Early morning on St. Patrick's Day (March 17, 2002) found us in a state of excited anticipation as a wide variety of diving gear was unloaded and hauled to the 3rd floor of the Aquarium of the Pacific. Pete Pehl, Dive Safety Officer for the Aquarium made the first dive using a 1943 Schrader MkV. Next man in the water was 71 year old Ken McElvain, a retired Navy diver, followed by 76 year old Harold Nething, retired Navy UDT diver. Both men also dove the MkV (these old guys are tough), while their families watched, snapping pictures and cheering them on.
After the first three divers dove the MkV, Rick Erickson
dove his Yokohoma with the remaining divers using
Charlie Orr's Desco-Kirby hat. A total of 16 hard hat
divers, including the two young Navy divers from San
Diego who were there with a display, dove at
approximately 30 to 45 minute intervals.
A wide variety of scuba gear and rebreathers were used in the Great Hall of the Pacific Blue Cavern (62º) and the warmer Tropical Pacific exhibit. The scuba gear consisted of double hose regulators on single, double and triple tank sets. Three rebreathers were used: a Prism Topaz, a FEOR, and the FEOR Light. Youngsters, with their noses pressed against the glass, were delighted to find themselves face to face with a scuba diver who had slipped up on them, often upside down, on the inside of the tank.
A large display was set up under the Big Blue Whale with a wide variety of both hard hat and scuba gear. Harold's unique wooden fins drew a lot of comments and speculation, and the TOA "Pearler" drew a lot of attention especially from the youngsters when they found old "Skully" staring out at them with his orange watch cap and broken toothed grin. A number of other exhibitors set up displays along the wall of the Great Hall including the HDS, College of Oceaneering, and U.S. Navy Dive Unit based in San Diego.
It was a long day - but everyone went home with a big smile on their face, no one stepped on a fish, and plans are already in the works for next year.
Be sure to check out our website to view some of the pictures taken by various people. Bob Iannello also has a website with additional pictures.
CCED: CCED Home Page
Bob Iannello: Crestline Expermintal Dive Unit
February 2 was the College of Oceaneerings' first day under the new management of National University. We
had the honor of dressing in the new COO President, Dr.
Nicholas Trongale, who promises to actually "get wet" on
May 4. Dean of Education, Ella Jean Morgan, MA, said
she would also dive at our May Rally.
Beside having a near record breaking day with 18 dives,
we had the honor of having Navy Diver, Gil Negrette take
his oath for re-enlist under water in the old 1943 MkV.
The contest winner were Billy Swiney and Millie Santiago from the COO. They both opted for the lighter Chinese 12-bolt and not the MkV. (Millie was putting on the suit, and wanted to know why it was wet and clammy. We told her that the guy who had just dove had barfed in it! She came out of that suit in a second! It took some convincing we were kidding before we could get her back in the dress.)
Everyone had a great day. The COO again supplied us with a lunch of barbequed hamburgers and have invited us back to the next Open House in May. ~ Charlie Orr
Mark your calendar - next COO Rally - May 4. Everyone welcome. This is always a good opportunity for the newer members to make their first dives. Bring along any new gear you might want to try out and plan on having a good time. Help is always need to load and unload gear. Be at the COO by 8:00 a.m. if you can lend a hand.
In December of 2001, Second Class Petty Officer Gil Negrette realized that the date for his re-enlistment in the U.S. Navy was fast approaching. Negrette is a Second Class Navy Diver stationed at Port Hueneme, California. While the Mark V has not been used by the Navy for several years, Negrette wanted to re-enlist in true classic Navy Diver style - on the bottom in a Mark V. Contact was made with Leslie Leaney at the HDS USA, who in turn put him in touch with the CCED. With the cooperation and help of Shirley Estep at the College of Oceaneering, the event was set to be held on the next Student Appreciation Day at the COO.
On February 2, 2002, Petty Officer Negrette took his oath wearing a 1943 Schrader Mark V at the bottom of the College of Oceaneering's training tank. His oath was administered by Lt. James Blanton wearing a Chinese TF-12. Lt. Blanton is the Command Diving Officer for the Underwater Construction Team Two at Port Hueneme. The coms were handled by COO Instructor and ex-Navy Diver, Robert David. The divers were tended by retired veteran Navy divers, Harold Nething and Ken McElvain, and L.A. Firefighter Al Perez. All three tenders are members of the CCED.
