Located near the Marshall Islands, at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, is a graveyard of World War II planes that have been resting peacefully underwater for 70 years. Wisconsin-based Coastguard captain Brandi Mueller gives us a rare glimpse, through his photographs, into this fascinating underwater site which divers have enjoyed exploring since the 1960s.
Brandi Mueller
Brandi Mueller
“I find diving [to see] the airplanes really exciting. “It’s a strange thing to see airplanes underwater. Shipwrecks you expect, but not airplanes.”, Mueller told Mashable.
Brandi Mueller
Brandi Mueller
The aircraft graveyard is home to over 150 planes which were discarded there after the Second World War. According to Mueller, it was too expensive to transport the planes (many of which were in perfect condition) back to the United States from the Kwajalein Atoll, so they were abandoned underwater.
Brandi Mueller
Brandi Mueller
Among the planes in the graveyard are Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers, F4U Corsairs, TBF/TBM Avengers, Helldivers, B-25 Mitchells, Curtiss C-46 Commandos and F4F Wildcats, which sit in the sand about 130 feet below the surface.
Brandi Mueller
Brandi Mueller
Brandi Mueller
Brandi Mueller
Brandi Mueller
Brandi Mueller