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[adventurous music plays]

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Welcome to the storied shores
of Corregidor Island

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in Southeast Asia.

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Perched at the entrance to
Manila Bay, whoever controls

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this tiny spit of land controls
access to the Philippines.

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In the 1500s,
that's the Spanish.

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By the turn of the 20th
century, America takes over

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and turns this place into one
of the most heavily fortified

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islands on Earth,

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making Manila
nearly invulnerable.

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Nearly.

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[cannon blasts]

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[Josh] That is, until
Imperial Japan arrives.

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After a brutal invasion of
resource-rich China in 1931,

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Japan's ambition of empire
spreads across the Pacific.

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December 7th, 1941,
about 5,300 miles that way,

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the Japanese launch a surprise
attack on Pearl Harbor...

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[explosion blasts]

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drawing the United States into
World War II.

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But just hours later,
on December 8th, Japan begins

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something even more daring,
an invasion of the Philippines.

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[incoherent shouting]

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The assault overwhelms Filipino
and American forces under

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the command of General Douglas
MacArthur, who's headquartered

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on this very island.

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In March of 1942,
Corregidor falls,

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MacArthur barely escapes with
his life, famously vowing,

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"I shall return."

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With the Philippines now under
Japanese control, prisoners of

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war are sent to labor camps
throughout South and East Asia

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in vessels with conditions so
inhumane that they soon garner

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a sinister nickname --
"hellships."

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These hellships are
essentially floating

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concentration camps with
prisoners subjected to brutal

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conditions leading to
starvation, sickness,

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and often death.

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And because the Japanese
deliberately disguised

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the vessels
within their convoys,

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they become unintentional
targets for the Allies,

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who sink as many as 25
hellships, unknowingly sending

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thousands of their comrades to
a watery grave.

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I have come to the Philippines
on a mission to investigate

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not one, but two hellships.

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This is the Oryoku Maru,
a one-time luxury liner that

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became a tomb for hundreds of
American prisoners.

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Now, I have received
an unprecedented invitation

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from the U.S. government to join
a daring military operation,

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the exploration of the wreckage
of the ship deep below

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the surface to locate
the remains of hundreds of

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American heroes.

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Then, a group
of veterans, historians,

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and underwater archaeologists
is launching a search to find

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another hellship that went
down with over 1,000 POWs.

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Known as the Hofuku Maru,
this cargo ship was split in

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half by a torpedo attack
and has never been found.

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But now, a shocking discovery
in the Japanese archives has

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revealed a potentially critical
clue to her location.

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This is a historic mission.

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Finding the Hofuku Maru would
mean locating one of

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the largest remaining groups of
World War II MIAs and honoring

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the sacrifice of
those prisoners.

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And excavating the remains of
the Oryoku Maru would bring

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closure to their families
and fulfill the promise that

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no man is left behind.

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The hunt for the hellships
starts now.

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The past is all around us.

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Whoa!
It's working!

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A world of mystery.

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This is the Thunderbolt!
Yeah!

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Danger.

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Fire in the hole!

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[Josh] Whoa!

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And adventure.

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That's gold!

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Oh-ho!

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Look at this place.

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I travel to the far corners of
the Earth to uncover

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where legends end...

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-The key!
-It's the key! Whoo-hoo!

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...and history begins.

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OK, let's punch it.

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I'm Josh Gates, and this is
"Expedition Unknown."

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My mission may be in
the Philippines, but to find

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a hellship, I'm behind
the wheel of

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an American classic.

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Whoo! Ha-ha!

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Here we go.

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This here is a 1942 Willys,
aka the original Jeep.

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This quarter-ton 4x4 is as
iconic to the U.S. Army

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as an M16 machine gun.

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Nearly 650,000 of these were
made in World War II.

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Eisenhower even called them

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essential to the Allied victory.

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Not as essential --
working brakes.

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Oh, boy.

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All along the road here,
we're passing these special

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pillars with distances on them,

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but these are not simple
mile markers.

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They're here to remember
one of World War II's

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defining atrocities,
the Bataan Death March.

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Immediately after the Allied
surrender of the Philippines,

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the Japanese conduct a massive
transfer of 80,000 prisoners.

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But without enough trucks to
move them, force the beaten

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and malnourished men to march
65 miles on foot.

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The three-day journey is
historic in

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its shocking brutality.

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As many as 19,000 prisoners are
killed along the way.

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As horrifying as the Death March
was, the Japanese had

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other no less cruel ways of
moving their prisoners,

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including the nightmares at sea

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that became known
as the hellships.

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I'm going to connect with
a team hoping to locate one

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of the hellships,
but they've asked to meet me on

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another of the 7,000 islands in
the Philippines, this one

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accessible only by water taxi.

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All right, let's punch it.

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So these boats are known as
bangkas, and they are

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an essential part of life here
in the Philippines.

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These big bamboo outriggers
provide stability out here in

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the open ocean.
Sort of.

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Hang on.

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I do my best not to break out
into a "Moana" medley until

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we approach our destination.

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Is that Capones?

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Hell of a place for a meeting.

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[epic music playing]

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We pull up to the shores of
Capones Island.

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The valet must be off duty,
so I thank my driver and jump

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off a little early.

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Once I wade to shore,
it's only a few hundred

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short steps straight uphill to
my scheduled rendezvous.

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-Hey.
-Hi.

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I sure hope you're
Randy and Tim.

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Welcome to Capones.
I'm Randy Anderson.

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27-year Navy veteran
Randy Anderson is the founder

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of the Hellships
Memorial Foundation.

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Tim Beckensall is
the foundation's

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lead historian.

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And the island we're meeting on
looks out onto a narrow sea

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corridor heavily used by
the Japanese during the war.

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So there would have been
convoys coming through here

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all the time?
-There would have been convoys,

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warships, cargo ships,
and hellships.

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So let's talk about this --
you know, I feel like

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I know a fair amount
about World War II

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and I have to confess,
I'd really never heard

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of these hellships.
-You're not alone.

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It's one of the lesser known
atrocities of World War II.

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[Josh]
The Imperial Japanese Navy
would force civilian shipping

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vessels into the war effort,
but only the ships that

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transported POWs earned
the epithet of "hellship."

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[Randy] That's how the survivors
described it.

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It was hell.
They were hellships.

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[Josh] This is, sadly,
not an understatement.

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Prisoners would be loaded into
the hellships by the thousands

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and crammed into cargo holds so
small it wasn't possible to

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lie down to sleep.

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The voyages could last weeks,
with the metal-lined holds

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turning into ovens in
the tropical sun.

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Yet the prisoners were rationed
only a pint of

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crudely-desalinated water a day,

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and fed only
a small amount of rice

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with a teaspoon of dried
fish or vegetables.

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As a result, over 90% of
the men were sick from

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malnutrition, with little in
the way of sanitation.

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Do we know how many of these
hellships there were?

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Yeah, there's over
135 hellships.

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And how many Allied POWs were
moved around on these?

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The best figures are between
120 and 125,000.

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I'm sorry, 125,000 people?

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-That's correct.
-Wow!

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Do we know how many died
aboard the hellships?

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Figures are 20,000 to 25,000 of
those prisoners...

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-Died on these ships.
-Correct.

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There was also another
shocking cause of death for

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the hellship POWs.

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[explosions blasting]

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[Josh]
Attacks on the vessels by
their own comrades, the Allies.

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The Japanese would disguise
the hellships among

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their military convoys, so that
when Allied aircraft attacked,

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they would unknowingly bomb
their own men.

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As a result, up to 25 hellships
were sunk by American

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forces during the war,
inadvertently sending thousands

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of Allied POWs to the bottom
of the Pacific.

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[explosion blasts]

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Of the hellships that were
sunk, how many remain

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unfound, unidentified?

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-Well, I think there's
six, definitely...
-OK.

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...that have not been
identified,

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the final resting place.

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And of these six that are still
out there, I understand

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you have a lead on one.
-Yes.

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You're smiling.
A hot lead?

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It's extremely
compelling, Josh.

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OK.
So this ship is called what?

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It's called the Hofuku Maru.

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[Josh] Of all the hellships,
the Hofuku Maru was considered

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one of the worst.

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A freighter built in 1918 in
Kobe, Japan, she was 385 feet

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from stern to bow, but only
51 feet wide, with a smokestack

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rising 50 feet off the deck
and twin masts almost

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80 feet high.

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She had four separate cargo
holds capable of carrying

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almost 6,000 tons.

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And it was into those holds
that over 1,000 British

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and 200 Dutch prisoners of war
were loaded.

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The Brits were from units
captured during

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the fall of Singapore
and the Malayan campaign.

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Many had already been forced to
labor on Japan's so-called

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"Death Railway"
built across Burma.

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The Dutch prisoners were
largely members of the Royal

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Netherlands East Indies Army,
captured during Japan's

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00:11:04,167 --> 00:11:07,000
conquest of the islands
of Indonesia.

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00:11:07,167 --> 00:11:12,100
The 1,289 prisoners sailed
aboard the Hofuku Maru from

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Singapore to the Philippines,
where the ship put in

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for repairs.