The date for the Banning's Landing Dive Demonstration and Display has been set for Sunday, June 23 from 9:00 a.m. til 4:00 p.m. Banning's Landing Cultural Center is located at the end of Avalon Blvd. in Wilmington. We will be diving throughout the day from the dock using both hard hat and scuba, and for air we will be using the Deblis Compressor with two backup K-bottles.
This proved to be a good dive spot last year in about 35 feet of water and fairly good vis. And don't forgot all the neat old bottles we found on the bottom. We will also have a display set up inside the building. Be there at 8:00 a.m. is you can help with the gear and setting up.
If you are new and want to dive at this event, you will need to attend the COO Rally on May 4 to make your first dive and become familiar with the process of dressing-in and tending. More information will be forthcoming by the May 17 meeting date. Contact Charlie Orr (310) 834-7051 if you plan to dive or need directions to the dive site.
January 18, 2002 - Eleven members present. Discussion centered around the upcoming Aquarium of the Pacific Diver's Day in regards to a problem with positioning the ladder, protecting the fish and plants in the tank, and having a safety diver in the water. A video from the History Channel - Dangerous Missions - was shown.
March 15, 2002 - 19 members present and one guest. Short discussion of the last minute arrangements and plans for the Divers' Day event on March 17. Jocko Robinson has found a new source for a club shirt. After the meeting everyone was invited for a harbor cruise on the L.A. Fireboat #4.
Next meeting - May 17, 2002. Discussion will be on the final plans for the Banning's Landing Dive on June 23.
Historical Diver Magazine - Watch for an article written by Mark Howell - "Early Aqua-Lung Identification Plates." The article, along with additional photos of the regulators will be featured on our website in conjunction with the publication date.
When Harold Nething graduated from Deep Sea Diving School in 1946 his first diving billet was the submarine tender Sperry in San Diego. Little did he know that one of his first dives would almost be his last.
Early one Sunday the 1st Lt. approached Harold and asked him to make a dive inside the ship, in the fresh water tank. It seems they were trying to pump out the tank so as to re-cote it with zinc. They were having trouble and it was thought the strainer might be clogged with a glove or rag from a yard worker. Harold was the only diver onboard the ship that morning so after some thought he reluctantly agreed. The 1st Lt. hustled up a seaman to act as tender - this further worried Harold.
Harold used a shallow water diving mask, which was a converted gas mask. This was a cheap version of a Jack Brown rig. Air was supplied through oxygen acetylene hose and was wrapped with a safety line. The air source was from a re-compression chamber several decks above.
Because of the nature of the dive, Harold didn't use a diving dress, he just dove in swimming trunks. With the aid of an underwater battle light he swam down 3 decks which were separated by platform decks that supported the outer hull. Each platform deck had a crawl hole about 18 inches by 24 inches. Slipping through these holes, Harold finally arrived at the keel. Swimming aft about 8 feet he found the suction pipe. Harold felt around the strainer and there was nothing there. "I started back out and suddenly there was no air," Harold said. "What happened? I checked my air valve and it was open. So I shut it down and just cracked it in case the air supply suddenly came on again." He pulled off his mask and carefully made his way back through the crawl holes, exhaling all the way. As he broke the surface the so-called tender said, "The hose came apart, the hose came apart!" Harold screamed, "Why didn't you put it back together?" But because of his inexperience and nervousness he didn't do anything.
Harold learned a couple of good lessons that day: never make a dive without having a back-up diver around, and never dive without an experienced tender. Eventually the water tank was pumped out, evidently a stuck valve was the problem. One of Harold's first dives was not only unnecessary but it was almost his last.
One of the youngest members of the CCED is Travis Robinson, son of Jocko Robinson. Although it has been customary not to dive or accept anyone under the age of 18, Travis will not turn 16 until June of this year. He has dove the heavy gear on several occasions during the past three years under the careful supervision of his father. Travis was only 12 when he made his first hard hat dive at the College of Oceaneering through the encouragement and guidance of Capt. Ed White. At that time the gear actually weighed more than he did himself, but what a wonderful experience once he got into the water.
