MCPO Roy Dean Matthews
(SEAL), my Teamate ST-2 ('nam era) said,
"Rio, you were a Deep Sea
Diver. How come you don't have a page on SEALTWO.ORG for all DV's?"
HERE IT IS!
My
Deep
Sea Diver Shipmates; please
send me your photos!
"JAKE"
One of our guys, although he had the
misfortune of going Army instead of Navy, has become a writer in About the Author
Carl’s professional career began as an
Army and then FAA air traffic controller. He advanced from a small
radar van in the Central Highlands of Vietnam to the TRACON in one of
our nation’s busiest airports. He also became a commercial pilot and
flight instructor, retiring after thirty-nine years of flying. By 1986
he was experiencing severe burnout. He put himself through the police
academy, resigned from the FAA and became a deputy Sheriff in Reno,
Nevada. He retired after a distinguished career on the street. Not
only the cop on the beat, Carl became a renowned traffic accident
reconstructionist on his departments Major Accident Investigation
Team, as well as a highly acclaimed crime scene investigator.
Throughout his life Carl has been a student of the paranormal and
often experienced the effects of the supernatural in his personal
life. In 2012 he became involved in the saga of the haunted Allen
House in Monticello, Arkansas and its resident spirit, Ladell Allen
Bonner. The result of dozens upon dozens of paranormal interactions
with Ladell led Carl to write his first book about Ladell’s life and
death. Writing that first book sparked a latent avocation in his life:
writing. Carl has always been a connoisseur of military history, and
that interest began a new direction for his writing. This latest book
is the story of Wendell Fertig, and the beginning of a thrilling new
series, 'Behind The Lines.' While the stories are fictionalized, they
are all based upon factual military history. Join in with Carl and
enjoy his books as you gain an interesting new insight in what war is
all about.
|
THE INDOMITABLE PATRIOT Fertig, The Guerrilla General
Doc Riojas Comment: Once i started reading this book, i have find myself hard to putting it down! because of my very old age (84 yr old eyes and at the end of being able to correct my vision) I find that the way the paragraphs are other important text are spaced to be extremly easy to read.
Having retired from the Navy and traveled to that part of the orient reminds me of my days as a guerrilla combatant as part of the Navy SPecial Warfare serving as a Navy SEAL in the Jungles of Vietnam.
The author is equally as good a military writter as Tom Clancy. This story may possibly be material for a great movie similar to the the movie produced about the POW rescue in WWII by Filipino Guerilla fighters and the U.S. Army Rangers. "The Great Raid"
Do not wait to buy it tomorrow, order it today ! It was recommended to me by CDR R.D. Thomas (recommended for the Medal of Honor by the US Army, but our politically correct US Navy downgraded it to a Navy Cross. SHame on them !
The Master Divers Reunion
2013clickon this link for info
PHOTOS: 17-20 OCT 2012 ASR/ARS reunion
seattle
wash
"yours for the
taking"
The pictures in the link below
and:
Erasmo "Doc" Riojas Challenge
Coin: too bad they could not Place a star on the "C.A.R."
which
is the 1st ribbon, the 2nd
is the Vietnam War, and the blue .3d. ribbon
is awarded for the Korea Police Action. Purchased from: www.wholesale-challengecoins.com
1 (877) 870
Master Diver Reunion 2015 Panama City Florida
Piggy Banks and Paul Walker
My best friend, LT. Jim Hazelwood, Master Diver, SEAL, sent me the book BLOW ALL BALLAST by Nat. A. Barrows; Dodd, Mead & Co. NY 1940 . Thank you very much Jim. Great book. All of the pictures and other graphics and important information in that book are included here.
Jim wrote me: " This book gives a great account of Salvage of USS Squalus SS-192. Includes the Deep Sea Divers names, and the Squalus survivors names. Only one diver (then a GM2) , John Malcomb "Punchy" Porter failed to be commissioned during their career. John was at one time the all Navy boxing heavyweight. At the Bikini atoll in 1946, "Punchy" was a GMC Master Diver aboard the USS Widgeon ASR-1. The Widgeon salvaged the USS Skipjack SS-184 that was sunk by the "Baxer Day", a bomb blast."