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Then, on September 21,
1944, the Hofuku set sail from

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Subic Bay, along with 10 other
ships, en route to Japan,

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when the convoy is spotted by
planes from the carriers

220
00:11:29,334 --> 00:11:32,868
USS Bunker Hill
and USS Intrepid.

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00:11:33,033 --> 00:11:35,567
American planes are dispatched
for an attack,

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and the Hofuku Maru is hit with
a bomb in her stern.

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Moments later,
though, an American Avenger

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drops a torpedo, which strikes
her square amidships.

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[Tim] Right in the middle,
it caused catastrophic damage.

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-It breaks the back of the ship,
and the ship splits in half...
-Oh.

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...and sinks
within three minutes.
-[Josh] Wow!

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Several hundred POWs survive
by swimming to shore,

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where they're recaptured.

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00:12:00,934 --> 00:12:04,701
But most, more than 1,000,
go down with the ship.

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00:12:04,868 --> 00:12:06,367
And so the million dollar
question is,

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where does this ship sink?

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Well, conventional wisdom,
Josh, is that it's another

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00:12:10,734 --> 00:12:12,267
30 nautical miles
to the north.

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00:12:13,667 --> 00:12:16,367
The attack on the convoy took
over six hours on

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September 21st, with planes
chasing the ships north

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00:12:19,734 --> 00:12:21,067
the entire time.

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When it was over, seven of
the convoy's 11 vessels had

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been sunk, many as far as
30 miles up the coast, which is

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where many think
the Hofuku rests.

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00:12:31,167 --> 00:12:33,367
Well, we've done some
extensive research in all

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00:12:33,534 --> 00:12:35,868
of the archives,
and everything points to

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00:12:36,033 --> 00:12:38,367
the fact that that ship is in
another location.

244
00:12:38,534 --> 00:12:40,100
OK, and is that what we're
holding here?

245
00:12:40,267 --> 00:12:41,200
Absolutely.

246
00:12:41,367 --> 00:12:42,267
We've got the data right
here, Josh.

247
00:12:42,267 --> 00:12:43,767
-[Josh] Can I see?
-[Tim] Absolutely.

248
00:12:43,934 --> 00:12:47,367
The first document you have
there is an After-Action Report

249
00:12:47,534 --> 00:12:51,200
from the Bunker Hill itself.
-[Josh] 21st September, 1944.

250
00:12:51,367 --> 00:12:54,901
And it says,
"Four torpedoes -- 1 hit."

251
00:12:55,067 --> 00:12:57,167
And then it says,
"Damage -- sunk."

252
00:12:57,334 --> 00:13:01,367
And it also says that
it's identified as "Ship #2."

253
00:13:01,534 --> 00:13:02,767
So does that mean
it's the second ship

254
00:13:02,934 --> 00:13:04,701
in the convoy?
-Yes.

255
00:13:04,868 --> 00:13:07,100
So we know that a ship has
been sunk, but we don't know

256
00:13:07,267 --> 00:13:08,267
that it's the Hofuku Maru,

257
00:13:08,434 --> 00:13:10,167
and we don't really know where
just yet.

258
00:13:10,334 --> 00:13:11,367
No, at this stage,
we don't know.

259
00:13:11,534 --> 00:13:14,000
If we stick just to
the American records,

260
00:13:14,167 --> 00:13:15,567
we just know that a ship
was sunk.

261
00:13:15,734 --> 00:13:17,000
What other records are there?

262
00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,501
Ah, well, so what we did is
we tasked our lead researcher,

263
00:13:20,667 --> 00:13:23,901
John Duresky, to go and look
into the Japanese archives.

264
00:13:24,067 --> 00:13:26,901
[Josh] Wow, OK.
So this document is what?

265
00:13:27,067 --> 00:13:31,000
This document is actually
the After-Action Report written

266
00:13:31,167 --> 00:13:32,801
by the Japanese this time.

267
00:13:32,968 --> 00:13:35,100
The third member of
the Foundation's team,

268
00:13:35,267 --> 00:13:39,000
Duresky, has been investigating
hellships for years and poured

269
00:13:39,167 --> 00:13:42,767
through thousands of pages in
Japanese to get the Hofuku's

270
00:13:42,934 --> 00:13:44,701
story from the other side.

271
00:13:44,868 --> 00:13:46,167
[Tim] Have a look at this
here, Josh.

272
00:13:46,334 --> 00:13:49,167
[Josh]
Oh, this is a drawing of each
of the positions

273
00:13:49,334 --> 00:13:50,601
of the ships in the convoy.
-Correct.

274
00:13:50,767 --> 00:13:52,367
Can you see what is
number two?

275
00:13:52,534 --> 00:13:56,868
Number two, down here,
translated as Hofuku

276
00:13:57,033 --> 00:13:59,467
or Toyofuku Maru.
-[Tim] That's correct.

277
00:13:59,634 --> 00:14:01,367
-So that's our ship.
-That's our ship.

278
00:14:01,534 --> 00:14:04,767
So the Japanese report is
confirming that the ship in

279
00:14:04,934 --> 00:14:07,701
the number two position in
the convoy is the Hofuku Maru.

280
00:14:07,868 --> 00:14:09,300
Correct.

281
00:14:09,467 --> 00:14:10,400
That's huge!

282
00:14:10,567 --> 00:14:12,767
And if you
turn the page, Josh,

283
00:14:12,934 --> 00:14:14,200
"The Hofuku Maru is sunk."

284
00:14:15,868 --> 00:14:20,000
So we now know that this
torpedo that hits this ship in

285
00:14:20,167 --> 00:14:22,601
the center is the Hofuku Maru.

286
00:14:22,767 --> 00:14:23,968
-Correct.
-That's correct.

287
00:14:23,968 --> 00:14:27,667
OK, so that's incredible,
but it doesn't tell us where

288
00:14:27,834 --> 00:14:28,868
the ship is.

289
00:14:29,033 --> 00:14:30,167
I got something else extra
for you

290
00:14:30,334 --> 00:14:31,968
that's gonna blow your mind.
-OK.

291
00:14:32,133 --> 00:14:35,667
We have an aerial photograph
taken by the Americans.

292
00:14:35,834 --> 00:14:37,100
Wait, where was this found?

293
00:14:37,267 --> 00:14:39,767
This is actually part of
the After-Action Report from

294
00:14:39,934 --> 00:14:41,868
the Bunker Hill.
-Just hiding in plain sight?

295
00:14:42,033 --> 00:14:43,267
And it's an incredible photo.

296
00:14:43,434 --> 00:14:44,868
This is taken from one
of the planes?

297
00:14:45,033 --> 00:14:46,667
It's taken from
the lead Helldiver.

298
00:14:46,834 --> 00:14:50,100
So I'm looking at a photo of
the Japanese convoy?

299
00:14:50,267 --> 00:14:51,367
[Tim] Yes.

300
00:14:51,534 --> 00:14:53,567
And if we're talking about
the number two ship,

301
00:14:53,734 --> 00:14:55,400
that's this one?
-That's the Hofuku Maru.

302
00:14:56,868 --> 00:15:00,567
I'm sorry, I'm looking at
a photo of this hellship just

303
00:15:00,734 --> 00:15:02,400
before it sinks.
-Minutes.

304
00:15:02,567 --> 00:15:04,667
[Josh] And we can see
the coast clearly here.

305
00:15:04,834 --> 00:15:08,100
It's very identifiable,
but, Josh, take a look over

306
00:15:08,267 --> 00:15:11,467
here on the photograph.
What do you notice?

307
00:15:11,634 --> 00:15:14,267
Oh, my God!
Is that where we are right now?

308
00:15:14,434 --> 00:15:16,868
-We're standing right there.
-[Josh] That's Capones Island.

309
00:15:17,033 --> 00:15:18,067
[Randy]
That's Capones Island.

310
00:15:18,234 --> 00:15:20,767
This changes everything.

311
00:15:20,934 --> 00:15:23,167
This is what they refer to in
the business, guys,

312
00:15:23,334 --> 00:15:24,300
as a smoking gun!

313
00:15:30,567 --> 00:15:32,267
This is incredible.

314
00:15:32,434 --> 00:15:34,367
This saddle here between
these peaks, I mean,

315
00:15:34,534 --> 00:15:35,701
that's where we're standing.
-Yes, sir.

316
00:15:35,868 --> 00:15:37,133
[Tim]
Exactly where we're standing.

317
00:15:37,300 --> 00:15:39,801
[Josh] On a remote island in
the Philippines, team members

318
00:15:39,968 --> 00:15:43,100
from the Hellships Memorial
Foundation have just revealed

319
00:15:43,267 --> 00:15:46,801
an archival photo of the Allied
attack on the hellship

320
00:15:46,968 --> 00:15:51,000
Hofuku Maru, one of the floating
concentration camps used by

321
00:15:51,167 --> 00:15:53,667
the Japanese during
World War II.

322
00:15:53,834 --> 00:15:57,901
The ship went down with over
1,000 POWs still inside,

323
00:15:58,067 --> 00:16:01,000
and this discovery may reveal
where it happened.

324
00:16:02,367 --> 00:16:04,200
If you look closely at
the photograph here in

325
00:16:04,367 --> 00:16:05,667
the distance,
you'll see a river.

