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The Official Newsletter for the Divers and Salvors of the United States NavyVolume 7, No. 1 / April, 2003
USS SALVOR (ARS 52)
2 A p r i l 2 0 0 3
SUPSALV SENDS
In This IssueSUPSALV Sends ........................................... 2USS SALVOR ARS 52 ................................... 3NEDU Celebrates 75 Years ........................... 4Command in the Spotlight .............................. 6Royal Navy Clearance Diving Branch ........... 7
Historical Notes ............................................. 800C Welcomes MDV Steve Smith ................. 9Prime Vendor - Lifesaving ........................... 10PMS Corner .................................................. 11Standing By, Ready to Serve ...................... 12
00C Website Update .................................... 14Jake’s Corner ............................................... 14The Old Master ............................................ 15From the Supervisor of Diving .................... 16
FACEPLATE is published by the Supervisor ofSalvage and Diving to make the latest and most in-formative news available to the Navy diving andsalvage community. Discussions or illustrations ofcommercial products do not imply endorsement bythe Supervisor of Salvage and Diving or the U.S.Navy.
Articles, letters, queries and comments should bedirected to the Commander, Naval Sea SystemsCommand, NAVSEA 00C, 1333 Isaac Hull Ave.SE Stop 1070, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20376-1070. (Attn: FACEPLATE). Visit our website athttp://www.supsalv.org. To view an electronic ver-sion of Faceplate in PDF format go to our websiteand click on the word “Faceplate” located in the lefthand column. This link will direct you to our list ofFaceplate issues.
Captain Jim Wilkins, USNDirector of Ocean Engineering
Supervisor of Salvage and DivingNAVSEA 00C
Captain Chris Murray, USNSupervisor of Diving
Mark WhitakerManaging Editor
HTCM (MDV) Chuck Young, USNBMCM(SW/MDV) Fred K. Orns, USN
Fleet Liaison [email protected]
F. Scott LassiterGraphic Designer
America and the world were shockedon Saturday morning, 1 February this
year when we watched the catastrophicdisintegration of space shuttle COLUM-BIA on TV, recognizing it meant suddendeath for COLUMBIA’s seven astronauts,and a major setback for our space pro-gram. But like seventeen years before,when the CHALLENGER space shuttle ex-plosion occurred, our US Navy Diving andSalvage force was called in to conduct thein-water portion of the recovery. Unlikethe CHALLENGER operation, only a smallamount of COLUMBIA debris landed inwater, but it demanded a unique searchand recovery effort in a flooded nationalforest ranging from 20 to 110 feet in depth.The “bottom report” is best characterizedas near zero visibility in a tangled pile ofstanding and fallen trees, branches, rootballs and stumps – dubbed “Texas Coral”by the divers – as well as all the junk that apopular commercial fishing area might col-lect over 35 years. As I write this fromEast Texas, we’ve assembled under a uni-fied 00C command and control the world’sforemost search team, using old, new andstill developing technology to pry openthe reservoir’s tomb of secrets. Five towedside scan sonars, two multi-beam imagingbathymetry sonars and two autonomousunderwater vehicles (AUVs) are being em-ployed to search the bottom and developdive “targets”. A total of nine (fourMDSU2 and five civilian agency) teamsdive the targets and determine if each isshuttle or not.
While the COLUMBIA search is inprogress…on the opposite side of theworld, an 00C/USS SALVOR/MDSU-1team planned and executed a remarkablysuccessful recovery of nearly 2 million gal-
lons of fuel oil from USS MISSISSINEWAin the middle of Ulithi Atoll in the Feder-ated States of Micronesia. Hot-tappinginto dozens of fuel oil tanks 135 feet un-derwater without incident, these salvorsrendered MISSISSINEWA environmen-tally safe for the fragile atoll ecosystem —two weeks ahead of schedule!
And half-way in between these twomajor operations, we have an extraordinaryteam of talented Divers and Salvors re-sponding to our Nation’s obligations inOperation Iraqi Freedom…a story that isyet to fully unfold.
What do these radically different op-erations have in common? Divers and Sal-vors! The vast scope of capability, un-equalled ingenuity and never-say-quit atti-tude of our community is both our heritageand our challenge for the future. Why is ita future challenge? Because the entireNavy, including the Diving and Salvagecommunity, is on the brink of radicalchange – Sea Warrior (previously TaskForce Excel (TFE)) – redefining ourselvesthrough a comprehensive overhaul of ourFleet Diver and EOD community structure,career progression and training. Changeitself is neither good nor bad, but it offersopportunity for either good or bad results.As we navigate these potential shoal wa-ters to seek the best channel for the future,I’m assigning each of you as look-outs toensure that our scope of operational capa-bilities, our ingenuity, and our legendaryperseverance under adversity are never atrisk. Time is short…let’s work together andmake our future even brighter!
Captain Jim WilkinsDirector of Ocean EngineeringSupervisor of Salvage and Diving
Editor’s Note: The November 2002 issue of FACEPLATE had an editorial error in the biography of CDR Fink. CDR Fink at-tended the University of West Florida and not the University of Florida. The Managing Editor regrets this egregiousness.
A p r i l 2 0 0 3 3
It was yet another beautiful day in Para-dise when the message arrived that an
Air Force F-15 had crashed off the coastoff Japan and the USS SAFEGUARD wason her way to conduct the recovery. Oneday later Pearl Harbor based USS SAL-VOR (ARS 52) was told to make all prepa-rations to deploy for four months to takeSAFEGUARD’s place in the multinationalexercise Cooperation Afloat Readinessand Training (CARAT 2002). Two weekslater SALVOR began the transit to Thai-land.
In the hectic two weeks before de-ployment, SALVOR’s divers had no ideawhat the next four months would bring.Responsible for foreign diving and sal-vage training, they would be working sideby side with over seventy foreign diversfrom Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, andthe Philippines. Each country wouldpresent unique challenges, including thefact that many of these divers spoke littleor no English.
Arriving in Thailand, we wentstraight to work conducting familiarizationdives with the Royal Thai Navy Divers.Following some brief pierside dives, weset out to explore the PAK 1 wreck. Get-ting there proved tougher than expected.The buoy marking the wreck was off by
over two nautical miles!In true SALVOR fashion,the divers led by PettyOfficer Rob Taylor con-tacted some local fisher-men who used a depthsounder and local knowl-edge to find the wreck.Following SCUBA divesto attach strawberrybuoys to the wreck, weused the 40-ton boom torecover and re-deploy thebuoy, marking the wrecklocation accurately for fu-ture survey operations.Petty Officer Ben Moore said that, “It wasfrustrating not having enough time to ex-plore the wreck, but at least we put theirbuoy in the right place so next year’sdivers can go straight to work.” Returningto port, there were a few days to enjoysome much deserved liberty in downtownPattaya before taking in all lines and head-ing to Kuantan, Malaysia for our next stopon the CARAT tour.