"Doc" Riojas comments:
Jim, thank you for that bit of Naval Diving history. I do not recall a diving salvage operation as succesfull as this one. I think the Russians had a chance to outdo the Squalus salvage but for resons not explained, they left their men to die at the bottom of the North Sea. Jim you are one of my heroes. You have seen the "white elephant," been there and done that all over the world. I respect you, salute you and wish you the very best in your life. Tu Amigo, Erasmo "Doc" Riojas(SEAL) ; DSDS, class 4/55 . UDT Class-19 (Honorary.)
Aug. 1, 2013 - 03:50PM
picture of Dusty and myself was taken early spring of 1975 not 93-94, we were both retired then and the MK1 DDS was scraped in 76-77. Bo
Four sailors to fight punishment tied to diving deaths
Dr. George Bond and Chief Engineman Cyril Tuckfield following record buoyant ascent in 1959
The 120 foot lock was not used for Submarine Escape because of exposure to that pressure would require decompression before reaching the surface. Instructors at the tank were trained to do free ascents from 100 ft and to free dive to 100ft and a proper entry was made into their service records. UDT divers were trained from 100 ft in very small groups so that the bottom time at that depth would not require decompression and could ascend directly to the surface doing a "blow and go" method of sub escape.
How Deep-sea Rescue
Works
by Charles W. Bryant
Sub
Escape using the Momsen Lung, Do RIo was an instructor at the Subase Pearl
Harbor, at the TANK and went through this training before becoming an
instructor. He was also made to graduate from the tank's SCUBA School that
was run by Master Diver Bob Sheats. Bob wrote a book: One
Man's War: Diving as a Guest of the Emperor 1942 by Robert
C. Sheats (Oct 1, 1998)
Dr. George F. Bond
Dr. Bond and Cyril Tuckerfield , Record Open sea buoyant ascent
Strange Deep-Sea Diving Suits
Go to the Navy Memorial Web Page and search "Doc's" name in the Navy Log . Doc Clark is a graduate of Deep Sea Diving School, USNav Gun Factory D.C. We need a picture of him in a MKV diving rig.
Lou Boyles (DV) (SEAL)
Email: dtd 26APR2013
From:Lou Boyles via cableone.net
To: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
I was looking through your Diving page on your site. I saw many of my Friends
& ex-Friends on there. I went through 2 nd class diving school on the Coucal
in about 1957 in Japan. I was in UDT-11 then. I worked for Taylor Diving &
Salvage with a lot of those Guys on your page. Good times.
Lou Boyles
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From: Lou Boyles via cableone DOT net
To: Doc Riojas
Date: 26Apr2013Subj: Hard Hat DV photos
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Hi Doc,
I happened to have a couple of small Diving photos on hand. In the B&W photo you cannot
see my face but, that is me on the stage making my deep 2nd class qual dive off of Atami, Japan. Diving off
of the Coucal ASR-8 in 1957 I think it was. My good Friend Jim Trotter was a first class Quartermaster
& first class diver on there then. I also attached 3 color shots of me preparing to dive the ‘Jim suit’ in
England. I was working for Oceaneering out of Aberdeen, Scotland then. I was training to be
Supertendent
for our Jim & Wasp division. We had run out of Hyperbaric welding contracts at the time. That was my specialty.
Take care my Friend,
Lou
MMCS(DV) Ret., Louis “TJ” Trujillo, R.I.P.
It is with great sadness that our brother and shipmate MMCS(DV) Ret., Louis “TJ” Trujillo was called last night, Saturday, April 20, 2013,
at 1945 hours to serve the Supreme Master Diver in the Sky. I received a phone call from both Joe Medina and Fernando Lugo.
TJ had been treated for asbestosis and fibrosis on his lungs. TJ was a fighter and fought to the end. I was fortunate
to visit with TJ on Thursday. TJ’s wife, Vy, his daughter, Christina, and granddaughter,
Adrianna who came from New Mexico. They stayed at TJ’s bedside until his
death.
All Navy Divers send out their most sincere condolences and prayers to TJ’s wife
Vy, daughter Christina, and granddaughter Adrianna and all the Trujillo family.
