A team exploring the USS Yorktown shipwreck made a surprising find: a vintage Ford car hidden among the wreckage. According to the Miami Herald, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) ship Okeanos Explorer was mapping the wreck site on April 19 when the discovery was made. The car’s license plate partially reads “SHIP SERVICE __ NAVY,” adding to the mystery of its presence on the vessel.

Notably, the USS Yorktown, a key player in World War II, sank after the Battle of Midway. The massive 809-foot-long aircraft carrier housed over 2,200 personnel and 90 aircraft during its service.

“It’s a car. That’s a car. That’s a full car,” a researcher was heard saying on a livestream of the expedition.

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Rare ‘Woody’ model identified in deep-sea footage

The car discovered in the USS Yorktown shipwreck is believed to be a 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe ‘Woody’ in black. Details revealed by camera inspection include flared fenders, hints of a rag top, chrome trim, and a spare tire. The ‘Woody’ designation comes from the car’s wooden body paneling, a distinctive feature of this model.

“It has a license plate on the front that can be partially read, saying ‘SHIP SERVICE’ at the top, but the lower part is illegible due to corrosion. Staff cars of the Ford Super Deluxe model were common with the Navy and Army ashore; however, as of yet, they haven’t been able to find a ‘Woody’ in service for staff officers, so that is potentially unique for this ship. Here’s an open request to all your automobile vehicle folks out there. I’m sure you are being attentive to this, and you understand what you are looking at. Please post on this. It helps,” a NOAA researcher said.

Questions surround why vehicle wasn’t jettisoned

The researchers likely questioned why the vehicle was left on the vessel because it represented significant weight that could have been jettisoned to help keep the ship afloat after the torpedo strike.

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“Yorktown’s salvage crew worked tirelessly to jettison anti-aircraft guns and aircraft to reduce its list [after the torpedo strike], but did they leave the car, something they could roll off the side? Perhaps the car belonged to someone important on the ship or the fleet: the captain or admiral,” NOAA officials said in an email to the Herald.

Officials were also curious to know why the car remained on the ship after it briefly stopped off at Pearl Harbour for a 48-hour repair ahead of the planned battle.

The USS Yorktown played a significant role in World War II, participating in key battles like the Coral Sea and Midway. Commissioned in 1937, it served until its sinking in June 1942.

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