Wreck clearance operations in Ma-laysia gave SALVOR’s divers an opportu-nity to work hand-in-hand with MDSUONE DET FIVE’s divers who were alsoparticipating in the CARAT exercise. Over
the next ten days, the divers workedaround the clock using a variety of under-water cutting techniques and hydraulictools to remove a Vietnamese fishing ves-sel which had sunk and was blocking aRoyal Malaysian Navy pier. One ofSALVOR’s best cutters, Petty OfficerCharles Parson was excited to start workeach morning since, “It’s not everydayyour dive side is shared with wild mon-keys coming out of the jungle.” Followingten days of cutting and removal, everyonewas ready for the next challenge, workingwith the Royal Singapore Navy.
After grueling training schedules inThailand and Malaysia, working with theSingapore divers proved a refreshing mid-cruise break. For once, we were the “train-ees,” and had the once in a lifetime oppor-tunity to experience the Singapore NavyDive Center. Especially exciting was theopportunity to use Singapore’s first classexplosive demolition range. Following aweek of training with the SingaporeDivers, SALVOR was given the chance toshow off her underway operating abilityby conducting battle damage assessmentand repair on the purpose built targetbarge, the “Jolly Roger.” Led by Petty Of-
(USS SALVOR continued on page 9)
By: LT Paul Shoning
MM3 (DV) Paul Trakimas conducts wreck removaloperations with the Royal Malaysian Navy Divers.
USS SALVOR and RoyalSingapore Navy Divers on theSALVOR fantail followingthe Singapore Phase of CARAT2002.
4 A p r i l 2 0 0 3
Established in 1927, the Navy Experi-mental Diving Unit completed 75
years of pioneering diving and hyperbaricresearch in 2002. Among NEDU’s accom-plishments over the past three quarters ofa century are ground-breaking work de-veloping standard decompression tablesfor air diving, helium-oxygen diving pro-cedures, recompression treatment tables,surface decompression procedures, satu-ration diving, early sea-floor habitats, diverthermal protection, and submarine rescue.
Experimental diving began in theNavy in 1912 at the Brooklyn Navy Yardunder the direction of Chief Warrant Of-ficer George D. Stillson. His small groupdeveloped the first standard Navy divingequipment, tested Dr. John S. Haldane’stheories on staged decompression, andextended the maximum diving depth ofU.S. Navy divers from 60 to nearly 300feet.
Navy diving stagnated immediatelyafter World War I with the closing of theDiving School in Newport, Rhodes Island,but experiments with helium were con-ducted in cooperation with the Bureau ofMines in the mid-twenties.
The Navy Experimental Diving Unitwas formally established in 1927 at theWashington Navy Yard adjacent to the re-established Diving School.
NEDU’s early focus was on subma-rine rescue and experiments with heliumdiving. In the mid-1930s, Doctors C. W.Schilling, A. R. Behnke, and O. E. Van derAue, became the first medical staff atNEDU. Their early experiments demon-strated the usefulness of oxygen for treat-ing decompression sickness and provedconclusively that breathing high-pressureair caused physical and mental perfor-mance decrements. They also developedsurface decompression procedures forsubmarine rescue.
The first operational use of heliumwas during the salvage of the USS
SQUALUS, which sank in 243 feet of wateroff the Isle of Shoals near Portsmouth,NH. Equipment and procedures devel-oped at NEDU, including the McCannRescue Chamber, were essential to the res-cue of the 33 crewmen who survived theinitial sinking.
During World War II, NEDU beganwork on early oxygen rebreathers, investi-gated oxygen toxicity, and tested capturedenemy diving equipment. The unit alsotested breathing systems and pressuresuits for aviators and investigated altitudebends, a new phenomenon observed withthe advent of high performance, high alti-tude aircraft.
In the 1950s, NEDU developed sur-face decompression tables using oxygenfor air diving. In 1956, NEDU developedprocedures for air diving that became thebasis of the Standard Air Decompressiontables, the Surface Decompression UsingAir table, and the Repetitive Air Dive
tables. These air tables became the stan-dard worldwide.
In the early 1960s, CAPT GeorgeBond, Medical Corps, began the first earlyexperiments in saturation diving, ProjectGenesis, at the Submarine Medical Re-search Laboratory in Groton, Connecticut.He and his team of aquanauts conductedtheir first manned saturation dive, GenesisD, to 100 fsw at NEDU in the spring of1963.
Saturation diving progressed dramati-cally through the 1960s and 1970s. Newdiving records were set and broken, in-cluding the first 600 fsw dive in 1964, thefirst 1,000 fsw dive in 1968 in a joint ven-ture with Duke University, and a 1,600 fswdive in 1973 at Taylor Diving and Salvagein New Orleans LA, which was then theworld’s largest hyperbaric facility. In the1960s, NEDU developed recompressiontreatments that would become known as
(NEDU continued on page 5)
By: LCDR Marc Tranchemotagne
HT1/SEAL Dan Jakobs (SDVT-2) testing the new KMS-48 mask in conjunction with the MK-25.
A p r i l 2 0 0 3 5
Treatment Tables 5 and 6, still in use to-day.
In 1975, NEDU relocated from theWashington Navy Yard to its present loca-tion on the Florida panhandle in PanamaCity. It was commissioned as a shorecommand under Naval Sea Systems Com-mand. The new unit included the OceanSimulation Facility—the largest mannedhyperbaric facility in the world—and theExperimental Diving Facility for unmannedtesting.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, NEDUtested a great variety of diving equipmentand achieved new records for depth andduration in saturation diving. Among theequipment tested was the MK 12 SurfaceSupplied Diving System (SSDS), which re-placed the MK V that George Stillson hadtested in the 1920s, and which would be
replaced by the MK 21/Superlight 17, alsotested at NEDU.
During the 1980s and 1990s, NEDUdid a large amount of saturation diving toevaluate diving equipment, examine deepsaturation diver thermal protection prob-lems, test active and passive diver thermalprotection, validate decompression algo-rithms, test various carbon dioxideabsorbents and scrubber systems, de-velop Treatment Table 7, and conduct mis-sion-specific training for various specialprojects.