LUIS TRUJILLO, HIS NICKNAME WAS "TJ"
THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT, THEY WERE TAKING SHRAPNEL OUT OF HIS BODY FOR NUMEROUS HOURS, (8 - 12??)
HE HAD SPECIAL TENNIS SHOES AND SHOES MADE THAT HAD ABOUT A 4" SOLE. HE ALWAYS PARTICIPATED ON THE DAILY RUNS, SWIMMING, AND WAS QUALIFIED AS A SATURATION DIVER.
(I THINK THE DOCTORS RESTRICTED HIS DEEPEST SAT. DEPTH TO 300')
HE STILL HAD SO MUCH SHRAPNEL LEFT IN HIM THAT WE USE TO SAY IF WE GOT A BIG MAGNET WE COULD PICK HIM UP.
THANK YOU, Frank de la Oliva
Wife Vi and Daugher
Photos from Frank de la Oliva
Dan Miller, Deep Sea Diver, U.S. Navy Veteran
Danny and I served aboard the USS SKYLARK (ASR-20) 50 years ago when the USS THRESHER sank during her shakedown cruise off the shores of Maine. Danny was a Deep Sea Diver. Danny visited Doc Riojas 12April2013 while in Houston to watch his horse race at the Houston race track the next day.
Lowell Inman Jr.
This
was Doc Riojas 1st Diving duty station right out of DSDS in 1955.
From here to the USS Coucal (ASR-8) made one West Pac tour of duty.
Hyrum "Hank" Mullikin, Master DIver, R.I.P.
USS SKYLARK 1964 to 1965 Ernest Fratz(DV)
Hello
Doc Riojas,
I saw an email coment on a Navy Divers Association reunion page about your service aboard the USS Skylark. My father also served on the Skylark as a diver around 1964 to 1965 and he was also on the USS Fulton. His name is Ernest Fratz I have attached a couple pictures of him. Do you remember him at all?
Thanks,
Ernest Fratz Jr. Richmond, Texas
Ernest Fratz <efratz51
[at] gmail DOT com> wrote:
Hi Doc, Attached are two pictures of my father back when he was stationed on the Skylark around 1964 & 1965. Thanks for looking at them. He was in a diving accident on the boat. It involved a gas/air mixture problem on a deep dive. He had to be placed in a decompression chamber for several days. it messed up one of his lungs and he had to give up diving after the accident. He went to QA/QC school for welding and did that type of work until he got his 20 yrs in and then retired out of San Diego in 1970. Happy New year! Ernie Fratz
Mr Fratz, I was on the U.S.S. Fulton for about 6 months in 1961 and was transfered to the Skylark in January of 1962. I remained ther until my discharge on August of 1963. I think your father must have served on the Skylark after I was discharged. He does look familiar to me, I wonder if he was on the Fulton when I was on the Skylark?
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Hi Doc Riojas,
Thanks again for posting the pictures and adding the write up on my father. When i first looked at it it did not have the write up. I must have saw it right after you added the pictures.
It looks great now and thank you very much. My brother also likes it as well. My father liked Diving very much and the people he worked with.
He use to hang out Bill (SilverFox) Lucree. They were drinking buddies and good friends. One of Bill LuCree's daughters was born the day after me. We would visit each others families many times over the years.
Jim Tallent was another old Navy buddy my father knew from Solomons Island (Patuxent River) back in late 50's early 60's. I think you were stationed or were at Pax River in Solomons, Md at one time. Do you remember the old bar across from the base? It was run by a guy named Robbie Robinson.
When we moved to Southern Maryland back in 1971 we lived across the street from the Robinsons and have been good friends ever since.
Well take care of yourself and have a happy and great new year 2013.
Ernie Fratz Jr.
WEBMASTER NOTE:
Thank you Ernie Jr. NO, I do not remember that Bar
because when we did our deep open sea dives at SOLOMON ISLANDS we did
not have any liberty. We were stuck on the 5
boat. Doc Riojas , then was HM2, class
4/55 DSDS
Diving Deep into Danger
Saturation Diving
The New York Review of Books
FEBRUARY 7, 2013 Nathaniel Rich
On Wed, Jul 18, 2012
Danny Miller : djm81042 [at] yahoo DOT com
Doc Riojas,
I may be
mistaken but when I ran across your picture in " Together we served" I thought I recognized you from my days in
the Navy. We always called you Doc on the ship and when I saw your name I got a smile on my face from the
memories of those days past.
