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Fleet Diving Since World War II.

Navy diving has not been limited to tactical combat operations, wartime salvage, and submarine sinkings. Fleet diving has become increasingly important and diversified since World War II. A major part of the diving mission is the inspection and repair of naval vessels to minimize downtime and the need for day-docking. Other aspects of fleet diving include the recovery of practice and research torpedoes, installation and repair of underwater electronic arrays, underwater construction, and location and recovery of downed aircraft. Ship sinkings and beachings caused by storm damage and human error continue to demand the fleet's salvage and harbor clearance capabilities in peacetime as well as in times of hostilities.

Loss of the USS Thresher (SSN-593)

Just as the loss of the USS F-4, USS S-51, USS S-4 and the sinking of the USS Squalus caused an increased concern in Navy diving in the 1920s and 1930s, a submarine disaster of major proportions had a profound effect on the development of new diving equipment and techniques in the postwar period. This was the loss of the nuclear attack submarine USS Thresher (SSN-593) and all her crew in April, 1963. The submarine sank in 8,400 fsw, a depth beyond the survival limit of the hull and far beyond the capability of any existing rescue apparatus.

An extensive search was initiated to locate the submarine, and if possible, determine the cause of the sinking. The first signs of the USS Thresher were located and photographed a month after the disaster Collection of debris and photographic coverage of the wreck continued for about a year.

Two special study groups were formed as a result of the sinking. The first was a Court of Inquiry, which attributed probable cause to a piping system failure. The second, the Deep Submergence Review Group (DSRG), was formed to assess the Navy's undersea capabilities. Four general areas were examined: search, rescue, recovery of small and large objects, and the Man-In-The-Sea concept. The basic recommendations of the DSRG called for a vast effort to improve the Navy's capabilities in these four areas.

Deep Submergence Systems Project

Direct action on the recommendations of the DSRG came with the formation of the Deep Submergence Systems Project (DSSP) in 1964, and an expanded interest regarding diving and undersea activity throughout the naval service.

Submarine rescue capabilities have been substantially improved with the development of the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) which became operational in 1972. This deep diving craft is air-transportable, highly instrumented, and capable of rescue to a depth of 5000 fsw.

Three additional significant areas of achievement for the Deep Submergence Systems Project have been that of Saturation Diving, the development of Deep Diving Systems, and progress in advanced diving equipment design.

US Navy Saturation Diving

The US Navy has developed and proved saturation diving techniques in its Sealab series as well as in ongoing programs of research and development at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU), Naval Medical Research institute (NMRI), and the Navy Submarine Medical Research Laboratory (NSMRL) as well as many institutional and commercial hyperbaric facilities. In addition, saturation diving using Deep Diving Systems (DDS) is now a proven capability.

The Navy developed two types of DDS. The DDS MK I supported two 2-man teams of divers through a 14 day mission profile. The DDS MX I system used in trial dives to 1,148 fsw is no longer in service. The DDS MX 2 MOD 1, designed for saturation diving, supports two 4-man teams for an extended mission time. DDS MK 2 is installed as part of the basic equipment of the ASR 21 class of submarine rescue ships

Open-Sea Deep Diving Records

Diving records have been set and broken with increasing regularity in the past 70 years. In 1915 the 300-fsw mark was exceeded when three U.S. Navy divers, F. Crilley, W. E. Loughman, and E. C. Nielson, reached 304 fsw using the MX V dress. In 1972 the MX 2 Mod 0 DDS set the in-water record of' 1,010 fsw which was subsequently broken in 1975 when divers using the MX 1 Deep Dive System descended to 1,148 fsw. A French dive team subsequently broke the open-sea record in 1977 with a depth of 1,643 fsw.

Summary

Throughout the evolution of diving, from the earliest breath holding sponge diver to the modem saturation diver, the basic reasons for diving have not changed. The needs of national defense, commerce, and science continue to provide the underlying basis for the development of diving What has changed, and continues to change radically, is diving technology.

