Honoring the Memory of Service Through Exploration

Community Connections Shared on NautilusLive from the Families Touched by the Solomon Islands Campaign

Beneath the waves of Iron Bottom Sound, where echoes of WWII naval clashes still linger, E/V  Nautilus is live‑streaming a journey into history—and families of fallen servicemen are watching, riveted.

During the Maritime Archaeology of Guadalcanal expedition (NA173), live video from deep‑sea remotely operated vehicles Hercules and Atalanta is transmitted directly to NautilusLive.org, offering a profound chance to witness, in real time, the ships lost during the Solomon Islands campaign of 1942. Through these non-invasive archaeological surveys, the expedition aims to honor those lost and keep alive the memory of sacrifices made during the Battles of Guadalcanal, as well as highlight the significance of this unique place globally. The expedition has visited twelve shipwrecks, including USS New Orleans, Northampton, Vincennes, and the IJN destroyer Teruzuki, as they rest on the seabed. For military families, these aren’t just relics—they’re tangible links to loved ones lost in battle: a way to connect, remember, and honor their stories decades after the guns fell silent.

As the team on Nautilus charts the unexplored depths with USV DriX’s sonar mapping and ROV dives, the live‑stream platform becomes a shared space for reflection, grief, and healing. Viewers can interact with the team, ask questions, and follow each discovery with emotional intensity, bringing closure to those who have carried unanswered questions for generations. In this digital age, the ocean floor—once forever out of reach—now serves as a stage where history is honored, connections are rekindled, and military families can finally witness the resting places of their heroes with dignity and grace.

Keep reading for some of the memorials and stories shared with the expedition team from viewers and loved ones of service members who were part of the Second World War on different national home fronts and across the Pacific.  

USS Vincennes

• “My father survived the Battle of Savo Island as a member of the crew of the USS Vincennes. I am wondering if your current expedition was able to locate the Vincennes?”
• “Wow, my Dad was on the Vincennes when it went down. He never really talked about it, but he was in the water for over 3 hours. I really appreciate seeing this, thanks!”
• “Rear Admiral Robert Craighill was the senior surviving officer on theVincennes. He went to the Virginia Theological Seminary after he retired and was ordained an Episcopal Priest. He baptized my son in 1990.”

USS New Orleans

• “My dad was an ensign SOC pilot on the New Orleans. He had left the ship when the cruisers launched their planes mid-afternoon. The pilots were expecting to return to their ships. His stateroom was inside the severed bow. He died in 2016 at age 99. I wish I could show him this.”
• “My Father, T.E.Smith, GM2 in the number 2 mount on the New Orleans when it was hit and they lost the bow.”
• “RIP Theodore Hoxworth. My great-uncle was lost in the Bow of the New Orleans. I have waited a whole lifetime for this to be found. I only wish My Grandma were still alive to see this.”
• “My dad was on USS New Orleans CA 32 that day they got hit. He had to deal with trying to seal the ship off to keep from sinking. He lost so many buddies that day😢”
• “My mom's uncle was an electrician on that ship and he told us they went to Australia first then to Bremerton wa to get a bow off another ship.”
• “My great-grandfather was on the New Orleans- after the battle, where the bow was destroyed. Lived to the end of the war and then went to work in telecom.”
• “I could not believe my eyes when I saw your story on the USS New Orleans my father Lewis D Strong was on that ship he was in combat photographer he took the pictures of it in Tologi (sp) River he not take the journey back but stayed on Tologi for 6 long months. I must have asked him 100 times to tell me about it. My father passed away in 2017 he was 100 years old. I still have the original pictures that he took Thank you so much for the article God bless you and God bless all those who served.”
• “Getting caught up on viewing your highlights. Regarding USS New Orleans, my Dad was involved in putting a temporary bow on her after she made how bowless way to Sydney. She left Sydney with the new bow and one turret removed plus other mods in March 1943 to go to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for repair. There are interesting photos of her from Naval Historical Center. John Paulson.”
• “My father’s battle station was the radio room just behind turret #2.”
• “My father was on the USS New Orleans in 1942 when it was torpedoed. He said the bow scraped the side of the ship before sinking. Said it was the only ship in the history of the US Navy to ever ram itself.”

