I-19's spread struck Wasp near aviation-fuel storage and magazines, causing explosions and fires inside the carrier. The damage disabled forward water mains, while burning aviation stores made the forward ship inaccessible. Captain Sherman used sternway and rudder to change the wind's effect on the fire, but the central control station became untenable and internal communications failed. He ordered abandon ship about 35 minutes after the hits; the evacuation remained orderly, and Sherman searched the carrier before leaving. Five American scuttling torpedoes followed, but the first two failed to explode and Wasp remained afloat for hours after the other three detonated. The original six-torpedo spread also hit O'Brien and North Carolina, extending the damage beyond its intended target. Operating near land-based aircraft and in shallow or cluttered waters compounded the danger to carriers and complicated anti-submarine warfare. Uncrewed underwater vehicles could eventually assist either side, although dependable communication and control for combat remained a problem distinct from their use in mine clearance.
Chapter · 2:32:35-2:45:24
Wasp and a torpedo spread beside aviation stores
Wasp's loss shows how a concentrated submarine torpedo attack can combine hull breaches with aviation-fuel and ammunition hazards faster than repair parties can contain them.