USS Conestoga (AT 54)

On March 23, 2016, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) and the U.S. Navy announced the discovery of the wreck of USS Conestoga within the waters of Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary in California. The discovery by the ONMS Maritime Heritage Program solves a 95 year-old mystery. Conestoga sailed from San Francisco Bay on March 25, 1921 and vanished with 56 men. Until now, what happened, and where the wreck and its crew lay, has been described as one of the top maritime mysteries in U.S Navy history. Conestoga's final resting place in Greater Farallones sanctuary is federally protected under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and the Sunken Military Craft Act.

Press Release USS Conestoga Solving a Century-Old Riddle: Discovering the Wreck of the USS Conestoga Maritime Heritage Program Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
multibeam sonar survey of the conestoga

In September 2009, a NOAA/Fugro multibeam sonar survey of the area around Farallon Islands documented a probable shipwreck with an estimated length of 52m (170ft) at a depth of 56.5m (185ft).

Credit: NOAA/Fugro

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comparison of an photo of the 3-inch 50 caliber naval gun on the conestoga to the one found on the wreck

USS Conestoga gunnery department posing with the tugboat's main battery, a 3-inch 50 caliber naval gun, photograph taken at San Diego, California 1921. Lower photograph is the current position of the gun inside the shipwreck near the forecastle after the gun's support platform had fallen from its original position in front of the pilot house through the main deck. The gun was a key diagnostic artifact or "smoking gun" that served to identify the wreck as the USS Conestoga.

Credit: Historic photograph, U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 71510. Underwater photograph, NOAA ONMS/Teledyne SeaBotix

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3-inch 50 caliber naval gun on the wreck of the conestoga

The current position of the gun inside the shipwreck near the forecastle after the gun's support platform had fallen from its original position in from the of the position in front of the pilot house through the main deck. The gun was a key diagnostic artifact or "smoking gun" that the served to identify the wreck as the Conestoga.

Credit: NOAA ONMS/Teledyne SeaBotix

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Probable letters on fantail from the vessel's name

Probable letters on fantail from the vessel's name.

Credit: NOAA ONMS/Teledyne SeaBotix

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steam engine on the wreck

The steam steering gear lies inside the shipwreck USS Conestoga, having fallen through the main deck from its original position located below the pilot house. According the Marine Engineering publication dated August 1904, the civilian tugboat was equipped with a "Williamson steam-steering engine 4 1⁄2 by 4 1⁄2-inch double cylinders." The steering gearing served as "power steering" to assist the rotation of the large steering quadrant and rudder in the stern of the tugboat.

Credit: Historic illustration, Robert Schwemmer Maritime Library. Underwater photograph, NOAA ONMS/Teledyne SeaBotix

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view of the stern covered in white plumose sea anemones

Stern view of the shipwreck USS Conestoga colonized with white plumose sea anemones contrasting the water column.

Credit: NOAA ONMS/Teledyne SeaBotix

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Inside the boiler compartment, showing part of one boiler and collapsed debris from the upper works of the tug

Inside the boiler compartment, showing part of one boiler and collapsed debris from the upper works of the tug.

Credit: NOAA ONMS/Teledyne SeaBotix

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Starboard bow view covered in white plumose sea anemones

Starboard bow view of the shipwreck USS Conestoga with the top of the stem visible.

Credit: NOAA ONMS/Teledyne SeaBotix

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steam engine inside the hull of the shipwreck

The 1000 horse power triple-expansion steam engine inside the hull of the shipwreck USS Conestoga. This diagnostic artifact help date the shipwreck along with its coal fired twin Scotch boilers. Forward of the steam engine is a partial bulkhead, on the forward side of the bulkhead remnants of coal in the coal bunker contributed to the verification this was the wreck of the Conestoga. Inside the engine room space, are steam pipes, portholes from the upper deckhouse and a marine head.

Credit: NOAA ONMS/Teledyne SeaBotix

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giant pacific octopus, fish and white anemones along the bow of the conesetoga

Port bow of the wreck, showing the rub rail mounts, a hawse hole, marine growth, and a giant Pacific octopus.

Credit: NOAA ONMS

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group photo of the science team with navy leadership

2015 Expedition team on board the NOAA research vessel Fulmar during a visit by U.S. Navy leadership, Vice Admiral Nora Tyson, Third Fleet, and Rear Admiral Markham Rich, Southwest Region.

Credit: Paul Chetirkin, NOAA ONMS

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broadside photo of the conestoga

USS Conestoga (AT 54), the last known broadside photograph taken likely during WWI when the tugboat was equipped with a 3-inch 50 caliber naval gun and two machine guns. The tugboat was later equipped with only a single 3-inch 50 caliber gun when it disappeared while en route from Mare Island to America Samoa, by way of Pearl Harbor in 1921.