Note: fsw = feet of seawater

DoD and government agencies, allied forces and industry, will recognize NDSTC as the world's leader and premier facility for all diver and diver-related training, and will regard NDSTC as THE diving center of excellence. NDSTC will:

Deliver only realistic, relevant training to student divers, and will infuse training with Navy core values to ensure dive training is a rich experience and a positive foundation for a military career.
In addition to training conducted at the facility, deliver training on demand through a variety of e-learning methods to ensure uninterrupted training access for all constituents, and will be the source of lifelong learning and continuing education for diver related training. NDSTC will lead the CNET claimancy in this regard.
Be recognized by Navy as a highly efficient training organization that utilizes best business practices and has no redundancy in its processes.
Be recognized for its expertly maintained facilities, including state-of-the-art hyperbarics, craft and equipment that support all aspects of diving and diver training. Through employment of creative and modern training strategies, and commitment of instructors, provide skilled divers to fleet customers by making classroom training more efficient and focusing more on in-water proficiency.
Be the nation’s greatest proponent for dive safety for military, commercial and recreational diving by providing education and making information available to the diver community at-large.
Be the school of choice for diver training for federal, state and local government agencies and law enforcement agencies with dive missions.
Remain relevant to DoD and Navy needs by being responsive and flexible, and maintaining an effective feedback mechanism with customers.

-- Vision Statement,
Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center

Guardians of the Submarines

by CDR Dale Lueck

Ever wonder where the "black fish" insignia displayed by Submarine Rescue Ships came from? In 1882 a diving school was established at the U.S. Naval Torpedo Station at Newport Rhode Island by retired Chief Gunner's Mate Jacob Anderson. Chief Anderson trained volunteer divers by recovering practice torpedoes fired from the station's tubes. The divers devised and displayed a flag from their boat to signify the recovery of a torpedo. This flag was a black torpedo-like symbol against a white background with a red border. The nickname "fish" was given to the torpedo and eventually the torpedo shape was changed to a fish shape.

For most of this (20th) century, when submarines have gone to sea to conduct sea trials, they have been accompanied by a small ship with an important mission. The auxiliary submarine rescue (ASR) ship escorted the submarine, standing by in case of an emergency. The ASR acted as a safety vessel, patrolling the area to warn ships to keep clear of the submarine operating area, and recovered practice torpedoes fired by the submarine. Divers stood ready on board the ASR to perform submarine rescue duties in the event of an accident. Since there was no international flag signal early in the century for this type of operation, the black fish insignia was displayed by all ASRs. Thus ASRs took up the role as "guardians of the submarines," and eventually were formally authorized to display the distinctive black fish insignia beside their hull numbers as a tribute to their mission.

Submarine rescue ships have enjoyed a long and proud history in the U.S. Navy. The need for these vessels was driven home early in the century by the tragic loss of the submarines S-51 and S-4 in 1925 and 1927. The exploits of two of the most famous submarine rescue ships serve as a testament to the dedication and bravery of the crews manning the fleet of little ships marked by the distinctive black fish insignia.

In May of 1939 the submarine SQUALUS sank in 243 fsw when its main induction valve failed to close. The submarine rescue ship FALCON, a veteran of the salvages of the S-51 and S-4, arrived on scene the following day. Through the extraordinary efforts of crew of the FALCON, 33 men were rescued from the SQUALUS using with the submarine rescue chamber and MK-5 Deep Sea Diving Gear. Later in the year, FALCON lead the salvage effort to raise the SQUALUS. SQUALUS was subsequently refitted and recommissioned as the USS SAILFISH and went on to serve proudly in World War II.

Not all submarine rescue efforts have been confined to sunken submarines. On December 10, 1941, three days after Pearl Harbor, Japanese aircraft savagely attacked Cavite Navy Yard in Manila Bay, Philippines. On that day USS PIGEON (ASR 6) was moored in a five-ship nest at Cavite Yard. PIGEON was then under the command of Commander "Spittin' Dick Hawes" a veteran of the S-51 and S-4 salvage operations, a former Master Diver, and previous CO of USS FALCON. The PIGEON had been permanently assigned to the Asiatic Fleet since 1923. She was a veteran of the "China Fleet" and the famous Yangtze River Patrols.

In the hail storm of falling bombs and with Cavite Navy Yard already ablaze, PIGEON cleared the nest with the minesweeper QUAIL still made up alongside. After maneuvering clear and freeing QUAIL, she then turned back to aid the submarines SEALION and SEADRAGON, the BITTERN, another minesweeper, and a gasoline tender still trapped alongside the pier. SEALION already lay with its pressure hull holed, damaged beyond repair. The flames and explosions from the torpedo warhead shop on the pier were showering the trapped vessels in a firestorm of missiles and debris. With paint blistering on her hull, PIGEON moved in, passing a tow line to the damaged and powerless SEADRAGON, and hauled her off the pier to safety.