I served on the USS Skylark in 62 and 63. and was Danny Miller EM 2nd class, DV-2 and was over the electrical department when I was discharged. You actually patched up my smashed left hand , it was caught under a wire lifting cable at about 120' trying to pick up 5 ton, and the hand still works great. Good job.
I was in Little Creek ,Va. with UDT Team 21 for Demo training in the fall of 61 ( part of DV 2 training at Norfolk) . I was then sent to the Fulton and shortly after to the Skylark. I have lost track of all friends from the Skylark and remember my close friend P. O. McClean leaving the ship to go to DV 2 school in early 63.
If you remember me ( and I don't know why you would) I would love to
hear from you. Glad to see you were a SEAL.
Danny J. Miller
Dr. Robert C. Bornmann; Submarine/Diver Medical, Officer U.S. Navy
via docrio45 [at] gmail DOT com
to NmccJeanaAquad., NMCharlie, NMJim, NMJan, NMAndré In the summer of
1954 Charles Aquadro and two other graduates, Eugene Mayberry and Henry
Long, of the University of Tennessee Medical School in Memphis were
ordered to Navy duty under instruction at the Naval School, Deep Sea
Divers, in the Washington DC Navy Yard. Although contemporaries and
acquaintances they were not , because of the Tennessee practice of
running classes on a quarter system, strictly classmates. At DSDS their
mentor and intructor was Ed Lanphier from the Navy Experimental Diving
Unit. Assignments after training were: Aquadro to Underwater Demolition
Unit One in San Diego [comprised of UDT-11, -12 and -13], Mayberry to
UDT-21 in Norfolk, and Long to the Salvage School in Bayonne NJ.
After his tour of Navy service Henry Long went into private practice in
Tennessee. Eugene Mayberry entered a residency in Internal Medicine at
the Mayo Clinic and stayed on there afterwards, rising to CEO of the
Clinic before his retirement a few years ago. Charlie Aquadro went on to
a varied career in the Navy, then worked with Jacques Cousteau in
Monaco, and with TAP Pryor in Honolulu before entering private practice
in North Carolina. Charlie always viewed Lanphier as his mentor. He tele-phoned
regularly to discuss diving subjects and problems. Whenever Aquadro was
in DC or later Buffalo he would drop by Ed's lab to continue these
conversations face-to-face.
Ed Lanphier was the perfect guide for these young JGs. His knowledge of
the field of undersea medicine was extensive, his energy and enthusiasm
were infectious, and the three were for him a training field for the
Manual on SCUBA medicine that he was working on - which was ultimately
published as part of the Navy Diving Manual. In every phase of his
career Ed Lanphier's intelligence and drive made him stand out. This was
true of his early training at the Loyola University college of medicine,
his fellowship at Penn, his work while on active duty in the Navy, his
years at SUNY Buffalo school of medicine; and that part of his career
after he trained for the priest-hood in the Episcopal Church and became
professor at the University of Wisconsin. [He told me once that upon
entering his seminary he felt, after wandering for many years, that he
had at last come back home.]
Ed's name, Lanphier, was not French, as I had originally surmised, but
Welsh. It comes from a long Welsh place name which begins LLANFAIR, and
refers to the Church of St Mary there. In my church hymnal is an Easter
song set to an old Welsh melody entitled "Llanfair". The words
begin, "Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!" Ed died in
1999 in Madison WI, and those words express well, I think, how Ed felt
about his life.
Robert C Bornmann
Dr. Bornmann was educated at : Medical School University of Pennsylvania
YDT-16 / MK1-DDS / HCU-2
Setting world record for open sea dive - 1148 feet
Photos
by: Tudor ApMadoc
William
"Dusty" Rhoads
From:WILLIAM RHODES
To: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
Subj: Mark I System Deep Dive sets a record
Doc,
Yes,spent two years upgrading the.electrical,communications and all the PTC connectors.
The Mark 1 system was only designed to dive 850 feet and we wanted
to dive over a 1000' , so it required a lot of changes.