USS Northampton

• “Thanks for all you’re doing. My father was badly injured when the Northampton went down in the battle of Tassaforanga (sp). Enjoyed seeing all those ships involved in the battle.”
• “My uncle-in-law helped rescue 800 survivors of Northampton aboard Fletcher. He was promoted to Gunner's Mate 2nd Class the same day.”
• “My father served on the USS Northampton and survived the night she sunk. Is there a way I can see the footage at another time.”

USS Quincy

• “Love to see this, Quincy was one of the first war wrecks I was interested in because of the Ballard documentary, and later I found out I had a distant relative who died onboard.”
• “Hi all - my great grand-uncle, LTCDR Edmund Billings, was on the Quincy's bridge when it was hit - his last words were (allegedly) ‘Everything will be all right, the ship will go down fighting.’ Certainly she did. Thanks for all you do.”

IJN Teruzuki

• “According to my readings, this ship engaged with my father's ship [USS South Dakota] a month before she [Terazuki] was sunk.”

HMAS Canberra

• “Hello! I’m Greg from Brisbane, Australia. Are you going to dive on HMAS Canberra? My Grandfather was a Torpedoman aboard and was KIA during her sinking. If you dive on Canberra, do you know which day? I’d love to see the Torpedo deck area if possible. Thank you for honouring these ships and their crews with your work.”

USS Barton 

• “Hello and thank you for conducting this expedition. Will you be diving on USS Barton? My great uncle Albert King was a water tender 2nd class and was killed in action.”

USS Astoria

• “My father's older brother was KIA aboard the USS Astoria at the Battle of Savo Island. My dad died 20 years ago, and I can't recall if he ever said his brother's body was recovered. I wonder where I might find that information. The naval battles around Guadalcanal were brutal. Thanks for this tour. It's remarkable.”

The Home Front and Beyond

• “My grandfather was a welder/riveter on the Liberty ships at Kaiser Shipyards in Baltimore. He had some amazing stories.”
• “We don't know them all but we sure owe them all. My Grandma was a welder in the shipyard, She was there when the New Orleans arrived for her new bow. She and my Aunt and Uncle were givin a tour of the ship. I just found this Video today but it was posted on my Birthday. What a gift!”
• "Thank you for going here and all the science you all do! My dad was a veteran in WWII and Pacific Campaign and got a PhD in Biology later, he did some work at Woods Hole for Marine Biology. If he was still alive, he would be definitely watching. I'm doing that for him ;-) Thank you again."
• “Look at that! High Pressure Steam Boilers, Babcock & Wilcox I surmise, my grandfather built them in Pa during WW2 for the US Navy”
• “My grandfather-in-law was a Seabee (Naval Engineer) in the South Pacific theater; watching this stream is so fascinating! Thank you for sharing!"
• “My dad was a Navy combat photographer and filmed most of the battles in the Pacific. I have scads of books on the war in the Pacific. You have no idea how cool it is for me to actually see these ships that fought valiantly. Thank you so much for making this available to all of us!”
• “Loving the footage. I have a personal connection to Guadalcanal; my uncle-in-law was aboard Fletcher (DD-445) from late 1942 after his ship, California, was shoved into the mud at Pearl Harbor. He was there on Nov 13th, 1942, and Dec 30th, 1942. He left Fletcher in Jan of 1945 and left the Navy after 8 years, and 20+ engagements, bombardments, and anti-air duels.”
• “Can't imagine how emotional to watch this must be for People who lost Family members on those Ships. 😔”
• “One of the only times I ever saw my grandfather cry was him telling about this attack.  The story he told was that the young sailors were nervous that they were going to be attacked (they had been given some level of warning) and the guys were razzing each other about living through the potential incident.  He said afterwards he had to pull body parts of some of the sailors he was playing dominos the night before out of the hull.  Amazing this thing survived or any of the sailors survived to have families.  We owe the greatest generation a huge debt of gratitude!”
• “My son is a WWII Pacific Theater history nerd. He's currently a plebe at the US Naval Academy, and I'm telling him about your mission in a letter right now. Can you tell me one cool fact you've discovered on this expedition, that isn't in the history books (yet), that I can share with him?”
• “I do hope one day there will be an expedition towards the Coral Sea east of New Guinea. Lexington has been found but Shoho hasn't, which was the navy's first carrier loss in the war. My grand uncle served as one of the officers aboard the ship and went down with it. I really hope one day I can set eyes on the ship, just like the discovery of Akagi and Kaga.”