One hundred and fifty-one years after the Civil War ship the USS Monitor sank off the North Carolina coast, two unknown crewmen found in the ironclad’s turret were laid to rest. (via AP )
One hundred and fifty-one years after the Civil War ship the USS Monitor sank off the North Carolina coast, two unknown crewmen found in the ironclad’s turret were buried Friday evening at Arlington National Cemetery.
This 1862 photo provided by The Mariners' Museum shows crew sitting on the deck of the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor.
Image by Uncredited / AP
The Monitor made nautical history when the Union ship fought the Confederate CSS Virginia in the first battle between two ironclads on March 9, 1862. The battle was a draw, but the Monitor prevented the Virginia from breaking the Union naval blockade.
Image by Anonymous / AP
The Monitor sank 9 months later off the coast of North Carolina and 16 sailors died. The wreckage was discovered in 1973 and in 2002 the ship’s rusted turret was raised from the ocean floor. The skeletons of 2 crew members were found trapped inside.
This undated photo provided by The Mariners' Museum shows an overview of the USS Monitor's iconic, revolving gun turret. The revolving gun turret is now being conserved at The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA.
Image by AP / AP
Researchers attempted to identify the remains by reconstructing the sailors’ faces using their skulls and by comparing DNA from the skeletons with living descendants of the ship’s crew and their families.
Image by Carolyn Kaster / AP