326
00:16:06,868 --> 00:16:08,367
That's the Santo Tomas River.

327
00:16:08,534 --> 00:16:12,200
So now we know we have a north
and south position that this

328
00:16:12,367 --> 00:16:14,901
battle and the sinking
occurs within.

329
00:16:15,067 --> 00:16:17,968
[Josh]
The Japanese archives
and wartime images showing

330
00:16:18,133 --> 00:16:21,868
the river and Capones Island
in relation to the photo of

331
00:16:22,033 --> 00:16:26,767
the Hofuku Maru give us a clear
bounding box nearly 30 miles

332
00:16:26,934 --> 00:16:30,367
away from where the ship was
previously believed to be.

333
00:16:30,534 --> 00:16:34,167
Then this hellship should be
somewhere right out here.

334
00:16:34,334 --> 00:16:37,000
-Yeah, that's correct, Josh.
-So the question is, is it?

335
00:16:37,167 --> 00:16:38,501
Well, that's what we're about
to find out.

336
00:16:38,667 --> 00:16:40,968
-You got a dive boat?
-Yeah, we got more than that.

337
00:16:41,133 --> 00:16:43,167
-OK.
-Would you like to join us?

338
00:16:43,334 --> 00:16:44,634
Hell yeah!

339
00:16:45,667 --> 00:16:49,267
I return with Randy and Tim to
shore, where a research vessel

340
00:16:49,434 --> 00:16:52,000
awaits, one with a familiar
face on board.

341
00:16:52,167 --> 00:16:53,267
[Randy] Hi, guys.

342
00:16:53,434 --> 00:16:55,567
-[Josh] What's up, man?
-Hey, how are you, man?

343
00:16:55,734 --> 00:16:57,167
-Great.
-Good to see you.

344
00:16:57,334 --> 00:16:58,467
[overlapping greetings]

345
00:16:58,634 --> 00:17:02,000
Last time I saw you,
we spent some very queasy days

346
00:17:02,167 --> 00:17:03,801
at sea in Puerto Rico.
-It was a little rough there.

347
00:17:03,968 --> 00:17:05,100
-It was a little rough.
-A little.

348
00:17:05,267 --> 00:17:06,434
Just a little.

349
00:17:06,434 --> 00:17:09,767
Evan Kovacs is an expert diver
who designs and builds

350
00:17:09,934 --> 00:17:13,100
world-class underwater sonar
imaging systems.

351
00:17:13,267 --> 00:17:16,267
We last worked together on
my search in Puerto Rico for

352
00:17:16,434 --> 00:17:18,100
the Clipper Endeavor.
-Is that something?

353
00:17:18,267 --> 00:17:21,000
Yeah, no, no -- we got something
coming up right here.

354
00:17:21,167 --> 00:17:23,100
And Josh, I want you to meet
Dr. Calvin Mires.

355
00:17:23,267 --> 00:17:24,767
-Great to meet you.
-Nice to meet you.

356
00:17:24,934 --> 00:17:27,167
Evan's colleague is
Dr. Calvin Mires,

357
00:17:27,334 --> 00:17:30,100
a marine archaeologist
with over 25 years of

358
00:17:30,267 --> 00:17:32,267
experience studying shipwrecks

359
00:17:32,434 --> 00:17:33,701
all over the world.

360
00:17:33,868 --> 00:17:35,167
So, the gang's all here.

361
00:17:35,334 --> 00:17:36,801
-Let's get underway.
-No time to waste.

362
00:17:43,968 --> 00:17:47,567
All right, Kovacs is here,
which means you must have some

363
00:17:47,734 --> 00:17:49,567
alluring target if you've got
him out here.

364
00:17:49,734 --> 00:17:51,701
We have something really
special, Josh.

365
00:17:51,868 --> 00:17:53,267
OK, what do you have?

366
00:17:53,434 --> 00:17:55,000
Well, Josh, we've got some
reports from the local

367
00:17:55,167 --> 00:17:57,901
fishermen that there's
something down there -- large --

368
00:17:58,067 --> 00:17:59,868
they're losing a lot of
fishing nets on it

369
00:18:00,100 --> 00:18:01,100
and lots of line.

370
00:18:01,100 --> 00:18:02,667
Line, or maybe it's what
we're looking for.

371
00:18:02,834 --> 00:18:05,000
And it's in the area where
that convoy passed?

372
00:18:05,167 --> 00:18:06,567
It's right smack
in the middle.

373
00:18:06,734 --> 00:18:08,167
OK, perfect.
Now I see why you're here.

374
00:18:08,334 --> 00:18:09,968
-[Tim] Yeah.
-[Josh] Yeah, exactly -- OK.

375
00:18:10,133 --> 00:18:11,968
Every place we've found wrecks
around the world,

376
00:18:12,133 --> 00:18:13,701
there's always fishing line
on them.

377
00:18:13,868 --> 00:18:15,467
The fishermen, if it's near
shore, they know where

378
00:18:15,634 --> 00:18:17,067
the wrecks are.

379
00:18:17,067 --> 00:18:20,467
[Josh]
Intriguingly, in this same
area, a local diver came across

380
00:18:20,634 --> 00:18:23,167
an uncharted wreck in 2016.

381
00:18:23,334 --> 00:18:26,000
Wreckage was also seen on
a side-scan sonar,

382
00:18:26,167 --> 00:18:28,300
but it remains unidentified.

383
00:18:28,467 --> 00:18:31,400
Our plan is to head to this
narrowed-down search zone

384
00:18:31,567 --> 00:18:32,767
to investigate.

385
00:18:32,767 --> 00:18:36,267
We have a search box about
half a mile by half a mile.

386
00:18:36,434 --> 00:18:38,167
Let's start looking.
Let's try to find a target.

387
00:18:38,334 --> 00:18:39,167
-Let's go hunting.
-Come on.

388
00:18:39,334 --> 00:18:40,701
Let's do it, guys.

389
00:18:40,868 --> 00:18:43,467
We speed a few miles out
to our destination.

390
00:18:44,767 --> 00:18:47,501
And once we approach,
we climb into the wheelhouse...

391
00:18:47,667 --> 00:18:48,934
OK.

392
00:18:48,934 --> 00:18:52,667
...where our pilot, Rob Homan,
is manning the sonar array.

393
00:18:52,834 --> 00:18:54,000
All right, guys, I think we're
getting close to

394
00:18:54,167 --> 00:18:56,067
the area of interest.

395
00:18:56,234 --> 00:18:57,267
So now that we're out here,

396
00:18:57,434 --> 00:18:59,000
we're just going to
have to run some lanes.

397
00:18:59,167 --> 00:19:00,567
All right, so run some lanes,
meaning we're gonna go

398
00:19:00,734 --> 00:19:01,667
back and forth.

399
00:19:01,834 --> 00:19:03,167
About how long will each
lane be?

400
00:19:03,334 --> 00:19:05,801
About half a mile long from
end to end, and then we're

401
00:19:05,968 --> 00:19:07,901
about 90 feet wide.

402
00:19:08,067 --> 00:19:10,400
OK, so the sonar's seeing
about 45 feet off of each side

403
00:19:10,567 --> 00:19:11,734
of the boat.
-[Rob] That's correct.

404
00:19:11,901 --> 00:19:14,601
[Josh] And bottom is pretty much
featureless in here --

405
00:19:14,767 --> 00:19:16,167
it's flat.
-[Rob] Yeah.

406
00:19:16,334 --> 00:19:20,000
[Josh]
The bottom of the ocean here is
smooth because in 1991,

407
00:19:20,167 --> 00:19:23,601
Mount Pinatubo erupted about
30 miles from here,

408
00:19:23,767 --> 00:19:26,801
spitting almost one and a half
cubic miles of ash

409
00:19:26,968 --> 00:19:28,167
into the atmosphere.

410
00:19:28,334 --> 00:19:31,501
It's been settling onto
the ocean floor ever since.

411
00:19:31,667 --> 00:19:32,868
We see something,
it's gonna -- it's gonna jump

412
00:19:33,033 --> 00:19:34,367
out at us for sure.

413
00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,067
This is the exciting part
of searching.

414
00:19:40,234 --> 00:19:41,400
Does anybody have coffee?

415
00:19:41,567 --> 00:19:43,701
[Josh] You're right, just
staring at a screen all day.

416
00:19:45,767 --> 00:19:50,300
And it continues like this,
looking at, well, nothing,

417
00:19:50,467 --> 00:19:51,868
until...

418
00:19:53,467 --> 00:19:55,067
Ooh-ooh-ooh.

419
00:19:55,234 --> 00:19:57,100
Is that something
or is that just the bottom?

420
00:19:57,267 --> 00:19:59,567
I mean, it's kind of
coming up there.

421
00:19:59,734 --> 00:20:01,367
It's definitely something.

422
00:20:01,534 --> 00:20:02,567
That's the first thing
we've seen

423
00:20:02,734 --> 00:20:04,200
that's kind of come up
a little bit.

424
00:20:04,367 --> 00:20:05,701
Here's another piece.

425
00:20:05,868 --> 00:20:07,467
[Josh]
Oh, there's more of this.

