Paul G. Allen and his research team broadcasted a live-stream tour of the wreckage of the Japanese battleship Musashi, one of the most renowned and technologically advanced battleships in history.
Commissioned in 1942, the Musashi was the largest battleship in naval history, weighing in at 73,000 tons fully loaded. It featured eighteen-inch armor plating and was armed with nine eighteen-inch guns, the largest ever mounted on a warship. Utmost secrecy was maintained by the shipyard in Nagasaki during the construction; the entire length of the ship was hidden from view to prevent the Allied Forces from learning of its construction. Active in several battles, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Musashi was eventually sunk by an estimated 19 torpedoes and 17 bombs on October 24, 1944 in the lead up to the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Of Musashi’s 2,399 crew members, nearly half lost their lives including the Commander Vice Admiral Toshihira Inoguchi. Even today, the Musashi and her sister ship, the Yamato, are considered to be unparalleled feats of naval design and construction.
Mr. Allen and his research team are mindful of the responsibility related to the wreckage of the Musashi as a war grave and intend to work with the Japanese and Philippine governments to ensure the site is treated respectfully and in accordance with traditions.
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Argunners Magazine is an independent online historian and collector’s magazine, dedicated to the militaria and history of both Axis and Allied powers during the World War 1 & 2. Argunners is a central resource offering the latest militaria and war history news, journals, articles and press releases related to these themes.