In 1998, the diving biomedical re-search and development functions from
the Naval Medical Re-search Institute (NMRI)in Bethesda, MD, werec o n s o l i d a t e d w i t hNEDU.
From 1999 to 2002,NEDU conducted twowarm water diving stud-ies to address concernsof the Naval SpecialWarfare community re-garding critical gaps inthe Navy’s knowledgeof warm water divingphysiology.
In 2001 and 2002,NEDU divers made essential contributionsto the ex-USS MONITOR salvage project.The mission was a three-year, joint Na-tional Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration and U.S.Navy expedition to re-cover artifacts from thehistoric site 16 milessouth-southeast ofCape Hatteras Light-house off the NorthCarolina Coast. In 2002, NEDU com-pleted the final open-water demonstrationdives for certification ofthe MK 16 Mod 1 UBAto 300 feet of seawater(fsw) in the Gulf ofMexico. The 300 footopen-water certificationdives completed a four-year product improve-
ment process that included: extending theworking limit from 200 to 300 fsw, develop-ing 1.3 atmosphere constant partial pres-sure of oxygen decompression tables fornitrogen (N2O2) and helium (HeO2) diving,providing an HeO2 repetitive dive capabil-ity for dives shallower than 200 fsw, test-ing an emergency breathing system (EBS)with integral communications, adding anintegral buoyancy compensation device,and adopting an improved full face mask.
Over the past 75 years, NEDU hasevolved from a small team of Navy diversto a diverse workforce of over 150 peopleincluding military divers from the Fleet,
EOD, SEABEE, and SEAL diving commu-nities; PhD scientists and engineers; div-ing medical officers, physiologists, and re-search psychologists; and many talentedtechnicians and support personnel.NEDU’s mission has evolved from GunnerStillson’s original assignment to evaluatediving equipment and procedures to amuch broader mandate that includes awide range of undersea and hyperbaricbiomedical research and development. AsNEDU looks towards the immediate future,we foresee research focused on proce-dures for contaminated water diving, ad-vances in diver thermal protection, fur-thering our understanding of oxygen tox-icity and decompression illnesses, andpreserving a Navy capability for saturationdiving.
The author wishes to acknowledgethat much of the information on NEDU’searly history was taken from a 50-year ret-rospective written by LT R. C. Carter, MSC,USN and published in the Fall 1977 Face-plate, “NEDU celebrates 50th Anniversary1927-1977,” and as NEDU Report 1-77,“Pioneering Inner Space: The Navy Experi-mental Diving Unit’s First 50 Years.”
LCDR Marc Tranchemotagne is currentlyExecutive Officer at the Navy ExperimentalDiving Unit.
(NEDU continued from page 4)
Ocean Simulation Facility, 55,000 gallon wet pot.
ENCS/DSW Vern Geyman, SM1/DSW Jorge Guillen, DC1/DVJeremy Mullis, HT1/DV Bart Washburn decompressing duringUSS MONITOR diving operations.
6 A p r i l 2 0 0 3
With a land grant from the state ofConnecticut, two brick buildings
and a T shaped pier on the banks of theThames river were officially declared aNavy Yard in 1872. Today, the town ofGroton, CT is the home of the Naval Sub-marine Base New London (SUBASE
NLON) and its tenant command the NavalSubmarine Support Facility (NSSF) whichis the Navy’s largest nuclear capable FleetMaintenance Activity (FMA). NSSF pro-vides intermediate level maintenance, ord-nance, and supply support to 22 nuclearattack submarines, support vessels, andservice craft. A pre-World War II buildingserves as home for service members sta-tioned at NSSF New London dive locker.
The dive locker has billets for 31 mili-tary divers, but presently fills only 24, anddoes not currently employ DOD civiliandivers. The sole mission is providing Un-derwater Ship Husbandry (UWSH) to sub-marines, surface ships, and support crafthomeported in or transiting the North At-lantic Region. Outfitted with three divingplatforms, the dive locker accomplishesmore than 4,500 production hours permonth from the following assets: a 50-footLCM converted to a surface supplied dive
boat , a 50-foot workboat with a retrofitteddiving system module (DSM), a U.S. NavyMK 3 Light Weight Diving System (LWDS)which has become a permanently de-ployed overseas asset. NSSF does nothave a recompression chamber, relying onthe support of the Submarine School Es-
cape Trainer (SUBSCOL)and Naval SubmarineMedical Research Labora-tory (NSMRL). The overall make up ofthe NSSF dive locker isfull of youth and enthusi-asm. More than threequarters of the personnelare completing their firsttour as fleet divers withhalf of that number beingfirst tour divers on theirfirst enlistment. Youth,when properly harnessed,can be an instrumentalfactor in success, but
lacks experience. This places a huge re-sponsibility on the limited number of se-nior personnel. On the Job Training (OJT)and in-water time are the only true meth-ods to bridge the experience gap. MDV AlOverbeck , BMC Jim Hatter, ENC RobertMcCaulley, HT1 Brad Purple, BM2 GregPirtel, and DC2 Aaron Knight bring thenecessary fleet diving experience to thewaterfront and provide the direct supervi-sion, training, and development of the lessseasoned divers. Such training includeseverything from general military training tothe mechanical elements and logistical re-quirements to safely complete waterbornerepairs.
The everyday work that NSSF ac-complishes is no different from that ofother intermediate maintenance activitiesand shore repair facilities. We routinelyperform hull inspections, cofferdam andflange installations, SPM repair and re-
placement, propeller replacement, and re-pairs associated with sonar and weaponsystems on LOS ANGELES andSEAWOLF class submarines. The NewEngland Maintenance Manpower Initia-tive (NEMMI), (a fancy title meaning lessmilitary and more civilian), the decommis-sioning of OAK RIDGE ARDM 1 and theshifting of ownership of SHIPPINGPORTARDM 4 to the Electric Boat Corporation(EB) have changed the way maintenanceand repair are conducted and accom-plished. The NEMMI has brought an in-flux of contracted civilians, the majorityfrom EB, which has decreased the numberof military personnel to a quarter of what itonce was. The loss of a dry dock, ARDM1, has placed more maintenance responsi-bility on the NSSF dive locker. The neces-sity for repairs has not decreased, just thenumber of assets to conduct them. Westill maintain the “can do” attitude whichhas brought many positive outcomes, thechallenges of first time in-water repairs,and the accolades for saving the Navymany dollars in dry docking costs.
