High above the Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Guinea, a single Allied American plane cruised through the night sky on patrol on January 10, 1943.

Below, the moonlit waves seemed peaceful despite the Pacific Theater being in full swing for over a year.

Suddenly, the pilot's eyes caught a glimpse of movement—a massive dark silhouette cutting through the water. It was USS Argonaut, the United States Navy's largest submarine, fresh from attacking a Japanese escort, part of a large convoy.

As the plane drew closer, the crew realized the true scope of the scene unfolding below. Argonaut was not alone. Now, a formation of Japanese destroyers surrounded her, closing in like predators.

Flashes of light erupted in the water. Explosions from depth charges sent shockwaves through the sea. The plane's crew could do nothing but watch as Argonaut was pounded time and time again by shells.
The submarine’s bow broke the surface at a sharp angle, a sign of severe damage. The pilots watched in quiet shock as the worst loss of life in American submarine combat history unfolded in the waves below.