(Originally broadcast 12/03/10) – The study and conservation of the Confederate submarine Hunley took a major step forward in June, 2011, when conservationists rotated the vessel, in its salt-water tank, into an upright position for the first time since it sank in 1864. The Hunley and its crew had vanished after becoming the first submarine to successfully sink another warship, the U.S.S. Housatonic.
To mark this milestone we are revisiting a Journal episode with Senator Glen McConnell, Chairman of the South Carolina Hunley Commission, and Dr. Maria Jacobsen, Chief Archaeologist for the Hunley project. We’ll hear the fascinating story of this project which has brought together historical research, cutting edge technology, and experts from across the scientific and academic spectrum, all to answer the question: what happened to the Hunley.