The ocean, which covers over 70% of our planet, is home to countless mysteries and legends. Among the tales of mythical sea creatures and shipwrecks, there lies a series of incidents that have puzzled even the most rational minds within the U.S. Navy: the enigmatic encounters with unidentified submerged objects, or USOs. It appears that the deep blue may hold secrets even stranger than those in the skies above.
Historically, sailors have whispered tales of sea monsters, but it seems the real-life encounters with USOs have presented the Navy with tangible hazards. A striking instance occurred in 1978 when the USS Stein found its sonar equipment damaged by large, unidentified claws, suggesting an encounter with a creature far larger than any known squid. Perhaps the sailors of yore weren’t entirely off base with their tales of the Kraken.
Then there’s the enigma of the megamouth shark, a species unknown to science until a Navy torpedo recovery boat accidentally caught one in 1976. This elusive creature, along with the massive, unidentified shark-like being observed by Commander Vining A. Sherman on the USS Hale, underscores the vastness of our ignorance when it comes to the deep sea.
Fast-forward to more recent years, and the U.S. Navy still deals with mysterious occurrences beneath the waves. Retired Navy Commander David Fravor, well-known for his 2004 UFO sighting, discussed an eyewitness account of a fellow pilot who encountered a “kinda circular” dark mass underwater while recovering practice munitions, an object believed not to be a submarine. In another instance, a practice torpedo was reportedly “sucked down” into the depths, never to be seen again.
As thrilling and otherworldly as these stories may be, they are grounded in the experiences of respected military personnel and documented encounters. While some might be quick to assign an extraterrestrial origin to these underwater anomalies, the Navy’s history with USOs serves as a reminder that Earth’s oceans hold secrets and species yet to be discovered.
While speculations abound and fantastical theories flourish, one fact remains steadfast: the deep blue sea harbors enigmas that occasionally surface, confronting us with the limits of our knowledge. The U.S. Navy’s brushes with USOs are not just whispers from the past; they are ongoing riddles that prompt us to ponder what other wonders—or perhaps even threats—lurk beneath the waves. The U.S. Navy’s accounts of USOs are a testament to the oceans’ remaining uncharted territories and the potential for remarkable discoveries that challenge the boundaries of science and the imagination.
Relevant articles:
– TIL that similar to UFOs (or more recently UAPs), the US Navy has a classification for Unidentified Submerged Objects (USOs). These are usually large unidentified marine animals and have caused more damage to naval vessels than UFOs have to planes.
– Yes, Underwater UFOs Are a Thing, And There’s a Bizarre History to Them