426
00:20:07,634 --> 00:20:08,868
Now we're talking.
What is that?

427
00:20:09,033 --> 00:20:11,467
Let's zoom in a bit so we can
get a better look.

428
00:20:11,634 --> 00:20:13,267
-[Josh] Ooh! Wow.
-That's a huge [bleep].

429
00:20:13,434 --> 00:20:15,167
-Look at that.
-Look at that.

430
00:20:15,334 --> 00:20:16,767
-[Josh] That's sticking up...
-20 feet high.

431
00:20:16,934 --> 00:20:19,100
-20 feet off the bottom.
-[Rob] Look at the color of it.

432
00:20:19,267 --> 00:20:21,000
That dark color there,
that tells us this is

433
00:20:21,167 --> 00:20:22,567
something solid.
-Something very solid.

434
00:20:22,734 --> 00:20:24,968
This structure here is
very hard.

435
00:20:25,133 --> 00:20:26,400
-Straight edges.
-[Josh] Big time.

436
00:20:26,567 --> 00:20:27,901
So...

437
00:20:28,067 --> 00:20:30,167
should we take a swim?
-Yeah, please do.

438
00:20:30,334 --> 00:20:31,267
Great.
Let's get on it, guys.

439
00:20:31,434 --> 00:20:32,601
Come on, let's do it.

440
00:20:33,868 --> 00:20:36,701
We hurry back down to the deck
while Captain Rob brings

441
00:20:36,868 --> 00:20:39,000
the boat back around to
our sonar hit.

442
00:20:39,167 --> 00:20:40,801
OK, Josh, we're on it.
Throw the shot.

443
00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:43,968
[Josh] I throw in a shot line.

444
00:20:44,133 --> 00:20:45,467
OK, shot's away!

445
00:20:45,467 --> 00:20:49,100
A weighted cable that will land
near our target so we can stay

446
00:20:49,267 --> 00:20:50,667
in position during our dive.

447
00:20:52,501 --> 00:20:56,868
Then Evan, Calvin, and I
gear up and prepare to dive.

448
00:20:57,033 --> 00:20:58,200
Our mission?

449
00:20:58,367 --> 00:21:01,000
Get eyes on the wreck,
photograph it, and look for

450
00:21:01,167 --> 00:21:03,267
anything diagnostic to
determine if

451
00:21:03,434 --> 00:21:05,000
it's the Hofuku Maru.

452
00:21:05,167 --> 00:21:08,000
But it won't be easy,
and I'm admittedly nervous

453
00:21:08,167 --> 00:21:09,434
about the target.

454
00:21:09,434 --> 00:21:13,501
It's in the dark, nearly 175
feet deep, at the outer limits

455
00:21:13,667 --> 00:21:16,667
of traditional scuba diving,
which is why we're going to be

456
00:21:16,834 --> 00:21:20,667
joined by technical divers
Alex Santos and Ram Yoro.

457
00:21:23,067 --> 00:21:25,801
-All right, what's the plan?
-You and Alex are together.

458
00:21:25,968 --> 00:21:27,467
-[Josh] OK.
-[Evan] You guys are a team.

459
00:21:27,634 --> 00:21:29,367
-He will be with you like glue.
-Got it.

460
00:21:29,534 --> 00:21:31,701
[Evan]
Ram is going to be doing
principal photography.

461
00:21:31,868 --> 00:21:35,267
Calvin and I will be with you,
documenting, looking around.

462
00:21:35,434 --> 00:21:36,534
We'll see what we find.

463
00:21:36,701 --> 00:21:38,400
Things to keep in mind,
you're diving traditional

464
00:21:38,567 --> 00:21:41,801
open circuit, twin tanks,
scuba, just air.

465
00:21:41,968 --> 00:21:43,100
We're diving closed circuit.

466
00:21:43,267 --> 00:21:44,767
It's a very different
technology.

467
00:21:44,934 --> 00:21:46,400
Right, this is what we would
call a rebreather system.

468
00:21:46,567 --> 00:21:48,200
[Evan] Exactly.

469
00:21:48,367 --> 00:21:52,100
[Josh]
Rebreathers recycle oxygen,
allowing Evan and Calvin to

470
00:21:52,267 --> 00:21:55,667
stay underwater longer before
needing to surface.

471
00:21:55,834 --> 00:21:59,100
The traditional scuba tanks
I'm using are less forgiving,

472
00:21:59,267 --> 00:22:02,767
so I'm going to need to count
the seconds once we hit bottom.

473
00:22:02,934 --> 00:22:06,067
And if this is a wreck,
I mean, diagnostically,

474
00:22:06,234 --> 00:22:07,434
what are we looking for?

475
00:22:07,434 --> 00:22:10,000
We're going to look for large
features or structures.

476
00:22:10,167 --> 00:22:11,868
A shipwreck looks very
different than the regular

477
00:22:12,033 --> 00:22:14,567
ship, so it's going to look
kind of, you know, like puzzle

478
00:22:14,734 --> 00:22:16,267
pieces that have been mixed up.

479
00:22:16,434 --> 00:22:19,868
[Josh]
Among the more distinct puzzle
pieces are two masts,

480
00:22:20,033 --> 00:22:23,367
a single smokestack,
and the raised bridge area.

481
00:22:23,534 --> 00:22:25,567
And if it is the Hofuku Maru,
then she should be

482
00:22:25,734 --> 00:22:26,734
in a couple of pieces.

483
00:22:26,901 --> 00:22:28,367
I mean, this thing was split
midships, right?

484
00:22:28,534 --> 00:22:30,000
Yeah, that's what
the historical record says.

485
00:22:30,167 --> 00:22:31,868
[Josh] OK, so we have a plan.

486
00:22:32,033 --> 00:22:34,567
And Randy and Tim, we should be
able to communicate with

487
00:22:34,734 --> 00:22:36,167
you through the comm system.
-All right, great.

488
00:22:36,334 --> 00:22:38,067
All right, guys, let's get wet.
Come on.

489
00:22:41,567 --> 00:22:44,467
One by one, we splash
into the sea,

490
00:22:44,634 --> 00:22:46,701
unsure of what awaits
us below.

491
00:22:58,267 --> 00:22:59,801
Josh, this is topside.
Randy.

492
00:22:59,968 --> 00:23:01,467
Got you loud and clear.

493
00:23:15,567 --> 00:23:17,868
[Josh] There are a lot
of reasons to stay alert.

494
00:23:18,033 --> 00:23:21,100
In addition to the possibility
of fishing nets and a jagged

495
00:23:21,267 --> 00:23:24,567
wreck, this area is home to
several species of shark,

496
00:23:24,734 --> 00:23:26,467
including the aggressive
bull shark.

497
00:23:34,667 --> 00:23:36,901
But mostly, I'm worried
about time.

498
00:23:37,067 --> 00:23:40,300
Each minute spent at depth will
cost me 10 times that amount

499
00:23:40,467 --> 00:23:42,200
decompressing on the way up.

500
00:23:42,367 --> 00:23:45,100
Otherwise, I risk a deadly
buildup of nitrogen in

501
00:23:45,267 --> 00:23:47,067
the blood known as "the bends."

502
00:23:56,567 --> 00:23:58,400
[Randy speaking]

503
00:23:58,567 --> 00:23:59,868
[Josh speaking]

504
00:24:19,167 --> 00:24:21,367
[Evan speaking]

505
00:24:21,534 --> 00:24:22,667
[Josh speaking]

506
00:24:22,834 --> 00:24:26,267
160 feet below the surface
of the Pacific,

507
00:24:26,434 --> 00:24:29,467
diver Evan Kovacs and I
are part of a team searching

508
00:24:29,634 --> 00:24:33,367
for the long-lost Japanese
hellship, Hofuku Maru,

509
00:24:33,534 --> 00:24:35,567
which sank in 1944,

510
00:24:35,734 --> 00:24:38,968
taking over 1,000 Allied
prisoners of war with her.

511
00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,667
Now, we've just found
something uncharted.

512
00:24:44,701 --> 00:24:46,567
We got wreckage here!

513
00:24:46,734 --> 00:24:49,467
-Repeat, this is a wreck!
-No way!

514
00:24:49,634 --> 00:24:51,167
Oh, man, that is so good.

515
00:24:51,334 --> 00:24:52,601
-That's awesome.
-[Randy] Yeah.

516
00:24:52,767 --> 00:24:54,801
[Josh speaking]

517
00:24:58,567 --> 00:25:00,667
[Evan speaking]

518
00:25:03,801 --> 00:25:06,000
[Josh speaking]

519
00:25:06,167 --> 00:25:08,367
[Evan speaking]

520
00:25:10,667 --> 00:25:12,467
[Josh speaking]

521
00:25:14,968 --> 00:25:17,834
[Calvin speaking]

522
00:25:20,267 --> 00:25:24,367
[Josh]
The Hofuku Maru was built in
Kobe, Japan, in 1918,

523
00:25:24,534 --> 00:25:26,501
which puts it well within
Calvin's estimate.

524
00:25:30,901 --> 00:25:33,501
[Evan and Josh speaking]

525
00:26:00,067 --> 00:26:02,801
[Josh]
We carefully swim along
the length of the wreck.

