Frequently
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Frequently
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Diving in the US Navy: A Brief History
The Sinking and Recovery of the USS Squalus (produced by the Office of Naval Research for students and teachers)
USS Squalus (SS-192), a diesel-electric submarine built
at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire and commissioned
there on 1 March 1939, suffered a catastrophic valve failure during
a test dive off the Isle of Shoals at 0740 on 23 May. Partially
flooded, the submarine sank to the bottom and came to rest keel
down in 40 fathoms (240 feet) of water. Navy divers and salvage
ships responded quickly, and the following day began operations
to rescue the surviving 32 crew members and one civilian from
the forward sections of the boat. At 1130 on 24 May, USS Falcon
(ASR-2) lowered the newly developed McCann rescue chamber--a revised
version of a diving bell invented by Commander Charles B. Momsen--and,
over the next 13 hours, all 33 survivors were rescued from the
stricken submarine. On 13 September, after long and difficult
salvage operations, Squalus was raised and towed into the
Portsmouth Navy Yard. The boat was formally decommissioned on
15 November, renamed Sailfish on 9 February 1940, and recommissioned
on 15 May 1940.
Crew of USS Squalus (including survivors
and casualties)
Report of rescue operations (original
document)
Diving log of rescue operations (original
document)
Divers awarded the Medal of Honor for rescue
of crew
Poem: "In Memoriam" by G.
W. Lusk
Lecture: Rescue and Salvage of U.S.S. Squalus
by Commander Charles Momsen, USN
Statement of Lieutenant W. T. Doyle,
USN; USS Squalus survivor
Statement of Naval Architect Harold C.
Preble; USS Squalus survivor
Salvage of USS Squalus
History of USS Squalus
Photographs of USS
Squalus
Artwork of USS Squalus,
Sinking and Rescue
Biography of Commander Charles B. Momsen,
USN
Biography of Commander Allan McCann, USN
History of USS Sailfish
Bibliography