Overview

• The car was found on April 19-20, 2025, during NOAA's ROV dives into the USS Yorktown wreck, located three miles underwater near Hawaii.
• Researchers tentatively identified the vehicle as a 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe 'Woody' with a partially visible license plate reading 'SHIP SERVICE ___ NAVY.'
• Speculation suggests the car may have belonged to Rear Admiral Frank Fletcher or was aboard for repairs before the Battle of Midway in 1942.
• NOAA has issued a public call for help from car enthusiasts and historians to confirm the vehicle's identity and its presence on the ship.
• The ongoing Beyond the Blue expedition is also gathering ecological and archaeological data from the Yorktown wreck and other deep-sea sites.