526
00:26:02,968 --> 00:26:04,567
It's seen better days.

527
00:26:04,734 --> 00:26:07,000
[Evan and Josh speaking]

528
00:26:31,267 --> 00:26:34,400
Are you seeing any markings of
any kind, either Kanji

529
00:26:34,567 --> 00:26:36,300
or English or anything?

530
00:26:36,467 --> 00:26:39,367
[Josh speaking]

531
00:26:43,367 --> 00:26:46,167
[Evan speaking]

532
00:26:49,167 --> 00:26:51,667
[Josh speaking]

533
00:26:59,167 --> 00:27:03,000
Topside, I'm looking, but
I don't see any writing on it.

534
00:27:03,167 --> 00:27:04,667
Copy that.

535
00:27:04,834 --> 00:27:06,501
[Evan speaking]

536
00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:15,767
[Josh speaking]

537
00:27:30,167 --> 00:27:34,367
[Josh]
The Hofuku Maru had two
rear holds and two forward.

538
00:27:34,534 --> 00:27:37,701
Between each pair,
fore and aft, was a mast.

539
00:27:37,868 --> 00:27:40,367
So finding one of the holds
means we're hoping

540
00:27:40,534 --> 00:27:41,467
somewhere around here is...

541
00:27:45,367 --> 00:27:47,567
[Evan and Josh speaking]

542
00:28:14,868 --> 00:28:18,100
[Josh]
We continue working our way
from the stern, passing deck

543
00:28:18,267 --> 00:28:21,067
winches that would have once
loaded cargo into the ship.

544
00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,267
[Evan and Josh speaking]

545
00:28:41,667 --> 00:28:45,167
[Josh]
With my bottom time running
dangerously low, Calvin and I

546
00:28:45,334 --> 00:28:48,467
quickly take some measurements
of the hold to compare later to

547
00:28:48,634 --> 00:28:49,567
the ship's schematics.

548
00:28:52,567 --> 00:28:55,868
[Josh and Evan speaking]

549
00:29:07,601 --> 00:29:10,501
[Josh]
Using a high-resolution
underwater camera system,

550
00:29:10,667 --> 00:29:12,567
Evan is going to use
his remaining minutes on

551
00:29:12,734 --> 00:29:15,801
the bottom to capture the wreck
for a process known as

552
00:29:15,968 --> 00:29:19,067
photogrammetry, which will
allow him to build a detailed

553
00:29:19,234 --> 00:29:22,067
3D model to help us
identify the ship.

554
00:29:22,234 --> 00:29:26,667
[Josh and Evan speaking]

555
00:29:29,100 --> 00:29:33,067
[Josh]
My tech diver Alex and I start
the long trip back topside.

556
00:29:33,234 --> 00:29:37,000
We've spent so long so deep
that it takes over an hour

557
00:29:37,167 --> 00:29:40,167
stopping along the way to
re-acclimate to the pressure

558
00:29:40,334 --> 00:29:42,667
and disperse the nitrogen
in our blood.

559
00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,000
Whoo!

560
00:30:01,167 --> 00:30:02,167
I mean...

561
00:30:02,334 --> 00:30:03,567
We got a wreck down
there, guys.

562
00:30:03,734 --> 00:30:04,968
-Excellent.
-[overlapping talking]

563
00:30:04,968 --> 00:30:07,767
-You know, no question.
-Can you see any battle damage?

564
00:30:07,934 --> 00:30:09,868
Parts of it look like a ship,
and parts of it are just sort

565
00:30:10,033 --> 00:30:11,300
of matchsticks down there.

566
00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:15,601
So it definitely looks like
a violent sinking, but I think

567
00:30:15,767 --> 00:30:18,100
we've got to do more to figure
out if this really is

568
00:30:18,267 --> 00:30:19,968
the Hofuku Maru.
-Yeah, absolutely.

569
00:30:20,133 --> 00:30:23,400
We have to figure out if this
wreck is split in two pieces.

570
00:30:23,567 --> 00:30:26,367
Well, that's right,
because we know the Hofuku Maru

571
00:30:26,534 --> 00:30:28,868
was split in two pieces
from the direct hit

572
00:30:29,033 --> 00:30:30,467
of the torpedo amidships.

573
00:30:30,634 --> 00:30:34,200
Right, but the problem is this
wreck is so deep and our bottom

574
00:30:34,367 --> 00:30:38,000
time is so limited, it could
take us dozens of dives to

575
00:30:38,167 --> 00:30:41,701
figure out what this thing is.
-What if we brought in an ROV?

576
00:30:41,868 --> 00:30:43,467
You got a deep water ROV
hanging around?

577
00:30:43,634 --> 00:30:44,968
[Randy]
I don't have one handy.

578
00:30:45,133 --> 00:30:47,000
However, I know where
there is one.

579
00:30:47,167 --> 00:30:48,767
That would be a game
changer, right?

580
00:30:48,934 --> 00:30:51,100
Because then we could spend as
much time as we want looking

581
00:30:51,267 --> 00:30:52,567
around down there.
-[Randy] Absolutely.

582
00:30:52,734 --> 00:30:55,300
And we can figure out whether
it is in two pieces.

583
00:30:55,467 --> 00:30:56,767
Right.
But I mean, a great start.

584
00:30:56,934 --> 00:30:57,868
-Great start.
-That's an amazing start.

585
00:30:58,033 --> 00:30:59,300
[Josh] Yeah.

586
00:31:00,367 --> 00:31:04,267
Randy and Tim will hunt down
an ROV and Evan will continue

587
00:31:04,434 --> 00:31:07,667
his photogrammetry analysis on
our mystery wreck.

588
00:31:07,834 --> 00:31:10,400
While we wait, though,
there's more than one hellship

589
00:31:10,567 --> 00:31:14,501
in these waters to investigate,
and I have a special invitation

590
00:31:14,667 --> 00:31:16,100
from the U.S. Military

591
00:31:16,267 --> 00:31:19,000
to join them on
a state-of-the-art operation to

592
00:31:19,167 --> 00:31:20,567
leave no man behind.

593
00:31:24,100 --> 00:31:27,400
By the light of a new day,
I drive 30 miles to a place

594
00:31:27,567 --> 00:31:30,367
that, for a century,
was one of America's largest

595
00:31:30,534 --> 00:31:33,300
overseas bases --
this is Subic Bay.

596
00:31:38,801 --> 00:31:40,767
At its peak,
the U.S. naval base here

597
00:31:40,934 --> 00:31:43,901
took up 262 square miles,

598
00:31:44,067 --> 00:31:46,167
roughly the size of Singapore.

599
00:31:46,334 --> 00:31:50,100
But in 1944, this prime real
estate fell into the hands of

600
00:31:50,267 --> 00:31:51,801
Imperial Japan.

601
00:31:51,968 --> 00:31:55,267
It is also the scene of perhaps
the most notorious hellship

602
00:31:55,434 --> 00:31:57,367
sinking of the war.

603
00:31:57,534 --> 00:32:01,300
Back in October of 1944,
just a month after

604
00:32:01,467 --> 00:32:03,868
the hellship Hofuku Maru
was sunk,

605
00:32:04,033 --> 00:32:06,901
Japan's Navy faced
the ultimate reckoning.

606
00:32:07,067 --> 00:32:09,100
General MacArthur,
whose U.S. forces

607
00:32:09,267 --> 00:32:11,567
had been driven from
the Philippines by

608
00:32:11,734 --> 00:32:15,100
the Japanese, made good on
his promise to return.

609
00:32:16,267 --> 00:32:19,267
On October 20th, MacArthur leads
American troops at

610
00:32:19,434 --> 00:32:23,367
the Battle of Leyte Gulf,
an amphibious and air assault

611
00:32:23,534 --> 00:32:25,000
that's bigger than D-Day.

612
00:32:25,167 --> 00:32:28,701
In fact, it's the largest naval
battle in world history.

613
00:32:28,868 --> 00:32:32,200
Over 200,000 men
on 400 ships

614
00:32:32,367 --> 00:32:35,167
go toe-to-toe on
the high seas.

615
00:32:35,334 --> 00:32:38,667
And when it ends,
15,000 men are dead.

616
00:32:38,834 --> 00:32:41,667
The Japanese fleet is crippled,
and their retreat from

617
00:32:41,834 --> 00:32:43,167
the Philippines begins.

618
00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:48,467
As the Japanese evacuate
Manila, they load American

619
00:32:48,634 --> 00:32:51,868
captives onto an infamous
hellship known as

620
00:32:52,033 --> 00:32:53,767
the Oryoku Maru.

621
00:32:53,934 --> 00:32:57,901
Now, much like the Hofuku Maru,
the ship I've been looking for,

622
00:32:58,067 --> 00:33:01,000
this ship was also bombed
by U.S. forces,

623
00:33:01,167 --> 00:33:04,000
who were unaware there
were prisoners aboard.

624
00:33:04,167 --> 00:33:06,868
But in this case,
we know exactly where

625
00:33:07,033 --> 00:33:10,267
the Oryoku Maru sank,
because it happened just

626
00:33:10,434 --> 00:33:15,000
500 feet offshore here in
Subic Bay, taking hundreds of

627
00:33:15,167 --> 00:33:17,100
American POWs with her.