QMC(DSW/SW) Michael Eighmey iscurrently on the tail end of back to backtours at NSSF NLON. His previouscommands include Naval Special BoatSquadron One, USS ZEPHR (PC 8) andUSS FIFE (DD 991).
Command in the Spotlight
Divers take five during snow storm. Left to right: BM2(SW/DV) Kane, HT2(DV) Levens, GM2(SW/DV) Gilbert,EMFN(DV) Delgado and DC2(SW/DV) Knight.
HT1(DSW/SW) Brad Purple inspects thepilgrim nut during propeller removal.
QMC(DSW/SW) Michael Eighmey
November 2002 7A p r i l 2 0 0 3 7
By: LCDR David Ince RN
On 7 March 2002, the Royal NavyClearance Diving Branch celebrated
the 50th Anniversary of its formation, coin-cident but not connected with Her Royal
Highness Queen Elizabeth the Second’s50th year on the throne!
The Clearance Diving (CD) Branchwas officially formed under AdmiraltyFleet Order (AFO) on 7 March 1952 al-though a training nucleus had been set upsome 2 years earlier to take advantage ofthe few remaining men with wartime experi-ence. These officers and ratings had, inthe main, qualified as Shallow WaterDivers trained to use the Sladden ‘ClammyDeath’ diving dress and oxygen breathingapparatus. Other officers and ratingsQualified in Deep Diving (QDD) joinedthem. On 25 February 1966, theMinewarfare and Clearance Diving (MCD)Branch was formed for officers. Those of-ficers already qualified as CD and TacticalAnti Submarine (TAS) automatically be-came MCD Officers while those qualifiedonly as CDOs undertook a conversioncourse to be trained in Minewarfare, untilthen, the prerogative of the TAS Branchofficers. TAS (UW) and (UC) ratings con-tinued to perform Minewarfare duties until1975 when the Minewarfare (MW) subbranch of the Operations Branch wasformed together with the Diver subbranch. In 1981, the MCD Branch tookover responsibility for demolitions training
from the Sonar (ex-TAS UC) sub branch ofthe Operations Branch.
The RN’s small CD Branch has beenk e p t v e r y a c t i v ethroughout its existence,initially clearing the hugeamounts of ordnance leftin the world’s oceans,seas and waterways afterWWII, but gradually jet-sam from other conflictshas taken precedence. During Operation RHEO-STAT in 1974/5, the FleetClearance Diving Teamw o r k e d w i t h R NMinehunters (MHCs) toclear the Suez Canal ofordnance and other mili-tary debris following the
Arab-Israeli 6 Day War. The final tally in-cluded 209 tons of TNT bombs of varioussizes, about 800 anti-tank and anti-person-nel mines, 6,000 rounds of ammunition,and 70 various missiles. During OperationHEMICARP in 1977, RN CDs co-operatedwith their US counterparts to clear ex-USand Japanese WW II ordnance from thewaters of Tarawa and Tuvalu in the Gilbertand Ellis Islands. On a more peacefulnote, 35 RN CDs worked with 18 Egyptiandivers in 1977-78 to shift 16,000 tons ofmud and 320 blocks of stone during themovement of important ancient Egyptianmonuments, submerged by the construc-tion of the Aswan Dam, to a site replicatingPhilaeon Agilkia Island.
CD teams worked in particularly ardu-ous conditions conducting bomb andmine disposal during Operation CORPO-RATE in the Falklands in 1982 and in theRed Sea during Operation HARLING in1984. In 1987, they cleared Iranian minesin the Gulf of Oman and in the Persian Gulfduring Operation CIMNEL, the ‘TankerWar’. In 1991, they were back in the Per-sian Gulf during Operation DESERTSTORM, this time clearing hundreds ofIraqi mines laid off the shore of Kuwait.
In 2000 CD Elements, continually em-
barked as an integral part of a MHC’sweapons system, were involved in Opera-tion ALLIED HARVEST, the clearance ofallied bombs jettisoned in the Adriatic dur-ing the Bosnian and Kosovo conflicts, fol-lowed by Operation CLEANEX in 2001,the clearance of ex Soviet Union andWWII ordnance in the Northern BalticSea. Today, CD Units remain very busy inthe United Kingdom and around the worldconducting their prime task of explosiveordnance disposal (EOD), whether the mu-nitions be conventional, unconventionalor the terrorist’s improvised explosive de-vice. Many teams have become highlyspecialized in their roles and work closelywith Army and Royal Marine units. Sincethe Golden Jubilee celebrations RN Clear-ance Diver EOD Elements have been in-volved in EOD operations in Afghanistanand Kenya, and will doubtless be in-volved in such operations again in thenear future! In the meantime as ‘Jacks ofall Trades’, they continue to support theRN Fleet with underwater ship’s hus-bandry, search and salvage operations, ex-perimental diving, and many other tasks.
LCDR David Ince is currently on exchangewith USN assigned to NAVSEA 00C5.
The Royal Navy Clearance Diving Branch 1952-2002
EOD on 1,000 lb bomb.
RN (specialized) Clearance Divers - Parainsertion to DWC site.
Golden Jubilee of the RN Clearance Diving Branch
8 A p r i l 2 0 0 3
USS OKLAHOMA(BB 37) Shiprighted to about 30degrees, on 29March 1943, whileshe was undersalvage at PearlHarbor. She hadcapsized and sunkafter receivingmassive torpedodamage during the7 December 1941Japanese air raid.Ford Island is atright and the PearlHarbor Navy Yard isin the left distance.
Divers standing in front of a decompression chamber, while they wereworking to salvage ships sunk in the 7 December 1941 Japanese airraid on Pearl Harbor.
During the weeks follow-ing the Japanese raid, a
great deal of repair work wasdone by the Pearl HarborNavy Yard, assisted by ten-ders and ships’ crewmen.These efforts, lasting intoFebruary 1942, put the battle-ships PENNSYLVANIA,M A R Y L A N D , a n dT E N N E S S E E , c r u i s e r sHONOLULU, HELENA, andRALEIGH; destroyers HELMand SHAW, seaplane tenderCURTISS, repair ship VES-TAL and the floating dry-dock YFD 2 back into service,or at least got them ready tosteam to the mainland for finalrepairs. The most seriouslydamaged of these ships,RALEIGH and SHAW, were returned toactive duty by mid-1942.
