The article detailing all the evidence was published in a recent issue of WRECK DIVING MAGAZINE. Most of the local dive shops are aware of this fact (e.g., Olympus, Discovery, etc.)
The two main pieces of evidence conclusively proving the PAPOOSE is not off Morehead City:
Numerous Eastern Sea Frontier and USCG reports documenting the PAPOOSE drifted north and was last seen north of Diamond Shoals after she was attacked (including images of her afloat and drifting); and
the recovery of the auxilliary helm stand with serial numbers traced back to the PAPOOSE, which came from a wreck in 200 feet of water off Oregon Inlet;
The wreck commonly thought to be the PAPOOSE is the W.E. HUTTON.
As mentioned, the rudder on this wreck does not match that of the PAPOOSE, but does match the W.E. HUTTON. Also, attack records cite the depth of the HUTTON's sinking as that where the wreck long believed to be the PAPOOSE. There is other information supporting this conclusion.
The inshore wreck long thought to be the HUTTON is actually the tanker ARIO. Historical reports of its sinking support this conclusion.
The aforementioned article was also published in a NC newspaper in two parts. I can't find it online any longer, but someone saved the first half on their website, which can be found here:
http://www.discoveryof.com/eZine/NewsArticles/_2006/_11/20061112-004.pdf
But if you want the whole thing (with pictures) you would need to order Issue 10 of WRECK DIVING MAGAZINE (
http://wreckdivingmag.com/back_issues.html)
Cheers,
Mike