628
00:33:18,100 --> 00:33:20,400
Now, an agency
of the U.S. Military

629
00:33:20,567 --> 00:33:23,567
is staging a massive
recovery effort to try to

630
00:33:23,734 --> 00:33:26,200
repatriate these honored dead.

631
00:33:26,367 --> 00:33:29,000
And as I approach their center
of operations,

632
00:33:29,167 --> 00:33:30,667
it's clear they mean business.

633
00:33:32,501 --> 00:33:35,000
Behold, the USNS Salvor.

634
00:33:39,300 --> 00:33:40,434
Look at this thing!

635
00:33:42,767 --> 00:33:44,767
We're definitely not going to
need a bigger boat.

636
00:33:52,167 --> 00:33:54,767
Oh-ho, wow!
That's serious.

637
00:33:55,901 --> 00:33:58,167
I'm in Subic Bay in
the Philippines

638
00:33:58,334 --> 00:34:00,300
about to join the U.S. Military

639
00:34:00,467 --> 00:34:02,300
on a bold
and dangerous mission.

640
00:34:05,767 --> 00:34:07,100
OK, guys, thanks
for the lift.

641
00:34:08,667 --> 00:34:11,267
-Hey, permission to come aboard?
-Permission granted.

642
00:34:11,434 --> 00:34:13,100
Welcome aboard the USNS Salvor.

643
00:34:13,267 --> 00:34:14,701
-You must be Josh.
-I am -- nice to meet you.

644
00:34:14,868 --> 00:34:16,467
I'm Captain Arrigoni.
How are you doing today?

645
00:34:16,634 --> 00:34:18,167
I'm doing awesome.
Thank you for having me.

646
00:34:18,334 --> 00:34:19,400
Tell me about the ship.

647
00:34:19,567 --> 00:34:21,567
She's one of two salvage
vessels operated by

648
00:34:21,734 --> 00:34:23,601
U.S. Military Sealift Command.

649
00:34:23,767 --> 00:34:26,501
[Josh] The Salvor here is
a multifunctional platform

650
00:34:26,667 --> 00:34:29,200
capable of salvage,
dive operation support,

651
00:34:29,367 --> 00:34:30,467
and firefighting.

652
00:34:30,634 --> 00:34:32,067
She even assisted in
the recovery of

653
00:34:32,234 --> 00:34:35,267
the Orion capsule in 2014.
-[Josh] Amazing.

654
00:34:35,434 --> 00:34:36,534
And how many aboard?

655
00:34:36,701 --> 00:34:38,868
49 people aboard,
and the one that you're waiting

656
00:34:39,033 --> 00:34:41,267
to see is up on the bow.
-Captain.

657
00:34:41,434 --> 00:34:42,701
-Good to meet you.
-Pleasure.

658
00:34:43,467 --> 00:34:49,100
I head to the pointy end of
this 255-foot, 3,000-ton ship

659
00:34:49,267 --> 00:34:52,701
and meet DPAA forensic
underwater archaeologist

660
00:34:52,868 --> 00:34:53,968
Meghan Mumford.

661
00:34:54,133 --> 00:34:56,601
And so for folks who don't
know, and they should,

662
00:34:56,767 --> 00:34:58,000
what is the DPAA?

663
00:34:58,167 --> 00:35:01,801
DPAA is the Defense POW/MIA
Accounting Agency,

664
00:35:01,968 --> 00:35:03,567
and our mission is to provide

665
00:35:03,734 --> 00:35:06,400
the fullest possible accounting
of U.S. service members

666
00:35:06,567 --> 00:35:08,367
who have paid
the ultimate sacrifice to

667
00:35:08,534 --> 00:35:10,000
their families in our nation.

668
00:35:10,167 --> 00:35:13,567
And how many American POWs
or MIAs are there worldwide?

669
00:35:13,734 --> 00:35:16,000
We have 81,000 still
unaccounted for.

670
00:35:16,167 --> 00:35:18,167
-81,000?
-[Meghan] Yes.

671
00:35:18,334 --> 00:35:19,534
OK.

672
00:35:19,534 --> 00:35:21,567
And so this current mission
that you're undertaking is

673
00:35:21,734 --> 00:35:23,267
one of recovery?
-Yes.

674
00:35:23,434 --> 00:35:25,901
We're here to attempt to
recover the remains of

675
00:35:26,067 --> 00:35:28,868
U.S. service members who were
also prisoners of war

676
00:35:29,033 --> 00:35:30,100
on the Oryoku Maru.

677
00:35:30,267 --> 00:35:32,267
And so where is the wreck
of the Oryoku Maru?

678
00:35:32,434 --> 00:35:33,567
It's actually directly
under us.

679
00:35:33,734 --> 00:35:35,567
The ship is moored
over the site.

680
00:35:35,734 --> 00:35:37,467
[Josh]
There's a Japanese hellship
right beneath us.

681
00:35:37,634 --> 00:35:38,567
[Meghan] Yes.

682
00:35:38,734 --> 00:35:40,467
OK, and so help me
understand how

683
00:35:40,634 --> 00:35:41,901
this mission works.
-Well, if you come with me,

684
00:35:42,067 --> 00:35:44,367
I'll show you.
-Yeah, please.

685
00:35:44,534 --> 00:35:47,267
Meghan leads me through
the bowels of the Salvor on

686
00:35:47,434 --> 00:35:48,701
the way to its heart.

687
00:35:48,868 --> 00:35:49,801
Up, up, up.

688
00:35:49,968 --> 00:35:51,968
The bridge.

689
00:35:52,133 --> 00:35:53,367
-Josh, welcome to the bridge.
-Thank you.

690
00:35:53,534 --> 00:35:55,000
-How's it going, guys?
-How's it going, sir?

691
00:35:55,167 --> 00:35:56,868
How are you?
Wow.

692
00:35:57,033 --> 00:35:58,968
Incredible.

693
00:35:59,133 --> 00:36:00,300
OK.

694
00:36:00,300 --> 00:36:03,067
Here is a look at
the Oryoku Maru in her prime.

695
00:36:03,234 --> 00:36:05,100
[Josh]
This was a really impressive
vessel, actually.

696
00:36:05,267 --> 00:36:09,167
[Meghan]
Yeah, it was actually a luxury
passenger and cargo liner.

697
00:36:09,334 --> 00:36:15,567
[Josh]
The Oryoku Maru was a 388-foot
steam liner built in 1936 with

698
00:36:15,734 --> 00:36:19,701
opulent accommodations for up
to 1,000 passengers, plus room

699
00:36:19,868 --> 00:36:23,200
for cargo, which was stored in
four holds below deck.

700
00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:27,601
December 13th, 1944.

701
00:36:27,767 --> 00:36:31,200
Approximately 1,600 American
prisoners are marched through

702
00:36:31,367 --> 00:36:32,767
the streets of Manila.

703
00:36:32,934 --> 00:36:35,868
Many had already survived
the Bataan Death March

704
00:36:36,033 --> 00:36:37,767
and the invasion of Corregidor.

705
00:36:37,934 --> 00:36:41,367
And now they're loaded onto
the Oryoku Maru for a journey

706
00:36:41,534 --> 00:36:45,467
to labor camps in Japan and not
inside the ocean liner's

707
00:36:45,634 --> 00:36:47,100
luxury staterooms.

708
00:36:47,267 --> 00:36:51,667
800 Allied officers are instead
deposited into Cargo Hold 4

709
00:36:51,834 --> 00:36:55,000
in the aft of the ship,
while 600 enlisted men are

710
00:36:55,167 --> 00:36:57,601
crammed into Hold number 1
in the bow.

711
00:36:57,767 --> 00:36:59,801
The remaining 200 enlisted are

712
00:36:59,968 --> 00:37:02,167
placed just behind them
in Hold 2.

713
00:37:03,467 --> 00:37:06,601
The cargo holds are
unventilated and sweltering.

714
00:37:06,767 --> 00:37:11,767
In fact, over 100 POWs succumb
to suffocation and dehydration

715
00:37:11,934 --> 00:37:13,567
in their first day at sea.

716
00:37:15,467 --> 00:37:18,000
The hellship, part of
a Japanese convoy,

717
00:37:18,167 --> 00:37:21,100
passes through Subic Bay,
where it's spotted by planes

718
00:37:21,267 --> 00:37:24,467
from the American aircraft
carrier USS Hornet,

719
00:37:24,634 --> 00:37:27,767
who attack what they believe is
a military target with

720
00:37:27,934 --> 00:37:31,000
air-to-ground rockets
and 500-pound bombs.

721
00:37:32,968 --> 00:37:35,100
And we have a photo here of
the aftermath of that

722
00:37:35,267 --> 00:37:36,501
initial attack.

723
00:37:36,667 --> 00:37:39,501
Wow, so this is an aerial
photo taken by a U.S. plane?

724
00:37:39,667 --> 00:37:40,667
Yes.

725
00:37:40,834 --> 00:37:42,667
[Josh] And so we see
the Oryoku Maru here.