Five more battleships, two destroy-ers, a target ship and a minelayer weresunk, or so severely damaged as to repre-sent nearly total losses. These requiredmuch more extensive work just to get themto a point where repairs could begin. Start-
ing in December 1941 and continuing intoFebruary 1942, the Navy Yard stripped thedestroyers CASSIN and DOWNES ofservicible weapons, machinery and equip-ment. This materiel was sent to California,where it was installed in new hulls. Thesetwo ships came back into the fleet in late1943 and early 1944.
Submitted by Scott Lassiter from theU.S. Navy Historical Center Website
Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 - Post-attack Ship Salvage
To work on the remainingseven ships, all of them sunk,a salvage organization wasformally established a weekafter the raid to begin whatwould clearly be a huge job.Commanded from early Janu-ary 1942 by Captain HomerN. Wallin, previously a mem-ber of the Battle Force Staff,this Salvage Division laboredhard and productively forover two years to refloat fiveships and remove weaponsand equipment from the othertwo. Among its accomplish-ments were the refloating ofthe battleships NEVADA inFebruary 1942, CALIFORNIAin March, and WEST VIR-GINIA in June, plus the mine-
layer OGLALA during April-July 1942. Af-ter extensive shipyard repairs, these fourships were placed back in the active fleetin time to help defeat Japan. The SalvageDivision also righted and refloated thecapsized battleship OKLAHOMA, par-tially righted the capsized target shipUTAH and recovered materiel from thewreck of the battleship ARIZONA. How-ever, these three ships were not returnedto service, and the hulls of the last two re-main in Pearl Harbor to this day.
All this represented one of history’sgreatest salvage jobs. Seeing it to comple-tion required that Navy and civilian diversspend about 20,000 hours underwater inabout 5000 dives. Long and exhausting ef-forts were expended in recovering humanremains, documents, ammunition and otheritems from the oil-fouled interiors of shipsthat had been under water for months. Un-counted hours went into cleaning theships and otherwise getting them readyfor shipyard repair. Much of this work hadto be carried out in gas masks, to guardagainst the ever-present risk of toxic gas-ses, and nearly all of it was extremely dirty.
A p r i l 2 0 0 3 9
ficer Chad Jakel, our divers showed theircutting and patching prowess by repairingthe target barge following a live fire exer-cise.
With the CARAT exercise nearing itsclose, we had no idea of the challengesthat would face us in the last stop in thePhilippines. Although the Philippine Navyhad no Deep Sea Divers available for theexercise, SALVOR’s training presentationson underwater ship husbandry drew alarge crowd. After the classroom lessons,
we were asked to put our trainingto the test by welding a steel dou-bling plate to the leaking hull ofthe Philippine destroyer RAJAHHUMABON (PF 11). To furthercomplicate matters, most of thewelding would be performed indriving rain and 30-knot windswhile in a two-point moor in Ma-nila Harbor. Rising to the occasion, thewelders led by Petty Officer JonKlukas went to work surveyingand conducting welding opera-tions. Twice during the repairs,
due to high winds and heavy seas SAL-VOR began slipping in the two-point moorand had to stop work to reset the moor.While transiting to Subic Bay to completerepairs, the divers were able to stop allleaks in the RAJAH HUMABON earningthe praise and appreciation of the Philip-pine Navy.
On the long voyage home, our divershad the chance to enjoy some well earnedliberty in Hong Kong and Guam. A fewdays out of Pearl Harbor, we received the
news that we would be deploying in a fewshort months to the Ulithi Atoll in theSouthern Pacific to defuel the Ex USSMISSISSINEWA which was sunk there in1944 with over 2 million gallons of oil re-maining onboard. Just another day for aSALVOR diver!
LT Paul Shoning was commissionedthrough the US Naval Academy in 1998,and has just completed a tour as theOperations Officer onboard USS SALVOR.This month he is transferring toEglin AFB to attend EOD school.
I’m Steve Smith and it’s a very excitingtime to take the helm as Fleet Master
Diver. I almost didn’t take this job but I amnow happy that I did. New developmentsare on the immediate horizon that will dra-matically improve the way we train andadvance our personnel. I look forward toworking with all of my diving colleagueson these positive changes. I have over 22years in the world’s finest Navy and over20 have been spent as a Deep Sea Diver.Some of the Commands I have been at-tached to: USS CONSERVER, NDSTC,Submarine Development Group ONE,NEDU and EODMU 8. As I get out andabout I look forward to seeing old friendsand to making new ones. I hope to assist
you and your Command in any divingneed that might arise. In the event that Ican’t assist you, I will find the person orresource that will help you complete yourmission.
I would also like to thank HTCM(MDV) Chuck Young for the awesome jobhe has done for NAVSEA and our DivingNavy. Chuck is moving on to CIVLANTafter serving his country for over 21years.He goes on terminal leave soon. So to mygood friend, mentor and saturation divepartner I wish you all the very best as yousail off on your next voyage. Fair windsand following seas, shipmate.e-mail: [email protected]: 202-781-0960
Welcome MDV Smith
EM1 (DSW) Rob Taylor conductsbilateral dive training with the RoyalThai Navy Divers.
(USS SALVOR continued from page 3)
Starboard side view of the USS SALVOR ARS 52.
MDV Steve Smith on a cold day at theWashington Navy Yard, DC.
1 0 A p r i l 2 0 0 3
For the past four years, the DefenseSupply Center Philadelphia’s Marine
Lifesaving and Diving Prime Vendor Pro-gram has been providing equipment andservice to military diving commands andfederal activities. It has been our duty andpleasure as a Department of Defense activ-ity to work with such a diverse group ofpersonnel that perform essential and criti-cal missions for the United States ofAmerica.
The program is available to all mili-tary and federal activities throughout theworld. Our program supports mobile div-ing and salvage, rescue, ships husbandry,special warfare, explosive ordnance dis-posal, underwater construction, port secu-rity and other related missions.
