After 108 years, the wreck of the USCGC Tampahas been found off the coast of Cornwall, England. The ship, sunk by a German torpedo during World War I, took 131 lives, marking one of the deadliest events for the U.S. during the war. In 2026, British divers discovered the wreck 50 miles off the southern coast of the UK, solving a mystery that has haunted naval historians for more than a century.
The Tampa was lost on September 26, 1918, during a routine convoy mission. The discovery of the shipwreck not only brings closure to a tragic chapter in history but also shines a light on the important role the Coast Guard played in World War I.
A Heartbreaking Loss in the Bristol Channel
On that fateful day in 1918, the Tampa, a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter, was struck by a torpedo fired from the German submarine UB-91. The attack sank the ship in minutes, taking 131 souls with it, including 111 members of the U.S. Coast Guard. This remains the single largest loss of life for the United States during World War I naval combat.
The tragedy had a deep impact on the Coast Guard. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the loss of the Tampa was a wound that never fully healed.
“When the Tampa was lost with all hands in 1918, it left an enduring grief in our service. Locating the wreck connects us to their sacrifice and reminds us that devotion to duty endures. We will always remember them. We are proud to carry their spirit forward in defense of the United States,” stated Admiral Kevin Lunday, commander of the Coast Guard.
In 1928, a memorial was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the fallen crew of the USCGC Tampa.
The Long Search for the Tampa’s Final Resting Place
The Tampa’s wreck had been elusive for over a century. However, in 2026, it was found more than 300 feet beneath the surface, around 50 miles off the coast of Newquay, Cornwall. The discovery came after three years of research and exploration by the Gasperados Dive Team, a British group of technical divers, after three years of research and exploration.
“The discovery is an extremely high achievement for us here in Cornwall,” said Chris Lowe of Atlantic Diving. “It is one of the most important wrecks we have off Cornwall, and for the Americans it is extremely important we have found it.”
Steve Mortimer, leader of the Gasperados, said in a Facebook post that finding the wreck wasn’t easy. It took the team 10 diving expeditions to definitively confirm the site. Their success came from combining the latest diving technology with detailed historical records, including photos of the ship’s fittings and weaponry. Working closely with Coast Guard historians, the divers were able to match these images with the wreck site, eventually solving the mystery.
“We provided the dive team with historical records and technical data to assist in confirming the wreck site,” noted Dr. William Thiesen, a historian with the Coast Guard.“This included the archival images of the deck fittings, ship’s wheel, bell , weaponry, and archival images of the Tampa.”
A Tribute to the Early Coast Guard
The Tampais remembered as part of the U.S. Coast Guard, but it was originally commissioned as the Miami in 1912, under the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the predecessor to the Coast Guard. The Revenue Cutter Service was founded in 1790 to enforce maritime laws and became part of the Coast Guard in 1915 with the signing of the Coast Guard Act.
The Miamiwas renamed the USCGC Tampa after the formation of the Coast Guard, and it played a key role during World War I, despite being under Navy control. However, the crew remained primarily members of the Coast Guard, and it was these men who served on the ship when it was sunk.
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