She was launched from the Gaarden dockyard, Krupp Germania works, Kiel, Germany, on 22 August 1938.
Adolf Hitler watched as Frau Magda von Horthy, wife of the Hungarian Regent, smashed a bottle of champagne against the bow of Germany's newest heavy cruiser.

On 24 May 1941, while on her first war patrol, the Prinz Eugen opened fire on the British battleship HMS Hood. Although the Prinz Eugen is reported to have scored the first hits on the aging British vessel, additional salvos from the battleship Bismarck penetrated the ship's main magazine and the Hood sank within three minutes of the first shots being fired, taking with her all but three of her 1,419 officers and crew. Separating from the Bismarck, the Prinz Eugen escaped British forces and made her way to Brest for much needed repairs. In July of 1941, while still in port at Brest, she was struck by an RAF bomb on her port side, killing 47 crewman and delaying her departure until February of 1942. At that time she sailed up the English Channel to Northern Germany, and took refuge at the River Elbe. Shortly thereafter, she sailed again, this time for Norway to attack British convoys destined for Russia with war materials. On February 23, she was struck in the stern by a torpedo from the submarine HMS Trident. Damage was fairly severe, and resulted in the deaths of 50 men. Temporary repairs were made at Trondheim after which she sailed again for Germany, and better repair facilities.

Late summer of 1944 found the Prinz Eugen based out of the Gulf of Riga acting as a floating artillery platform supporting land based German forces on the Russian front. On 15 October 1944, while still performing the same basic duties, she accidentally rammed the light cruiser Liepzig, and sustained severe damage to her bow. After repairs had again been made, she assisted in the evacuation of troops and refugees that were retreating from the Russians near Koenigsberg. At the cessation of hostilities she made her way to Copenhagen, and from there under escort to Wilhelmshaven, where she was surrendered to Allied forces in May of 1945.

In January of 1946, the Prinz Eugen sailed for the United States with a mixed crew of Germans and Americans. After stopping at Boston, she continued on to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where she was refitted and reprovisioned in preparation the nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll. Designated IX-300, she was dispatched to Kwajalein and then to Bikini Atoll. At Bikini, she survived two nuclear blasts in July of 1946. After the tests, she was towed to Kwajalein for decontamination and study. On 21 December 1946 she was observed listing and down by the stern, obviously taking on water. All attempts to stem the flooding were ineffective, and the decision was made to beach her. The small tugs and harbor craft available at the time could not handle the large vessel and consequently lost control allowing her to run aground on the northeastern side of Ennubuj (Carlson) Island. Attempts to free her were futile, and the one mighty ship turned over and sank on 22 December 1946.

Frequented by divers since the mid 1960s, she was surveyed for radiation hazards, and was declared safe in 1970. In 1978, the port screw was removed by U.S. Navy salvage crew and shipped to Germany, where it can still be seen on display at the German Naval Memorial near Kiel.

Today, after 45 years of continual wave action, immersion, and occasional storms, the Prinz Eugen is showing her years. Deterioration of the hull on the port side amidships is substantial and poses hazards to divers from falling debris. The ship's armament is intact; the 8 inch main batteries fell from their mountings when the Prinz Eugen capsized in 1946, and now lie upside down on the bottom. Smaller secondary armament and anti-aircraft weapons, although heavily encrusted with marine growth, are visible all along the length of the ship. The port side torpedo launcher still remains, and a room nearby contains a large rack of torpedoes which should be considered dangerous and not disturbed. Although the bridge and superstructure are crushed against the bottom, many interesting items can be seen both on the vessel and on the sandy bottom beneath it. Manta rays, large grouper, and gray reef sharks are common here, the marine life nicely rounding out the scenery afforded by this once proud warship.

General Data:
Launched: 22 August 1938
Built by: Krupp Germania works, Kiel, Germany
Sunk: Ennubuj Island, 22 December 1946
Horsepower: 132,000 on three screws
Power: Steam
Length: 697 feet
Beam: 72 feet
Draft: 26 feet
Displacement:  18,400 tons
Fuel:  Oil, Capacity 4,250 tons
Coordinates:
Northeast end of Ennubuj (Carlson) Island, against reef.
Rudder and one of the two remaining screws protrude above water level at high tide.
Depth:
Bottom at stern:  35 feet
Bottom at bow:  110 feet