The Prime Vendor program is orga-nized into five regions. To simplify this, ifyou are located on the East Coast, GulfCoast, Europe or South America contactAmron, Mar-Vel, or Atlantic Diving. If youare located on the West Coast, Alaska,Hawaii, Guam, Japan or Korea contactAmron, Mar-Vel or Aqua Tech. Here arethe points of contact for each prime ven-dor:
• Amron International Diving Supply,759 West Fourth Avenue,Escondido CA 92025. (877) 462-6700www.amronintl.com
• Mar-Vel Underwater Equipment,Inc., 7100 Airport Highway,Pennsauken NY 08109. (800) 325-5711 www.mar-vel.com
• Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., 1439 NGreat Neck Rd Suite 202, VirginiaBeach VA 23454 (800) 948-9433www.atlanticdivingsupply.com
• Aqua Tech Dive Center, 1800 LoganAvenue, San Diego CA 92113 (619)237-1800 www.divecenter.com
How does the program work and whatmakes DSCP’s prime vendor contracts at-tractive and easy to use? Just contact aprime vendor or DSCP and you will getregistered on the program – it’s that easy.
Online Ordering / Web Sites
As part of a contractual obligation, allprime vendors must maintain a Web-basedonline ordering system that is linked to theDOD supply system. The web sites aresecure ordering sites and no order shall becharged to a customer if unwarranted.These online ordering sites include anelectronic catalog with various searchmethods, item descriptions and technicaldata in a user-friendly format. It should benoted that all prime vendors would alwaysaccept phone and fax orders.
Brand Name Preferences
The Prime Vendors carry the prod-ucts of virtually every manufacturer in-cluding Aqua Lung, Typhoon, Poseidon,Diving Systems Intl., Vikings, DUI, Dacor,Interspiro, Bauer, Circle Seal, Gates,Whites, Casio, ScubaPro, Mares, andScott.
24-Hour Customer Support
The Prime Vendors are on call 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. Each PrimeVendor has a call system that will rely mes-sages to assigned personnel during off-business hours.
Rapid Delivery Times
• The contract allows 30 days forroutine delivery, 7 days for urgentdelivery and 24 hours for emergencydelivery.
• DSCP Customer Liaison SpecialistAssigned to each Diving Command.
• A Defense Supply Center Philadel-phia Customer Liaison Specialist isassigned to each customer.
Conclusion
The Defense Supply Center Philadel-phia is a combat support agency with theWar Fighter as our main concern. We areactively engaged in understanding yourrequirements and assisting to ensuringyour readiness. For more information,please contact Ralph Lund or Abie Fullerat (215) 737-4154, [email protected] orhttp://www.dscp.dla.mil/gi/general/mardiv.htm
Our goal is to provide the Right Item @the Right Time in the Right Place for theRight Price!
Ralph Lund is the Contracting Officer of theMarine Lifesaving and Diving Prime VendorProgram at the Defense Supply CenterPhiladelphia. He is a 22-year DODemployee and all service has been in theAcquisition Field. Ralph currently residesoutside of Philadelphia in Oreland PA.
PRIME VENDOR - LIFESAVINGBy: Ralph Lund
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“Service to the Fleet”
PMS CornerPMS Corner
TFBR Submission: Submit electronic tech-nical feedback reports using https://www.ftsc.navy.mil and following direc-tions:
• Go to: Command Programs• Click: PMS• Scroll down to: Request for Services• Click: Submit Electronic Technical
Feedback Report (ETFBR)• Fill out form.
MIP Series 5921/5971/H-012 are to be sub-mitted to Fleet Technical Support CenterPacific (FTSCPAC). MIP Series EOD- areto be submitted to Fleet Technical SupportCenter Atlantic.
Force Revision 1-03: Anticipated receiptis March 03. Review command/WorkcenterLOEP against actual configurations andsubmit TFBR for LOEP deletions for equip-ment/systems no longer carried.
Luxfer announces trade-in program for6351-alloy scuba tanks in the UnitedStates:Luxfer Gas Cylinders announced a newscuba tank trade-in program to enableowners of older Luxfer scuba tanks manu-factured in the U.S. from 6351 aluminum al-loy to trade in their tanks and receivecredit toward the purchase of new scubatanks made from Luxfer’s proven, propri-
etary 6061 alloy. Luxfer will implement thesimple four-step program outlined belowon January 1, 2003. The program will endon December 31, 2003. This is a limitedone-year offer!
1. To determine whether your Luxferscuba tank is made from 6351aluminum alloy, check the originalhydrostatic test date (the earliestdate) stamped on the crown. (Lookfor a month/year combination, suchas 3/75.) If the stamped year is 1972through 1987, the tank is made from6351 alloy. A limited number ofLuxfer scuba tanks were also madefrom 6351 alloy during the first halfof 1988. If you have a 1988 tank withan original hydrostatic test date of6/88 or earlier, Luxfer will assumethat it is a 6351-alloy tank and issuean RG number. Tanks with anoriginal hydrostatic test date of 7/88or later are made from 6061 alloy andare not eligible for the trade-inprogram.
2. Call the Luxfer Customer ServiceDepartment toll-free (1-800-764-0366) and report the number of 6351-alloy tanks to be exchanged. ALuxfer customer service representa-tive will ask you for the modelnumber, serial number and original
hydrostatic test date for each tank,as well as your return mailinginformation. The representative willthen issue you a returned goods(RG) authorization number and tellyou how to ship tanks to Luxfer inorder to receive a special $50 creditvoucher for each tank.
3. Send your 6351-alloy scuba tanksdirectly to Luxfer’s plants in Graham,North Carolina, or Riverside,California (whichever is closer).
4. Luxfer will mail you a $50 voucherfor each tank. You may redeem thisvoucher toward the purchase ofnew Luxfer 6061-alloy scuba tanksat any participating dive shop orretail store.
Points of contact:Mr. Kerry Duffy/ISEA 059 Comm: 850-230-3162, DSN 436-3162 or email:[email protected].
Steve Smith BMCM(MDV), NAVSEA00C36, comm: (202) 781-0960, DSN: 326-0960, or email: [email protected]
Technical questions, logistics problems,supply requests, personnel issue? Call orcontact ANCHOR DESK 1-877-4-1-TOUCH or www.AnchorDesk.navy.mil.
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Inhale deeply, hold that breath, savor it,then exhale slowly. Notice a feeling of
total relaxation? Appreciate it.If the search and recovery operations
tempo for 2003 is a repeat of 2002, the menand women of NAVSEA 00C2, SalvageOperations/Ocean Engineering will have
few opportunities for such simple plea-sures.
