World War I marked the industrialization of warfare, and introduced, for the first time on an international arena, weaponry like warplanes, mechanized artillery, tanks, machine guns – and submarines.
But despite having broken out over a century ago, and despite its use of modern technology, some aspects of WWI remain unresolved to this day. In the chaos of war, people, military units and even entire ships can go missing without a trace, and their stories can raise more questions than answers, even after years and years of investigations.
The story of the USS San Diego, which was sunk off the coast of New York in 1918, is one of these mysteries. But unlike others, its investigators finally found answers – nearly a century after it was downed.
01. The Big Ten
The USS San Diego was initially named the USS California. The USS California was constructed at the famed Union Iron Works in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century. The ship entered service on August 1, 1907, as part of the Pennsylvania-class of cruisers, alongside the USS Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Colorado, Maryland and South Dakota.
These, along with four other Tennessee-class cruisers, were known as the “Big Ten” in the United States Navy, due to their huge size and modern outfitting – but due to technological advancements and new designs, they were soon outclassed by a new type of ship; the Tennessee-class battleship.