M1903 stash on the USS San Diego

[Rick the Librarian]

In July, 1918, the armored cruiser San Diego (exCalifornia after her name was given to the new battleship that would be sunk at Pearl Harbor), was holed and sunk by a mine, laid by a German submarine, the only American warship larger than a destroyer to be sunk during World War I.

The ship was sunk a few miles off Fire Island, in New York. It is currently in about 110 feet of water, an easy "target" for sports divers, who can enter the hull of the upside down wreck. Among the items found were a number of M1903 rifles seen in the picture below. The author of the book I read which discussed diving on the San Diego said that several had been unearthed but that they had to be carefully excavated as they would break in half.

An interesting bit of history.

[Griff Murphey]

Shipwreck photos are of great interest to me... Combined with 03's - mega cool!

Hope Mayor Bloomberg doesn't find out about these dangerous guns there for the taking....

[Len]

I grew up on Long Island and the San Diego was part of local lore. A dive shop in my home town used to display artifacts brought up from the wreck. Never any 03's though.

[Shooter5]

WOw! Any serial numbers recovered?

[Punch the Clown]

I dove the San Diego. I have a few stripper clips of 30-06 I borrowed from the wreck. I have no idea where they are in my garage. We used to find munitions on the Turner also. I think those days are pretty much gone now.

[Rick the Librarian]

Punch, if you ever want to part with one of those stripper clips....

[Punch the Clown]

Punch, if you ever want to part with one of those stripper clips....

Rick, I can't find them for the life of me. I have so much junk in the garage. I'll tell you this. They were/are in excellent condition. I'm thinking the inside of the cases are dry as there was never any signs of water leaking out from them. For all I know they're still live.

[Rick the Librarian]

Keep me in mind if they ever show up. Thanks!