There are very few WWI and WWII sunken ships that have been found in U.S. waters. From WWI, there have only been five ships discovered. There were another eight discovered from WWII. A German U-boat, the U-111, was the only ship that was known to be in American waters undiscovered. But it’s no longer a mystery where this boat was laid to rest. The U-111 was recently discovered off the coast of Virginia. This recent discovery helped unveil a part of WWI history. Suggested read:105 Years Later, the First U.S. Navy Destroyer Shipwreck Is Found

German U-Boat Found

The WWI U-boat, also known as the U-111, was found 40 miles off the coast of Virginia on September 5, 2022. It was originally sunk in U.S. territory in 1922. When the boat initially went down, it was believed to have fallen 1,600 feet below the surface. Because of this, experts believed it was too deep for them to retrieve. There were also concerns about the rate of decay the submarine would suffer from beneath the surface, but the WWI U-boat was only 400 feet deep. The U-111 was the last WWI German submarine to be found in U.S. waters. It was discovered by Erik Petkovic. He worked with his friend to send out a 45-foot R/V Explorer dive vessel to locate the shipwreck. They used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the site where they believed the wreckage was located. The photos of the wreckage seemed to match those of the U-111, and this gave them the motivation to come back to the site and further investigate.

What Is a U-Boat?

One of the most popular German submarines is the U-boat. WWI and WWII saw a lot of U-boats in action, and Germany was the first country to use submarines as a replacement for surface commerce raiders in the war. The U-boats were typically successful when sent into battle, especially when taking into consideration the small size and vulnerabilities of the craft. By the end of WWI, Germany had built around 334 U-boats and had about 226 under construction.

Diver Erik Petkovic’s Amazing Work

The diver who discovered the U-111, Erik Petkovic, is an explorer, author, maritime historian, shipwreck researcher, and technical wreck diver. He is an experienced and accredited explorer who presents at a lot of dive shows and museums. Petkovic is known for the in-depth research he conducts. His most recent discovery is only a small example of the incredible work he does. The German U-boat found off the Virginia coast is one of the last undiscovered German ships from WWI that was known to rest in U.S. waters. But it’s only another progression in experts' efforts to unearth relics from the past. Divers, explorers, and historians will continue to search the ocean for sunken ships from the past, bringing closure to any Soldiers who lay at rest on the site of the wreckage. Read next:USS Samuel B Roberts, Deepest Shipwreck Ever, Found Near Philippines