As some of you know, the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship "Musashi", the sistership to the famous "Yamato", was sunk in the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea in October 1944 by bombs and torpedoes from dozens of US carrier aircraft, as part of the larger Battle for Leyte Gulf during World War II.

I recall reading somewhere that the "Musashi" sank not too far from Mindoro. I also recall that some of the "Musashi's" survivors were even placed aboard the "stone-battleship" Ford Drum in Manila Bay though its 14-inch turrets were supposedly not were working.

Does anyone hear know if the wreck of the "Musashi" was ever explored? The "Yamato", on the other hand was explored just off Okinawa, but her hull was broken into two parts.

It makes one wonder what kind of resistance the "Musashi" would have offered to US liberating forces that landed in Mindoro if she had been beached/grounded there instead of sinking straight into deeper water.

He he, I mentioned this too long ago to some navy friends. Why not raise some of those sunken ships and fix them up. Or at the very least use some of their material for our current vessels. Sabi nga lang parang sacrilege daw and hindi kaya ng resources natin.

No idea if the Musashi has been explored though. Would make a great study for our ship engineers though.

If the US, at that time, did not have air superiority and the Musashi traded salvo per salvo with opposing US battleship and other major surface ships, the Musashi would have sunk quite a number of them before she will be overwhelmed. At that time the biggest guns that were on US battleships were 16 inch as compared to the Yamato class of 18in. The Musashi would undoubtedly caused havoc and perhaps delayed the landing in Mindoro. But in the end the fleet of Ozawa would have been overwhelmed as the US had a combined 12 battleships as opposed to the Japanese 9 (including Kurita's Yamato).

They are of no good use anymore, but they're good for some studies and any displays in our naval museum, if we have one.

Okay guys, here's your wish come true.

Swiss firm offers services to salvage Japanese warship
Negotiations under way between Japanese group and Swiss Global

Mar T. Supnad



Japanese battleship Musashi leaving Brunei in 1944 for the Battle of Leyte Gulf

SIBUYAN, Romblon — Negotiations are under way for the salvaging of a sunken, big Japanese warship in the Sibuyan Sea, it was reported.

This developed after the Switzerland-based Swiss Global Connect has offered to refloat the sunken Musashi warship, once the biggest and most powerful Japanese battleship that was sunk in the sea off this province during World War II.

In a letter to Toshihiko Suzuki, chief executive officer of AIPAC (Asian Countries and Islands Optical Fiber Communication Establishment and Philippines Properties in Asia) through Filipino businessman Antonio Datuin, Ashroff Gaffoor, director of Swiss Global, stated that his company is capable of salvaging the giant warship that was sunk on Oct. 24, 1944 when it was hit by a barrage of tornadoes and bombs unleashed by the Allied forces.



Musashi under attack at The Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, 24 October 1944.

AIPAC, which reportedly has billions of euros amd dollars deposited in UBS Bank in Zurich, Switzerland, will provide the funds for the project to salvage the Musashi ship.

Suzuki’s group and Kiyoshi Goto, who represents the government of Japan, will work with the concerned Philippine government agencies on the proposed salvaging of Musashi.

The Romblon Homeowners and Cultural Association (ROCHAI), a foundation headed by its chairman, Gen. (retired) Dominador Resos, will be the project proponent.

Resos has been working for the group of Suzuki on the salvaging project. He said he is planning to convert the warship into a tourist attraction.

When refloated, the ship would be towed to the nearby Carabao Island where it would developed into some kind of a war museum.

Carabao Island, Resos said, would be developed into an international tourism spot complete with international airport, seaport, hotels, and other amenities. This would benefit thousands of residents of Romblon and Aklan, he said.

Suzuki and Kiyoshi Goto of Japan visited the other day the area where the Musashi was sunk 64 years ago.

As a tribute to the friendship of the Filipino and Japanese people, the group is also proposing to develop the area for tourism purposes which are expected to benefit of the Filipino people and the Japanese, particularly the relatives of the crews of the sunken vessel.

General Resos, meanwhile, are inviting foreign dignitaries "to join us return to this tragic chapter of World War II when the blue waters of Sibuyan Sea turned blood red during the great Battle of Sibuyan Sea."

Dubbed as the world’s biggest battleship, Japan’s Musashi with a crew contingent of 3,500 (not 1,023 as some historians claim) to its watery grave some 1,000 meters underwater in the Sibuyan Sea.

http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV20081023138756.html

i don't know what to say. that is so strange.