The sinking of the USS Wasp (CV-7) took place on September 15, 1942. It had just been attacked by an Imperial Japanese Navy's submarine I-19, which had been on a picket patrol south of the Solomons Islands. That day, the USS Wasp, USS Hornet (CV-8), and battleship North Carolina had been escorting three US transport ships that were carrying US Marine units to Guadalcanal.
At 14:44 hours (02:44 PM), on September 15, the Japanese submarine I-19 launched six Type 95 torpedoes at the USS Wasp. Three torpedoes struck the US carrier. As a result it would sink several hours later. As of matter of fact, she was scuttled, torpedoed by destroyer USS Lansdowne (DD-486) after most of her crew had been rescued by other US vessels, because the damage was huge and irreparable.
Three of the six torpedoes fired by the IJN submarine missed the Wasp and continued their run. One of them hit the destroyer USS O'Brien, blowing off her bow; the other torpedo struck battleship USS North Carolina on her port side adjacent to tower 1, killing 5 sailors and wounding 23. The 891-lb torpedo warhead blasted a gaping hole 32 ft long and 18 ft high. About 1,000 tons of water poured in, causing the capital ship to list. However, the leaning was corrected and she managed to make it to port.
Below, the sinking of USS Wasp (CV-7) frozen in a photo taken from another US Navy warships. She would be scuttled several hours after she was struck.