NAVSEA 00C maintains the Navy’sand the nation’s comprehensive technicalcapability to search, locate, and recoverobjects of interest lost in waters ranging indepth from a few feet to 20,000 feet. Thediverse inventory of equipment includesthree different side scan sonar systems;two towed pinger locator systems, fiveRemotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) ofvarious levels of sophistication; assortedunderwater recovery tools, surface andsub-sea navigation/positioning systems,satellite communication systems; as wellas data processing, management, and pre-sentation capabilities. This search and re-covery “kit” is continually maintained inReady for Issue status in Landover, Mary-land, close to multiple modes of interna-tional transportation. The equipment isdesigned to be as self–contained as pos-
sible, air transportable, and capable of be-ing quickly deployed aboard vessels ofopportunity anywhere in the world.
The Navy’s global, rapid response,search and recovery capability was thor-oughly tested and, again, successfullydemonstrated on eleven different projects
in 2002. In the Spring months, the activitywas particularly intense with search/re-covery teams concurrently mobilized tothe Atlantic Ocean, Western Pacific, andMediterranean Sea. In the Mediterranean,
two back-to-back search and recoveryoperations were successfully performed.Every one of SUPSALV’s search and re-covery assets as well as two commercialROVs were used to support operations.The Navy’s side scan sonar systems, Cen-turion, SWISS, and Orion, and pinger loca-tor systems TPL-20 and TPL-30 supportedsearch/location projects while NAVSEA00C’s ROVs VideoRay, MR-2, Deep Drone,Magnum, and CURV III performed objectrecovery, inspection, and documentationtasks. To provide a cost effective, rapidresponse, two commercial ROVs, Remora6000 systems, were also called upon toperform object recoveries when the Navy’sequipment was otherwise engaged.
Last year’s projects were as diverseas the equipment suites selectively tai-lored to perform them. Over the year,three helicopters, four aircraft, oneweapon, and one 45-ton anchor with 14shots of chain attached were found andrecovered. NAVSEA ocean assets also as-sisted in acoustically imaging a sunkenfishing vessel in the Gulf of Mexico, and inproviding broadcast quality video docu-mentation during the summer’s jointNavy/NOAA USS MONITOR turret re-covery. In 2002, NAVSEA 00C conducted
(Standing-by.....continued on page 13)
CH-46 SEAKNIGHT beingsalvaged off ofthe coast ofNorfolk, Virginia,in the spring of2002.
ROV CURV IIIbeing loaded overside. CURV III candive to a depth of6,000 meters.
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projects on behalf of the Army, Air Force,NOAA, and Coast Guard, in addition toNavy air and submarine components.
The equipment needed to find andretrieve items from the deep ocean is di-verse and complex, so it is with significantpride that the capability, often and prima-rily, serves to save lives. 00C’s recoveryof a F-14B from 10,000 feet of seawater inthe Mediterranean Sea this past June is acase in point. The nose wheel of the F-14Baircraft appeared to fail during catapultlaunch. On-site examination of the subse-quently recovered wheel assembly re-sulted in the immediate grounding of F-14carrier squadrons until effective remediescould be affected. The speed with whichthe F-14B was located, recovered, and ex-amined allowed fixes to be quickly recom-mended and implemented. As a result, theF-14 squadrons expeditiously and safelyreturned to their carrier flight duties.
The successful and cost effectivecompletion of an emergent search/recov-ery project relies on 00C2’s ability toquickly evaluate search and recoveryneeds in terms of required expertise, per-sonnel, and equipment. The ultimateproject approach is predicated on an accu-
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rate assessment of the loss data, and deci-sions involving an appropriate technicalresponse. The latter task incorporates de-cisions on the kind, availability, and loca-tion of needed expertise and equipment, in-cluding that residing with other Navy ele-ments. Cooperation and coordination ofpersonnel and equipment with other Navy
components has resulted in cost effectivesolutions that otherwise could not be real-ized.
This past year, NAVSEA 00C hastaken full advantage of the capabilities andassets of the Navy’s Mobile Diving andSalvage Units, the Emergency Ship Sal-vage Material System, local contractorsnear the project scene, and those of itsprime search and recovery contractor,Phoenix International, Inc. in support of itsoperations.
With the ability to address emergentrequests for search and recovery opera-tions, the NAVSEA 00C2 team standsready to respond anywhere in the world,at any time, every time. Given this respon-sibility, when the moment presents itself,00C2 takes that deep breath.
Tim Janaitis is the Business DevelopmentDirector at Phoenix International. Phoenixis the contractor responsible for operationand maintenance of the Navy’s salvageremote operated vehicles.
F-15 being salvaged in the Gulf of Mexico during the summer of 2002.
F-14 TOMCATbeing salvagedin MedterranianOcean, springof 2002.
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The supsalv.org website team has beenworking diligently to facilitate the
online registration process of conferences
and events. Users can find out specificdetails about time and place of events, andregister for them, all through the
supsalv.org website. In addition, users insome cases have the ability to participatein conferences even before attending. Forthe upcoming MDV/CWO conference, us-ers have the option to initiate new discus-sion items and review existing ones on-line.
Aside from conference pages, severalother additions and corrections have beenmade to keep the site up-to-date. Keep aneye on the “What’s New” sections of thewebsite for all the latest!
Most recent conferences:• ED Diver Conference, Dec 11 2002• Cofferdam Workshop, Jan 28-29 2003
Upcoming conference:• MDV/CWO conference, May 14-16 2003
By: Mac Alnakari
JAKE’SCORNERBy: Scott Lassiter
“Maybe it wasn’tsuch a good idea torun a marathon infull dress!”
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I cannot remember how many times I’veread The Old Master in Faceplate.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think thatI would one day write it myself. I considerthis to be one of my last official duties. AsI look back over my 37 years in the divingcommunity, I think of all the changes thathave occurred. I remember when the oldMK V MOD 0 and MOD 1 (GAS), JackBrown, and SCUBA were the only showsin town. There was other equipment stillin the design mode but at that time we re-garded that equipment to be far down theroad. The most modern systems that wehad were SEALABS I and II and the Ad-vanced Diving System (SDS-450). Ouridea of safety was primitive compared tothe safety requirements of today. Al-though safety was never disregarded itwas not like today where we are pro-activeabout it. Fine example are the PMS system,System Certification Surveys, and theSafety Center inspections that are in place.There are memories of the various divingassets available during those times suchas the old ARS, ASR, AS, and AD alongwith various small boats and diving ten-ders. Those were the days when youwalked aboard a new diving command thefirst thing on your list of things to do wasto learn the system. (No two systems wereever alike).
