The remains of the USS Edsall, an American warship that was sunk during a battle with Japanese forces in Second World War, has been discovered more than 80 years after it was lost to the bottom of the sea, American and Australian officials announced Monday.

The final resting place of the USS Edsall, a Clemson-class destroyer, was discovered late last year at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, according to the US Navy and Royal Australian Navy.

“Working in collaboration with the US Navy, the Royal Australian Navy used advanced robotic and autonomous systems, typically used for hydrographic survey capabilities, to locate the USS Edsall on the seafloor,” the Navy chief said. Royal Australian Vice Admiral Mark Hammond. in a statement.

The warship was sunk on March 1, 1942, three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, during an encounter with Japanese battleships and dive bombers.

VETERANS DAY SPOTLIGHT: AMERICA’S TOP ATHLETES WHO TRADE THE BASEBALL PARK FOR THE BATTLEFIELD

The USS Edsall was a Clemson-class destroyer, measuring 314 feet long and capable of 35 knots. (US Navy)

“Captain Joshua Nix and his crew fought bravely, evading 1,400 shells from Japanese battleships and cruisers, before being attacked by 26 dive bombers, receiving only one fatal hit. There were no survivors,” said Caroline Kennedy, the United States Ambassador to Australia, he said in a statement.

japanese forces He spotted the Edsall about 225 miles south of Christmas Island as the American warship was heading to assist another ship. Historians have said that the Edsall suffered previous damage that would prevent her from outrunning any of the Japanese cruisers or battleships.

Put yourself in a “desperate” situation, historians say Nix, in an act of defiance against the enemy, “chose to fight”, laying down a smoke screen and beginning evasive maneuvers that thwarted the Japanese objective for over an hour before being overtaken by the dive bombers.

The Japanese used this photo of the USS Edsall rising out of the water as propaganda during World War II. (US Navy)

Nix’s evasive actions earned the respect of the Japanese, who said that Edsall acted like a “Japanese dancing mouse,” a popular mascot in Japan at the time that was known for its manic movements.

“The Edsall’s commanding officer lived up to the U.S. Navy’s principle, ‘Don’t hand over the ship,’ even when faced with overwhelming odds,” said Lisa Franchetti, Navy chief of naval operations. of the US, in a statement.

REMAINS OF A SECOND WAR SOLDIER WHO DIED ALMOST 80 YEARS AGO IN FRANCE IDENTIFIED, WHICH WILL BE BURIED IN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY

“The remains of this ship are a sacred site, serving as a marker for the 185 U.S. Navy personnel and 31 US Army Air Force pilots on board at the time, almost all of whom were lost when Edsall succumbed to battle damage,” the statement continued.

While it was believed that everyone on board the Edsall died at sea, it was later learned, many years after the war ended, that the Japanese picked up some survivors and beheaded them on March 24, 1942.

Kennedy said the discovery is part of ongoing efforts to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“We will now be able to preserve this important monument and we hope that the families of the heroes who died there know that their loved ones rest in peace,” he said.