As PIGEON worked SEADRAGON into open waters, CDR Hawes dispatched ship's boats to bring BITTERN and the gasoline tender to safety. PIGEON's work boats were successful in saving them from being engulfed in the inferno. PIGEON was awarded the first Presidential Unit Citation ever awarded to a U.S. Navy ship for her actions that day. SEADRAGON was repaired by the submarine tender CANOPUS and was back at sea December 16, 1941, going on the attack and becoming one of the tonnage champions in Pacific Theater during World War II.

As the war progressed the Allied Forces in Philippines were ultimately cut off and overrun. The PIGEON stayed behind, along with the submarine tender CANOPUS, and continued her noble defense of the Philippines and Corregidor. CANOPUS was scuttled April 9, 1942 to prevent her from falling into enemy hands. PIGEON held out for almost another month, but was finally sunk by a Japanese dive bomber on May 4, 1942. PIGEON was awarded a second Presidential Unit Citation and a Battle Star for her determined struggle. The bulk of PIGEON's valiant crew were eventually captured by the Japanese and interned at the infamous prisoner of war camp at Cabanatuan, Philippines.

The last U.S. Navy auxiliary submarine rescue ship, the USS ORTOLAN (ASR-22) was decommissioned in March 1995, thus ending the illustrious era of the auxiliary ships that displayed the distinctive black fish insignia and proudly stood by during most of this century as guardians of the submarines. The mission of submarine rescue is carried on by elements of Commander Submarine Development Group One, including the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRV) MYSTIC and AVALON and the U.S. Navy divers manning the fly-away submarine rescue chambers at the Deep Submergence Unit, at North Island Naval Air Station, San Diego CA. (See NOTE: 2)

Food for thought: If suddenly faced with a sunken submarine disaster, are you ready to answer that call as a Navy diver? If you are training hard and maintaining your qualifications, the answer is yes; if you're not, get busy! When it happens, you won't have time to prepare for the diving work that may have to be done.

CDR Dale Lueck is the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Diving and former crew member of USS PIGEON (ASR 21), the third U.S. Navy ship to bear that name.

Fifty-Seven Years of Change in the Military

1945 - NCOs had a typewriter on their desks for doing daily
reports.
2002 - Everyone has an Internet-accessible computer, and
they wonder why no work is getting done.

1945 - We painted pictures of girls on airplanes to remind
us of home.
2002 - Do it now and see what happens.

1945 - If you got drunk off duty your buddies would take
you back to the barracks to sleep it off.
2002 - If you get drunk they slap you in rehab and ruin
your career.

1945 - You were taught to aim at your enemy and shoot him.
2002 - You spray 500 bullets into the brush, don't hit
anything, and retreat because you're out of ammo.

1945 - Canteens were made of steel, and you could heat
coffee or hot chocolate in them.
2002 - Canteens are made of plastic, you can't heat
anything in them, and they always taste like
plastic.

1945 - They collected enemy intelligence and analyzed it.
2002 - They collect your pee and analyze it.

1945 - If you didn't act right, the 1st Sergeant put you
in the brig until you straightened up.
2002 - If you don't act right, they start a paper trail
that follows you forever.

1945 - Medals were awarded to heroes who saved lives at
the risk of their own.
2002 - Medals are awarded to people who work at
headquarters.

1945 - You slept in barracks like a soldier.
2002 - You sleep in a dormitory like a college kid.

1945 - You ate in a mess hall.
2002 - You eat in a dining facility.

1945 - If you wanted beer and conversation you went to the
NCO or Officer's Club.
2002 - The beer will cost you $2.75, membership is often
forced, and someone is watching how much you drink.

1945 - The Post Exchange had bargains for soldiers who
didn't make much money.
2002 - You can get better and cheaper merchandise at
Walmart and K-Mart.

1945 - Mouth off to a sergeant and you'd remember it for
awhile.
2002 - Do it now and get handed a "time-out" card.

1945 - We called the enemy names like "Krauts" and "Japs"
because we didn't like them.
2002 - We call the enemy the "opposing force"
or "aggressor" because we don't want to offend
anyone.

1945 - A commander would put his butt on the line to
protect his people.
2002 - A commander will put his people on the line to
protect his butt.

1945 - Wars were planned and run by generals with lots of
important victories.
2002 - Wars are planned by equivocating politicians
looking for personal victories.

1945 - All you could think about was getting out and
becoming a civilian again.
2002 - They may suggest that you take an early out.