Credit: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 71299

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photo of the Ship's Company beside and on USS Conestoga

Ship's Company beside and on USS Conestoga, at San Diego, California, circa early 1921.

Credit: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 71503

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Download Crew Bios

Lieutenant Ernest L. Jones, USN, Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Ernest L. Jones, USN, Commanding Officer, USS Conestoga (AT-54)

Credit: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 71504

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USS R-14 (SS 91) under full sail in May 1921

USS R-14 (SS 91) under full sail in May 1921. While searching for the missing USS Conestoga (AT 54) southeast of Hawaii, the R-14 lost her powerplant. As repairs were unsuccessful, her crew rigged a jury sail, made of canvas battery deck covers, to the periscope and sailed her to Hilo. She arrived there on 15 May 1921, after five days under sail.

Credit: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 52858

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painting of conestoga towing schooner barges of coal

Modern painting of Conestoga as a civilian tugboat towing schooner barges of coal for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company.

Credit: Artist Danijel Frka © Russ Matthews Col.

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painting of cosetoga in rough seas near the farallon islands

Modern painting of the USS Conestoga (AT 54) on its final voyage pounding through large waves during a gale off Southeast Farallon Island in March 1921.

Credit: Artist Danijel Frka © Russ Matthews Col.

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painting of wreck of the uss cosetoga at the bottom of the ocean near the farallon islands

Modern painting of the shipwreck site of the USS Conestoga (AT 54) based on the site interpretation by NOAA ONMS maritime archaeologist. The shipwreck is located off Southeast Farallon Island and lies in the federally protected waters of Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. 

Credit: Artist Danijel Frka © Russ Matthews Col.

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San Francisco Chronicle front page newspaper dated May 1, 1921, Pacific Fleet Tug and Its Crew of Thirty Missing.

San Francisco Chronicle front page newspaper dated May 1, 1921, "Pacific Fleet Tug and Its Crew of Thirty Missing."

Credit: San Francisco Chronicle

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Charles Joseph Balint

Charles Joseph Balint, Seaman

Credit: Balint family

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William Walter Johnson

William Walter Johnson, Fireman First Class

Credit: Debra Grandstaff

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John Wesley Powell

John Wesley Powell, Chief Carpenter's Mate

Credit: Powell family

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Wendell Plummer

Wendell Plummer, Seaman Second Class

Credit: Plummer family

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Harvey Herbert Reinbold

Harvey Herbert Reinbold, Boatswain

Credit: Violet Plummer

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Edward Wilson

Edward Wilson, Mess Attendant First Class

Credit: Deborah Ebster

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view of rov on deck with farallon islands in the background

During the September 2014 maritime heritage expedition aboard the NOAA research vessel Fulmar, a Phantom HD2 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used during the first exploration of the "mystery tug" later identified as the USS Conestoga.

Credit: Robert V. Schwemmer, NOAA ONMS

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man launching auv into water from the deck

Teledyne SeaBotix's operator Cyril Poissonnet launches an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) off the stern of the research vessel Fulmar during the October 2015 expedition to the USS Conestoga shipwreck. Teledyne SeaBotix also provided a small remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to record some of the interior spaces of the shipwreck.

Credit: Robert V. Schwemmer, NOAA ONMS

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poster of photos of the crew of the conestoga with names

Photo collage of the crew on board the USS Conestoga (AT 54) at San Diego in 1921. When the tugboat steamed from Mare Island, California to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on March 25, 1921 the full complement was 56 crewmen.

Credit: Poster: Robert V. Schwemmer ONMS NOAA, Photos: Naval History and Heritage Command

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poster document how the conestoga was identified

Underwater site map of the shipwreck off Southeast Farallon Island and photographs of diagnostic artifacts that were key in identifying the wreck as the USS Conestoga (AT 54) that vanished without a trace in March 1921. Credit:

Credit: Site Interpretation: Robert V. Schwemmer ONMS NOAA, Photos: Teledyne SeaBotix

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poster with image of the uss conestoga and the ships time line

Poster of the USS Conestoga (AT 54)

Credit: NOAA

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one pager on the uss conestoga (at 54)

USS Conestoga (AT 54) fact sheet

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Archaeological report on the discovery of USS Conestoga

Archaeological report on the discovery of USS Conestoga (AT 54).

Credit: NOAA

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Archaeological report on the discovery of USS Conestoga

Final voyage of the USS Conestoga

Credit: NOAA

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Deck and Longitudinal View of Conestoga, as reproduced in Marine Engineering magazine from 1904

Deck and Longitudinal View of Conestoga, as reproduced in Marine Engineering 1904 Vol. 9, page 36.

Credit: Robert Schwemmer Maritime Library

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B-Roll Video

Credit: NOAA

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James Delgado, Director of Maritime Heritage for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, explains the importance of the discovery of the USS Conestoga.

Credit: NOAA

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