726
00:37:42,834 --> 00:37:45,667
It looks like it's damaged,
but this does not sink it.

727
00:37:45,834 --> 00:37:47,033
[Meghan]
This does not sink it.

728
00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:50,667
The morning of the 15th,
aircraft again spot Oryoku Maru

729
00:37:50,834 --> 00:37:52,901
here in Subic Bay and begin to
attack it again.

730
00:37:59,367 --> 00:38:02,868
[Josh]
Bombs rip open some of
the holds, sending prisoners

731
00:38:03,033 --> 00:38:04,400
streaming into the ocean.

732
00:38:06,868 --> 00:38:10,200
In this image, we can actually
see where one of those

733
00:38:10,367 --> 00:38:13,167
500-pound bombs made a direct
hit to the stern of the ship

734
00:38:13,334 --> 00:38:16,567
and set the aft deck ablaze.
-This is an amazing photo.

735
00:38:16,734 --> 00:38:18,367
First of all, this is right
where we are anchored

736
00:38:18,534 --> 00:38:19,567
right now.
-[Meghan] Yes.

737
00:38:19,734 --> 00:38:20,734
[Josh]
And yeah, we see plumes of

738
00:38:20,734 --> 00:38:22,200
smoke coming out of
the back of the ship.

739
00:38:22,367 --> 00:38:23,868
And what is all this
in the water?

740
00:38:23,868 --> 00:38:27,467
[Meghan]
So these are actually the POWs
swimming to shore, as the ship

741
00:38:27,634 --> 00:38:30,968
is on fire and sinking.
-Oh, my God.

742
00:38:31,133 --> 00:38:34,667
1,300 prisoners swam for
shore, many of them either

743
00:38:34,834 --> 00:38:37,901
drowned or were shot by
the Japanese in the water.

744
00:38:38,067 --> 00:38:41,367
Those that did make landfall
were rounded up and sent back

745
00:38:41,534 --> 00:38:44,000
to labor camps
on other hellships.

746
00:38:44,167 --> 00:38:47,400
But the DPAA is here for
the men who never made it

747
00:38:47,567 --> 00:38:49,100
off the Oryoku.

748
00:38:49,267 --> 00:38:51,801
And so how many POWs remain
inside the ship when

749
00:38:51,968 --> 00:38:53,200
she goes down?

750
00:38:53,367 --> 00:38:55,901
250 prisoners of war are
possibly still

751
00:38:56,067 --> 00:38:57,367
in the holds of the ship.
-Wow.

752
00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:03,267
A year after the war,
the U.S. Military

753
00:39:03,434 --> 00:39:07,200
attempts to recover
the POWs on the Oryoku,

754
00:39:07,367 --> 00:39:10,868
but a pressure breach causes
an explosion that forces them

755
00:39:11,033 --> 00:39:12,667
to abandon the effort.

756
00:39:12,834 --> 00:39:15,167
Eighty years later,
the wreck's condition has

757
00:39:15,334 --> 00:39:18,367
deteriorated to an even more
dangerous state.

758
00:39:18,534 --> 00:39:22,200
But the DPAA is undeterred,
bringing an arsenal of

759
00:39:22,367 --> 00:39:25,367
21st-century technology
to the mission.

760
00:39:25,534 --> 00:39:29,467
So, if the divers in '46 were
largely unsuccessful, is it

761
00:39:29,634 --> 00:39:32,000
possible to reach these
three cargo holds?

762
00:39:32,167 --> 00:39:34,000
Well, that's what I've spent
the last two and a half years

763
00:39:34,167 --> 00:39:35,100
trying to figure out.

764
00:39:35,267 --> 00:39:36,968
OK, and what'd you
come up with?

765
00:39:37,133 --> 00:39:39,567
-Well, let's walk through it.
-OK, what do we got?

766
00:39:39,734 --> 00:39:42,567
So the first thing we did was
actually conduct a large-scale

767
00:39:42,734 --> 00:39:44,968
remote sensing survey of
the wreck with sonar.

768
00:39:45,133 --> 00:39:46,667
OK, and so this is
our ship here.

769
00:39:46,834 --> 00:39:48,100
[Meghan]
This is our ship here, yes.

770
00:39:48,100 --> 00:39:50,100
[Josh]
And actually, for all of
the hell that she's been

771
00:39:50,267 --> 00:39:53,167
through, it is largely still
in one piece.

772
00:39:53,334 --> 00:39:55,901
Meghan and her team have
performed every possible

773
00:39:56,067 --> 00:39:58,868
kind of survey and scan on
the Oryoku Maru,

774
00:39:59,033 --> 00:40:01,601
from ROV scouting
to photogrammetry,

775
00:40:01,767 --> 00:40:04,467
in order to create
a scale profile view

776
00:40:04,634 --> 00:40:06,567
of the wreck that they could
line up with

777
00:40:06,734 --> 00:40:08,467
the original blueprints.

778
00:40:08,634 --> 00:40:11,300
So here we've got our profile
of the ship, you know, as it

779
00:40:11,467 --> 00:40:14,067
existed originally, but all of
this structure is

780
00:40:14,234 --> 00:40:15,701
still remaining.
-Yes.

781
00:40:15,868 --> 00:40:18,067
This is where Hold 1 and 2
would have been, and this is

782
00:40:18,234 --> 00:40:19,601
where we think they are now.

783
00:40:19,767 --> 00:40:23,000
And what we wanted to do
specifically is see where

784
00:40:23,167 --> 00:40:25,868
potential damage has been
inflicted to the Hold 1,

785
00:40:26,033 --> 00:40:29,367
Hold 2, and Hold 4 area,
and also how could

786
00:40:29,534 --> 00:40:31,367
we potentially access
these spaces.

787
00:40:31,534 --> 00:40:33,968
So in your final analysis
looking at all this,

788
00:40:34,133 --> 00:40:35,701
do you think there is a way
into these holds?

789
00:40:35,868 --> 00:40:39,300
So through our investigations,
we identified potential points

790
00:40:39,467 --> 00:40:43,367
of access, which may actually
allow us to get into

791
00:40:43,534 --> 00:40:44,901
the Hold 1 space.

792
00:40:45,067 --> 00:40:46,767
Got it.

793
00:40:46,934 --> 00:40:49,901
The possible entry point has
been buried in the sand,

794
00:40:50,067 --> 00:40:54,067
so the DPAA has spent weeks
excavating with vacuum dredges

795
00:40:54,234 --> 00:40:55,334
to reach it.

796
00:40:55,334 --> 00:40:57,667
Today is the day they're
finally going to see if

797
00:40:57,834 --> 00:41:00,901
it's there, and I get to join
the team going down.

798
00:41:04,901 --> 00:41:07,200
Meghan brings me to
the Salvor's main deck,

799
00:41:07,367 --> 00:41:09,667
which is a hive of activity.

800
00:41:09,834 --> 00:41:11,367
All right, Josh, welcome to
our dive side.

801
00:41:11,534 --> 00:41:13,901
This is really the base of
operations for all of

802
00:41:14,067 --> 00:41:15,868
the diving that we do while
we're here on mission.

803
00:41:16,033 --> 00:41:17,868
I see a lot of different logos
on these T-shirts.

804
00:41:18,033 --> 00:41:20,267
[Meghan]
Yes, we have a tremendous team
from multiple different

805
00:41:20,434 --> 00:41:21,801
military units.

806
00:41:21,968 --> 00:41:25,167
[Josh]
For this unique mission,
the DPAA has assembled some of

807
00:41:25,334 --> 00:41:28,467
the nation's best trained
divers, including members of

808
00:41:28,634 --> 00:41:30,567
the Navy's Mobile
Diving and Salvage,

809
00:41:30,734 --> 00:41:32,467
Experimental Dive Unit,

810
00:41:32,634 --> 00:41:34,367
and the U.S. Coast Guard.

811
00:41:34,534 --> 00:41:35,868
-How's it going, everybody?
-Yo.

812
00:41:36,033 --> 00:41:37,234
-Hey.
-[Josh] Hey, how are you?

813
00:41:37,234 --> 00:41:40,100
In terms of these divers,
these are what we would say

814
00:41:40,267 --> 00:41:41,400
hardhat divers, right?
-[Meghan] Yes.

815
00:41:41,567 --> 00:41:43,300
These are not guys down there
wearing scuba tanks.

816
00:41:43,467 --> 00:41:44,367
[Meghan] Exactly.

817
00:41:44,534 --> 00:41:45,868
All of these individuals
are hardhat

818
00:41:46,033 --> 00:41:48,000
or surface-supplied divers.

819
00:41:48,167 --> 00:41:51,100
And so what the surface-supplied
diving allows us to do

820
00:41:51,267 --> 00:41:53,601
is not only penetrate the wreck
in the areas that we need to

821
00:41:53,767 --> 00:41:55,267
excavate safely,
but they're able to stay

822
00:41:55,434 --> 00:41:56,868
down longer.
-Amazing.

823
00:41:57,033 --> 00:41:58,334
This is what my father did
for a living.

824
00:41:58,501 --> 00:42:01,100
He was a hardhat diver, so this
is awesome to be able to see up

825
00:42:01,267 --> 00:42:02,901
close and personal.
-[Meghan] Wow -- absolutely.