Travis started diving with a twin spare air and goggles when only 3½ years old at the swimming pool at Dive 'n Surf where his dad works. As Travis grew, his diving gear became more advanced or was modified to meet his skill and diving needs.
Travis dove with his own double hose regulator and a rebreather, and many other different various diving apparatus. When at Santa Barbara in June of 2001, one of his most pleasurable moments was when he was able to dive Bob Kirby's shallow water helmet with a hand pump with other members of the CCED.
He was certified with a Padi certification in 1998 just after turning 12, which was the earliest age at the time for certification. He is a sophomore at North Salem High School in Salem, Oregon. At this time he would like to continue his education at Oregon State University and study engineering or oceanography. He maintains a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.7. In his spare time, Travis not only enjoys the general sports such as basketball, football and soccer, but also kayaks, plays "paint ball," and goes 4-wheeling in the sand dunes along the Oregon coast. For the past three years during summer break he has been working part-time at Diving 'n Surf and is saving his wages to buy his first car.
On March 22, several members of the CCED as members of the HDS were invited to attended the dedication of the new Consolidated Divers Unit Building 3601 at the San Diego Naval Base. The new facility was dedicated and named in honor of Ensign Frank W. Crilley, one of the true pioneers of Navy diving.
Guest speakers included Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs, Harvey C. Barnum, Jr., and Frank W. Crilley, Jr., grandson of Frank Crilley. Several members of Ensign Crilley's family attended the ceremony. Also attending was John Mihalowski, Torpedoman First Class USN; a Medal of Honor recipient for heroism during the rescue and salvage operations of Squalus on May 23, 1939.
Guest were given tours of the new facility, including the dive locker, recompression chamber and the Navy Divers Mobil Unit - a large bus type unit fully equipped with compressor, coms, underwater imaging, etc.
Ensign Crilley was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on September 13, 1883. Following enlistment in the Navy in March 1900 he became a Gunner's Mate and received additional training as a diver. In 1915, while a Chief Gunner's Mate, he made dives to over 300 feet during salvage operations on the sunken submarine F-4 (SS-23) off Honolulu, Hawaii. On April 17, 1915 he rescued a fellow diver who had become entangled at a depth of 250 feet. For his heroism on this occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1929.
In 1917, Crilley was appointed to the rank of Gunner (T), and in February 1918 became an Ensign in the Naval Reserve. He commanded USS Salvor in 1919 and left active duty in July of that year. In the mid 1920s, he was involved with salvaging the USS S-51 (SS-162), and returned to active Naval service in 1927-28 to work on the recovery of USS S-4 (SS-109). He was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions as a diver during that operation.
In 1931, Frank Crilley served as Second Officer and Master Diver during the Arctic expedition of the civilian submarine Nautilus. Also in 1931, he assisted with the salvage of USS Mayflower (PY-1). Transferred to the Retired List in May 1932, he was again employed on Navy work in 1939, during the salvage of USS Squalus. Ensign Frank W. Crilley died at the Naval Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, on November 23, 1947.
Medal of Honor Citation: "For display of extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession above and beyond the call of duty during the diving operations in connection with the sinking in a depth of water 304 feet, of the USS F-4 with all on board, as a result of loss of depth control, which occurred off Honolulu, T.H., on 25 March 1915. On 17 April 1915, William F. Loughman, chief gunner's mate, United States Navy, who had descended to the wreck and had examined one of the wire hawsers attached to it, upon starting his ascent, and when at a depth of 250 feet beneath the surface of the water, had his life line and air hose so badly fouled by this hawser that he was unable to free himself; he could neither ascend nor descend. On account of the length of time that Loughman had already been subjected to the great pressure due to the depth of water, and the uncertainty of the additional time he would have to be subjected to this pressure before he could be brought to the surface, it was imperative that steps be taken at once to clear him. Instantly, realizing the desperate case of his comrade, CRILLEY volunteered to go to his aid, immediately donned a diving suit and descended. After a lapse of time of 2 hours and 11 minutes, CRILLEY was brought to the surface, having by a superb exhibition of skill, coolness, endurance and fortitude, untangled the snarl of lines and cleared his imperiled comrade, so that he was brought, still alive, to the surface."
Source: Naval Historical Center website