘em harder,” went down along with its entire crew of 79 men.

The NHHC said the wreck “should be respected by all parties as a war grave.”

Data provided by The Lost 52 Project was used to confirm the wreck. The project is an effort to find the 52 submarines lost in World War II.

The group has previously located at least six of the subs.

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