NEWTON, Mass., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts businessman says he believes he has found the submarine his father commanded during World War II, 65 years after it sank in the Bering Sea.
The USS Grunion, commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Mannert Abele, was on its maiden voyage when it disappeared with its crew of 70. The sub sent one last radio message saying it had encountered Japanese ships.
Searches of U.S. and Japanese records after the war gave no clue to its fate, WBUR Radio reported.
Abele’s son, John -- founder of the medical device company Boston Scientific -- recently tracked down a Japanese man who had posted an article online about a Japanese merchant vessel that had been in the area when the Grunion disappeared.
Sonar detected a vessel on the sea floor a year ago. John Abele was in Alaska this week, using a remote-controlled submersible to photograph the vessel.
Bruce Abele, the commander’s oldest son, said his father, his crew and his submarine had been listed as missing for 65 years.
"It's like winning the lottery 10 times in a row," Bruce Abele said of the events that led to the discovery. "I can't say it any other way."