As we progressed into the early 70’s,the Navy began to design and build newsystems like the FADS I, MK 1 MOD 0Deep Dive System and the ATS 1 classsalvage ships. During that time I partici-pated in the development of the SaturationDiving tables at the Experimental DivingUnit in the Washington Navy Yard. Thisgave me the opportunity not only to learnfirst hand about saturation diving but alsoprovided the opportunity to learn aboutthe basic components of a saturation divesystem. After spending a number of years
on board the USSHOIST (ARS 40), I wasfortunate to become amember of the pre-com-missioning crew of theUSS BEAUFORT (ATS2). This opened up awhole new world ofdiving and salvage forme. When I think backabout the capabilitiesof that ship I am stillamazed. As my careerprogressed I was as-signed to Harbor Clear-ance Unit ONE. Beinga member of the ACU 1dive team afforded methe opportunity to putto use all the experienceI had acquired over the years. In 1975 Iaccomplished a dream I had ever since Ijoined the diving Navy, I became a U. S.Navy Master Diver. During that time I wasassigned the task of de-commissioning theSDS 450, which resulted in an abundanceof Air System parts. The majority of theseparts were Level One in nature. So we re-quested and received permission to de-sign and build the first Flyaway Mixed GasDiving System. This experience helped meto really understand the System Certifica-tion process.
I often look back at all the changes inthe Diving Navy that I have witnessedover the years. Today most of the divingsystems that are in use by the Navy arethe standard Lightweight Dive System(LWDS), Transportable RecompressionChamber System (TRCS), Fly-away Re-compression Chamber (FARCC), DivingSystem Module (DSM), Fly Away DiveSystem (FADS III) Air and Mixed Gas, andthe Standard Navy Double Lock (SNDL)Recompression Chamber to name a few.
Not only are these systems standard indesign but, they are supported by thestate-of–the-art Operation and Mainte-nance Manuals which contain not onlythe proper maintenance instructions butalso the operating and emergency proce-dures to ensure that all systems are beingoperated the same. The philosophy usedtoday and the equipment that has beendeveloped from that philosophy are leapsand bounds from when I started diving.
In closing, I guess I want to saythank you for all the hard work you havedone over the years. This was truly re-flected last summer when I stood on deckof the Manson Gulf barge WOTAN offCape Hatteras, NC during the USS MONI-TOR Expedition 2002 and watched NavySaturation Divers working side by sidewith the Navy Conventional Divers. Thatwas a sight that I never thought I wouldsee. That made me realize just how far wehave advanced in the Diving Navy. Keepup the good work and dive safe.
MDV JJ Fenwick (U.S. Navy retired).
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As I write this, I am sitting in EastTexas with CAPT Wilkins, CWO
Riendeau and Mobile Diving and SalvageUnit Two Det Bravo,Master Diver Mallet,Master Diver Smith,MDSU TWO Reservistsand more side scan so-nars, multibeam echo-sounders and REMUS’sthan you can count. Weare involved in locatingand recovering Colum-bia Shuttle debris thatis in an underwater for-est at depths to over100 feet. I’m not sure ifsitting on a limb in a treeand decompressing willrequire writing a newchapter to the divemanual or not. CWORiendeau will be writingan article for the next is-sue of FACEPLATE about the adventur-ous diving that is occurring.
EEHSWe now have our first certified EmergencyEvacuation Hyperbaric Stretchers. Bothunits will be employed in the Gulf to en-hance safety to the diver. These are to beused to enhance the safety to the diver,
but not replace our current dive manual re-quirements. All requirements for cham-bers still remain in-place. However, there
are times where thedive manual allowsyou to be diving in aremote location with-out the benefit of anearby chamber. TheEEHS can fill thatvoid in a situationsuch as the occur-rence of an AGE inshallow water andyou need to stabilizethe diver immediately.
Security SwimsSome of the mostdangerous diving wedo is underneath ves-sels. As we look athomeland securityand overseas secu-
rity, there will most likely be an increase indiving under vessels. We need to be ex-tremely careful and not let complacencyset in as we do more and more of theseswims. Do not let this become too routineof an evolution.
MDV/CWO ConferenceA reminder that the MDV/CWO confer-
ence will be held in Panama City at the diveschool on 14-16 May. There are a lot ofsignificant issues that need to be ad-dressed. One of the most important issuesto effect diving in years is Task Force Ex-cel and what it is going to mean to the div-ing community. Plan on attending the con-ference now.
Farewell and Following Seas
MDV Chuck Young.MDV Chuck Young retired aboard theUSS CONSTITUTION on 28 March 2003.MDV Young has been the main brace atNAVSEA 00C3 for almost four years. Hisvast knowledge and experience as a satu-ration diver were put to the test in prepar-ing for the USS MONITOR. Due to hisdrive and determination, we were success-ful in leasing a civilian saturation divingsystem and then putting it to work on theUSS MONITOR. MDV and I have spentthe last couple of summers together in asaturation diving chamber. Without thesaturation diving system, the USSMONITOR’s engine, turret and cannonswould never have been recovered. HOOYAH Chuck. Best of luck in all your futureendeavors.
Captain Hank Schwartz, DMO.CAPT Schwartz retired at the Navy Yardon 21 March 2003 after 25 plus years inthe Navy. CAPT Schwartz retires afterserving his last tour of duty at NAVSEA00C as the Program Director, BiomedicalResearch Program. I’ll miss gentlemanHank Schwartz and his professionalismand easygoing disposition. Thanks Hankfor all the great years and especially thehelp and assistance you gave me with theBio-medical Research Program and as aSaturation Diving Medical Officer on theUSS MONITOR. You can visit Hank in hisnew digs in Hawaii.
MDV/CWO ConferenceThe MDV/CWO Conference is tentatively scheduled for 14-16 May 2003 and will behosted by the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center. The conference providesan opportunity for senior enlisted and Chief Warrant Officer leadership throughoutthe various diving commands to collectively review and discuss current and futurecommunity issues. A diving advisory will be released later this year providing moredetails. To register or submit point papers go to http://www.supsalv.org, cursor to“00C3 Diving” select “Conferences” under pull-down menu.
MDV ReunionThe MDV Reunion will be held on Saturday, 17 May 2003, at the Coastal SystemsStation Marina, Panama City, FL starting at 1000. The point of contact for the re-union is ENCM/MDV(ret) Joe Gray at (850) 230-9217.
Captain Chris Murray and MDSUTWO DET BRAVO CWO Riendeauoverseeing operations in Toledo BendReservoir, Texas. Photo by DonaldFegley of ROH Inc.