I worked normally 16 hours a day,
7 days a week to make it possible. I never felt that I was credited for all the work I did
<br>to make the world record dive possible.
Yes Bo was with me and he put in a lot of extra time in also. We had two of
the less than magnificent Warrant officers and the best Master diver (Joe Bates), that ever served in the Navy while I was with the Mark 1 System.
W."Dusty" Rhodes
Lowell "Bo" Burwell
Reference: http://www.apmadoc.net/Photos/navy/Main.html
MDV
Joe Bates
Erasmo (Doc) Riojas first
Diving Duty Station was the Submarine Escape Training Tank at Pearl Harbor,
territory of Hawaii in 1955.
We were teaching "boat sailors" the
Momsen Lung (see above photo) at that time. All training was from the 50 foot
Lock.
Doc Riojas made two SEAL Team Two Trips on the USS SEALION SSAP-315 doing sub
lockouts using the MKVI
Oxygen-Nitrogen breathing SCUBA.
The McCann Sub.rescue bell
carried by the ASRs ships of the Submarine Fleet.
Don and I were divers aboard the USS SKylark (ASR-20)
back in the ~1960's
Lowell
"Doc""BO" Burwell; they are on the deep dive record
setting operation photo by Tudor ApMadoc
Dona
Tobias, First WOMAN USNavy Deep Sea Diver
Steven
Sagri
Navy Divers Reunion 2012,
Details
HERE !
BREMERTON,
WASHINGTON
Liberace & Jake
SubEscape Tank New London Conn.
SubEscape Tank Pearl Harbor
Homer "Doc" Marshall DSDS Class
Bob Barth Bldg
Frank
J. Sparks
BobbyHodges,
Doc Edgerton
Holly, Doc
Rio and Green
SubEscape Tank Pearl Harbor
divers, YN3 Gamble and __________
SubEscape Tank Murals by Doc Riojas
Jim Ernest and Erasmo Riojas
July
1958, Panama City FL, USS SeaLion (APSS-315) Lt to Rt.: J.V. Markoskie, CO
Sealion; John Muckle, Ron Yeaw, Jim Wallace, Fred Toothman, LTjg Schutzman,
Pete Girard, Joe Silva, Ron Rogers, Dr. R. Lee; sitting: Lt-Rt: Erasmo
Riojas, Mike Mc Wuillis, Blackiston, Jerry Waters.
Watson,
Charles R. YN1, 2nd Class DV
From:Charles Watson
To: Doc Riojas
Subject: Picture of me in the MKV rig
Rio, I am sorry, but I do not have a picture of me in the Deep Sea Diving
Rig.
Enclosed is my 2nd Class DV certificate.
I wasn't a lst class DV, but I don't know of any lst Class DV that stayed submerged for 2 days and 2 nights.
LOL.
Too bad we never talked over a few beers.
Charlie
Bro,
I and Gallagher, Tinnin & Moak, broke world record in 1959 at the swim pool in NOB (Aqua-lung).
I ended up as centerfold in Life magazine.
Captain Olson was XO at Team 21 and supervised. He recently had an
article reprinted in the "Blast".
(A few months ago, don't you read the Blast? Then I and a bunch of other guys
spent 18 hrs. in a pool at Johnsvile, Pa, prior to doing time on the centrifuge. Was testing strength related to
space weightlessness for astronauts.
Charlie Watson
This pre-World War II (WWII) film profiles the Submarine Training School at New London Connecticut. Features footage of the R4 (R-4) and R11 (R-11) both R-1 class diesel submarines.
submitted by : "Jack" Barnes email: edsabarnes [at]att
DOT net WEBMASTER
NOTE: Erasmo "Doc Rio" Riojas graduated from U.S.Naval Diving School
in Wash.DC in 1955 and was immediately assigned to The Escapte Training Tank at
the SUBASE, Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii. We were still
teaching submarine escape using the MOMSEN LUNG. That device was replaced by the
STEINKE HOOD which is not a rebreathing apparatus. Sub. Trainees exhale
all the way to the surface inside the HOOD by shouting "Ho Ho Ho" all
the way to the surface of the escape tank.
