TRAVEL
Diving WWII History Frozen in Time: The Prinz Eugen at Kwajalein Atoll by Mark E. Young , Retired US Army Logistics Major and PADI Divemaster
T HE FIRST WORD THAT CAME TO MIND when I landed on Kwajalein Atoll was paradise. Access to Kwaj is highly re-
structor, this dive took place shortly after he earned his Advanced Open Water certification. Diving the Prinz Eugen
became a milestone – not just in training, but in un- derstanding the responsi- bility that comes with ad- vanced wreck diving. Visibility in the atoll is exceptional. Even from the surface, the scale of the ship is striking. Descending alongside the wreck, the cruiser feels frozen in time – gun turrets, damaged su- perstructure, open hatches, and shadowed passageways disappearing into darkness. Marine life has fully re- claimed the vessel. Groupers patrol the corridors, par- rotfish cruise the hull, and sharks circle below on the sandy atoll floor nearly 160 feet beneath us. Exploring the Prinz Eugen properly takes multiple dives and appropriate training. At over 700 feet long, it’s a site that demands respect, experience, and planning. Kwajalein provides an un- usually controlled environ- ment for building those skills, while offering access
Mark, Christina and Gavin Young on Kwajalein
stricted – unless you’re Mar- shallese or directly connected to the atoll, getting there is nearly impossible. Being se- lected to live and work there felt like winning the lottery. While my role supporting a military logistics contract always came first, the reality was simple – few places on Earth offer diving like Kwa- jalein. The atoll is surrounded by coral heads, wall dives, sharks, aircraft, and ship- wrecks, both military and commercial. Among them is one of the most histori- cally significant wrecks in the Pacific – the Prinz Eu- gen . A German Admiral Hip- per–class heavy cruiser launched in the late 1930s, the Prinz Eugen served dur- ing World War II before being surrendered to Allied forces. She was later used by the U.S. Navy during Operation Crossroads nu- clear testing at Bikini Atoll,
On the cover, Prinz Eugen, a WWII German Cruiser in Kwajalein Lagoon, Marshall Islands. Shot by Mark B. Hatter, using a Nikon D800 in a SEACAM housing with Sigma 15mm fisheye lens behind a 240mm domed port.
PAGE TWENTY-TWO | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY I consider myself an extremely conservative diver, and I only dive with people I trust completely. I was fortunate to share this experience with my son, Gavin, who was also working on Kwaj at the time. Although he is now a dive in- then towed to Kwajalein, where she ultimately capsized while being beached. Today, the wreck rests just two miles north of the island, instantly recognizable by a massive propeller still breaking the surface.
to living history rarely found elsewhere – from WWII aircraft graveyards to warships resting quietly beneath the Pacific. Diving together in Kwajalein remains one of our most meaningful experiences. The Prinz Eugen , along with sites
like Troy’s coral head, will always stand out not just as extraordinary dives, but as reminders of why training, trust, and respect for history matter underwater.
contact Mark
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