826
00:42:03,067 --> 00:42:05,767
[Josh] Leading the team will be
sergeant and master diver

827
00:42:05,934 --> 00:42:08,200
Bryan Crowley.
And I'll be diving with

828
00:42:08,367 --> 00:42:11,367
U.S. Navy EOD tech
Nick Welegala.

829
00:42:11,534 --> 00:42:13,200
And EOD stands for what?

830
00:42:13,367 --> 00:42:15,367
-Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
-Oh, perfect.

831
00:42:15,534 --> 00:42:18,000
Are we going to be running into
explosives down there?

832
00:42:18,167 --> 00:42:19,334
It's entirely possible.

833
00:42:19,334 --> 00:42:21,267
The ship had two anti-aircraft
guns that were fired.

834
00:42:21,434 --> 00:42:22,634
They were carrying cargo.

835
00:42:22,634 --> 00:42:25,267
We know it was bombed with
rockets and 500-pound bombs.

836
00:42:25,434 --> 00:42:26,367
So it's entirely possible

837
00:42:26,534 --> 00:42:27,601
we could see something
in our dive.

838
00:42:27,767 --> 00:42:29,400
It's a very dynamic
and dangerous site.

839
00:42:29,567 --> 00:42:31,167
It's been down there for over
80 years.

840
00:42:31,334 --> 00:42:33,367
There's tons of
shifting structures.

841
00:42:33,534 --> 00:42:34,767
There's sharp edges.

842
00:42:34,934 --> 00:42:36,167
And all of this is
compounded by

843
00:42:36,334 --> 00:42:38,901
possible unexploded
ordnance or UXOs.

844
00:42:39,067 --> 00:42:40,667
But I'm sure the visibility is
perfect down there,

845
00:42:40,834 --> 00:42:43,000
guys, crystal clear?
-[all] No.

846
00:42:43,167 --> 00:42:44,467
OK, great, perfect.

847
00:42:44,634 --> 00:42:45,767
-Bad viz?
-[Bryan] Bad viz.

848
00:42:45,934 --> 00:42:47,367
On a good day,
you're looking at 5 to 10 feet,

849
00:42:47,534 --> 00:42:48,901
but as soon as you touch bottom,

850
00:42:49,067 --> 00:42:50,200
you're looking at
zero visibility.

851
00:42:50,367 --> 00:42:52,167
OK, so what's our plan
for this dive?

852
00:42:52,334 --> 00:42:54,767
So I need you two to go down
there and actually assess if

853
00:42:54,934 --> 00:42:57,267
we do have the Hold 1 hatch
opening so that we can

854
00:42:57,434 --> 00:42:59,400
potentially get down into
the hold space.

855
00:42:59,567 --> 00:43:01,167
Right, so dredging's
been done.

856
00:43:01,334 --> 00:43:03,100
If we can get into that
hold area.

857
00:43:03,267 --> 00:43:04,300
[Meghan] Exactly.

858
00:43:04,300 --> 00:43:05,467
That is absolutely critical
for our mission.

859
00:43:05,634 --> 00:43:08,267
We need to be able to access
this hold space where

860
00:43:08,434 --> 00:43:11,200
the prisoners of war were
actually held so that we can

861
00:43:11,367 --> 00:43:13,167
eventually find remains
and repatriate them.

862
00:43:13,334 --> 00:43:14,267
Got it.

863
00:43:14,434 --> 00:43:15,267
All right, should we get
suited up?

864
00:43:15,434 --> 00:43:17,000
Let's do it.

865
00:43:17,167 --> 00:43:20,200
[Josh]
Nick and I prep scuba gear
for our dive.

866
00:43:20,367 --> 00:43:23,100
If we can determine that
the entrance to Hold 1 has

867
00:43:23,267 --> 00:43:25,067
been exposed by the dredges,

868
00:43:25,234 --> 00:43:27,901
the hardhat team will splash in
and get to work.

869
00:43:29,000 --> 00:43:30,367
And once we're geared up

870
00:43:30,534 --> 00:43:32,667
an unnerving reality sets in.

871
00:43:32,834 --> 00:43:36,100
I'm about to come face-to-face
with the Oryoku Maru.

872
00:43:49,167 --> 00:43:50,767
Divers, can you hear me?

873
00:43:50,934 --> 00:43:53,100
[Josh] Yeah, Meghan, I read
you loud and clear.

874
00:43:53,267 --> 00:43:55,100
[Nick and Josh speaking]

875
00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:26,868
[Josh]
Even with this visibility,
it's hard to believe there's

876
00:44:27,033 --> 00:44:30,000
a massive wreck right here that
I can't see.

877
00:44:30,167 --> 00:44:32,000
Well, believe it.

878
00:44:32,167 --> 00:44:35,467
[Josh and Nick speaking]

879
00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:18,968
[Josh]
We swim silently through
the ruins of one of the largest

880
00:45:19,133 --> 00:45:22,868
wrecks I've ever seen.
It's also one of the eeriest.

881
00:45:23,033 --> 00:45:27,100
The grave of at least 250
Americans, who were tragically

882
00:45:27,267 --> 00:45:30,467
unable to see the end of
the war for which they gave

883
00:45:30,634 --> 00:45:31,968
the ultimate sacrifice.

884
00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:47,701
[Josh] The plan is to start at
the bow and work back

885
00:45:47,868 --> 00:45:48,934
to Hold 1.

886
00:45:49,100 --> 00:45:51,100
We're hoping that
the military's recent dredging

887
00:45:51,267 --> 00:45:53,467
efforts will have revealed
a way inside.

888
00:45:57,200 --> 00:45:59,400
[Nick and Josh speaking]

889
00:46:07,100 --> 00:46:10,000
Both divers, if you're at
the bow, the Hold 1 hatch

890
00:46:10,167 --> 00:46:14,100
area should be approximately
80 feet aft of your position.

891
00:46:14,267 --> 00:46:15,801
[Josh and Nick speaking]

892
00:46:40,501 --> 00:46:43,601
[Josh]
From the plans of the Oryoku,
we know that from here,

893
00:46:43,767 --> 00:46:47,167
Hold 1 should be not far from
our current position.

894
00:46:47,334 --> 00:46:51,100
This mission hinges on finding
an entryway into that hold,

895
00:46:51,267 --> 00:46:53,901
but when you can't see two feet
in front of your face,

896
00:46:54,067 --> 00:46:55,467
that's easier said than done.

897
00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:20,167
[Josh] We've confirmed it.

898
00:47:20,334 --> 00:47:23,100
The DPAA's dredges have
revealed an entrance

899
00:47:23,267 --> 00:47:24,701
into Hold number 1.

900
00:47:24,868 --> 00:47:27,701
It's a careful celebration,
though, since the wreck is

901
00:47:27,868 --> 00:47:31,400
covered in rusty, jagged metal
and potentially hiding

902
00:47:31,567 --> 00:47:33,100
unexploded ordnance.

903
00:47:33,267 --> 00:47:35,267
[Nick and Josh speaking]

904
00:48:01,267 --> 00:48:05,167
[Josh]
The past is filled with
secrets, to be discovered.

905
00:48:05,334 --> 00:48:06,767
I never seen anything
like this.

906
00:48:06,934 --> 00:48:08,367
I don't think anybody has.

907
00:48:08,534 --> 00:48:10,300
And the answers are out there.

908
00:48:10,467 --> 00:48:12,100
Oh, that's so incredible.

909
00:48:12,267 --> 00:48:13,868
Let's go find them.

910
00:48:15,467 --> 00:48:17,100
We might be really close to
those remains now.

911
00:48:17,267 --> 00:48:18,767
We can do what we came here
for and bring

912
00:48:18,934 --> 00:48:19,968
our grandfathers home.

913
00:48:20,133 --> 00:48:22,167
It says USA.
That's from an American POW.

914
00:48:22,334 --> 00:48:23,868
And here we are in front
of the window.

915
00:48:24,033 --> 00:48:26,667
OK, I'm scanning here.
I'm scanning here.

916
00:48:26,834 --> 00:48:28,400
That's gold!
That's gold!

917
00:48:30,667 --> 00:48:32,567
-Troy, get over here!
-No.

918
00:48:32,734 --> 00:48:34,467
That's a lock!
That's a jar!

919
00:48:34,634 --> 00:48:37,000
-Well done!
-Unbelievable!

920
00:48:39,467 --> 00:48:41,567
-Take it nice and easy, Josh.
-This is terrifying.

921
00:48:42,767 --> 00:48:46,167
-It's a waterfall.
-How "Goonies" is this?

922
00:48:46,334 --> 00:48:47,767
We're not just
chasing history.

923
00:48:47,934 --> 00:48:50,400
Hunting for treasure on
jet skis.

924
00:48:50,567 --> 00:48:52,000
We're making history.

925
00:48:52,167 --> 00:48:53,667
Oh, my God!

926
00:48:53,834 --> 00:48:55,667
Are we looking at
the Hofuku Maru?

927
00:48:55,834 --> 00:48:59,267
On an all-new season of
"Expedition Unknown."