Joe
Bataes MDV
Bobby G. Hodges
Born:
March 24, 1929
Died:
October 16, 2005
Memorialized by:
Fulton-Theroux
Funeral Service, New London, CT
New London- Bobby G. Hodges, 76, of Bank St., died Sunday, October 16, 2005 at Mariner at Pendleton in Mystic.
Mr. Hodges was born on March 24, 1929 in Littlefield, TX the son of Guy
and Alice Martin Hodges. He served in the U.S. Navy serving in Korea
before being Honorably Discharged after 20 years of service as a Chief
Boatswain Mate , Diver First Class.
He was the owner of Ernie’s Café on Bank St. for the last 33 years, a friend to everyone he met. He was a member of the AsrArs Assn, Elks Club, Shriners, The Moose Club, VFW, The Polish-American Veteran’s Club, The Navy League, Chamber of Commerce, Democratic Town Committee, “Old Bastard’s Club”, and was a 32nd Degree Mason.
Mr. Hodges is survived by his two son’s Robert Hodges of New London
and William Wydra of Ledyard, his six daughters Roxanna Ackerman of
Ohio, Lola Holden of IL, Regina Seidel of Oakdale, Glenna Hodges of
Oakdale, Ramona Hodges of Niantic, and Chrysta Wydra of Ledyard, 14
Grandchildren, 8 Great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild.
A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2005 at 10:00am
in Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home, 181 Ocean Ave., New London, CT 06320.
Interment will follow in Raymond Hill Cemetery. Calling Hours will he
held on Friday from 2:00 until 4:00pm and again at 7:00 until 9:00pm in
the funeral home.
Bobby, you will be missed by all your Deep Sea Diving Shipmates. Especially Jim Noble, Hank Mullikin, Erasmo Riojas of the USS SKYLARK (ASR-20), and the ASR-ARS Assn members.
Ernie
Caltenback
U.S. NAVY DIVERS Web Site
John Roat , Navy SEAL, Commercial Diver: Web site
May 2009 Master Diver's Reunion Photos from Frank de la Oliva
M.D.V. Reunion Photos from Ernie Caltenbach
Shaun
Flynn
x
SUBMARINE RESCUE OPERATION VIDEO: Official USNavy Movie
Erasmo "Doc" Riojas served as ship's company on two ASR's: USS Coucal (ASR-8) Pearl harbor, T.H. (before it was a state)I made one West Pacific cruise, and we endured a severe storm crossing the Pacific; and aboard the USS SYLARK (ASR-20) berthed at State Pier, New London, Conn. SubRon-10 way back in the 1960's. I made two Mediterranean Cruises on the Skylark. Survived one severe storm going to Europe. It was so severe it caused cracks on the forward fresh water tanks. We spend extra time in Rota, Spain for repairs.
Linda
C. Hubbell
USS
Grayback Memorial USArmy
COmbat Swimmer Badge
Fernando Lugo and Mike Jackson
USS
COUCAL ASR-8 home port Pearl Harbor Territory of Hawaii
Erasmo
"Doc" Riojas
Aboard
the USS Coucal ASR-8 and the USS Skylark ASR-20, I was the independent duty
Corpsman. I was also the Medical Diving Tech (HM-8493). Each Diver had his
diving folder in the Dive Locker. The "Doc" was the man
designated by the Diving Officer (usually the XO) to type the diving forms for
diving pay. We got paid for each dive we made and for Five Cents for
each foot we went under. We also got $55.00 a month Diving Pay if we were
assigned to a Navy Diving Billet.
