A sailor painted a 42-foot mural inside an aircraft carrier. The colors are still vivid 3 miles underwater, 80 years later.

A historic aircraft carrier lies nearly three miles underwater in the Pacific Ocean. It sank after being hit by torpedoes from a Japanese submarine. The vessel's story is well-known, but a notable aspect had gone unseen until recently.

Researchers from NOAA Ocean Exploration completed imaging of a large mural in April 2025. The mural is significant because of its size and vivid colors, which remain intact after many years. Further details about the mural and the aircraft carrier are available from the source, including the circumstances of its sinking and the story it depicts.