Episode 2: USS Ward: America's First Shot

In one night, over 1000 Allied sailors died when 4 cruisers went down in flames. They rest in a graveyard littered with so many ships that it has become known as Iron Bottom Sound. Petrel undertakes a 'needle in the haystack' search to find the 4 ships.

What happened aboard the USS Juneau would inspire the film 'Saving Private Ryan'. Five brothers were lost, but not all perished when the ship went down. At least one brother was among scores of men stranded at sea for 8 horrifying days.

The Petrel team searches for the American aircraft carrier USS Hornet. The Doolittle Raid was launched off her deck to avenge Pearl Harbor. But six months later, the ship's life is cut short when the Hornet sails into a hornet's nest of Japanese ships.

The USS Lexington birthed naval aviation and was victorious in the first carrier-to-carrier battle during WWII. Hours later she erupted in flames due to enemy fire. 80 years later, Petrel hopes to spot the wreck and storied planes that went down with her.