USS
Coucal ASR-8 Major Events in Which Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
participated
submitted by Mike Heiney
1st Class DV
LT. Jim Hazelwood's Last Duty Station on a Navy Diving Ship
Two great men, Navy SEALs, and Deep Sea Divers: James hazelwood & Harold Nething
Jim was my very dear friend, SEAL Teamate, and also Deep Sea Diving shipmate. He passed on so much of his history of which I am so very proud of all his accomplishments in his Naval Career. A true U. S. Navy Hero. I miss him dearly. Doc Riojas
Decommissioning Ceremony USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) 29 Sep 94' Norfolk Nav.Base Norfolk VA
click on photos to enlarge:
There is a port of no return, where ships May ride at anchor for a little space And then, some starless night, the cable slips, Leaving an eddy at the morring place...Gulls, veer no longer. Sailor, rest your oar. No tangled wreckage will be washed ashore. by: Leslie Nelson Jennings
Kittiwake's Commanding Officers
LT L. H. COLLIER 1946 - 1948
LTT. C. HURST 1948- 1950
LT W. K. WILSON 1950 - 1952
LTP. P. ROGERS 1952- 1954
LT T. E. COLBURNE 1954 - 1954
LCDRW.D.BUCKEE 1954-1956
LCDRW.H.HIBBS 1956- 1958
LCDR W. M. SCOTT 1958 - 1960
LCDR P.O. POWELL 1960 - 1962
LCDR R. E. KUTZLEB 1962 - 1964
LCDR G. R. LANGFORD 1964 - 1966
LCDR H. H. SCRANTON 1966 - 1968
LCDR R. F. JAMES 1968 - 1970
LCDR W. J. MULLALY 1970 - 1971
LCDR S. MCNEASE 1971 - 1974
CDR F. K. DUFFY 1974 - 1977
CDR F. M. SCHERY 1977 - 1979
CDRP. F. FAWCETT 1979- 1981
CDRT.J.MARTIN 1981-1983
CDR R. J. NORRIS 1983 - 1985
CDRT.J.ERWIN 1985-1988
CDR J. S. TROTTER 1988 - 1991
CDRW.J.STEWART 1991-1993
CDR S. N. ZEHNER 1993 - 1994
USS KITTIWAKE COMMISSIONED 18 JULY 1946 THE COMMISSIONING PENNANT
Upon the order "Break the commissioning pennant," a ship becomes the responsibility of the Commanding Officer, who, together with the ship's officers and men, have the duty of making her ready for any service required by our nation, whether in peace or at war.
For centuries the commissioning pennant has been the symbol of a man-of-war. It is believed to date from the 17th century, when the Dutch were at war with the English. Dutch Admiral Harpertzoon Tromp hoisted a broom at his masthead to symbolize his intention to sweep the English from the sea. This gesture was answered by British Admiral William Blake, who hoisted a horsewhip indicating his intention to chastise the Dutch. The victorious British thus set the precedent for a long, narrow commissioning pennant to symbolize the original horsewhip as the distinctive symbol of a ship of war.
The modem U.S. Navy commissioning pennant is blue at the hoist with a union of seven white starts, and a horizontal red and white stripe at the fly.
DECOMMISSIONING CEREMONY
29 SEPTEMBER 1994
Navy tradition dictates that each ship constructed for the service be honored on four historic ceremonial occasion: Keel-laying, christening (or launching), commissioning, and decommissioning. The decommissioning ceremony is the time-honored ceremony which terminates the ship's active naval service.
The ceremony today ends the active service of USS KITTIWAKE. It is a tribute to this workhorse warrior and the long line of rugged crew members, past and present, who served faithfully on her decks. Following 48 years of continuous, honorable, commissioned service, the order will be given to "Strike the commissioning pennant and secure the watch." For the final time, the commissioning pennant, ensign and union jack will be hauled down and the crew assembled on the pier. The fourth oldest U.S. Navy ship in continuous active service will have decommissioned.
OFFICERS
CDR S. N. ZEHNER
LCDR X. Z. HERRINGTON II
LT A. A. SMITH III
LT R. T. WINFIELD
LTJG E. S. HUNTER
CWO2 S. H. CLAYTON
COMMANDING OFFICER
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
NAVIGATOR
ENGINEER
SUPPLY OFFICER
FIRST LIEUTENANT
ENCMS (SWIMDV) EVANS
COMMAND MASTER CHIEF
CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS
BMCS(SW/DV)
RYDER
DCC(SW) BURKE
HTC(SWIDV) KELLY
SKCS(SW) DELOSTRINOS
EMC(SW) WILLIAMS
HTC(SW/DV) BAXTER
EMC(SWIDV) DRYDEN
ENCS(SW) DATIG
RMC(SW) LAMBERT
BMC(DV) LAMBERTSEN
HTC(SWIDV) MIKULSKI
CREW
FR M.J. ALARCON
EN2 S.L. ARNOLD
BM1(SWIDV) G.D. BRANDON
RM2 D.K. CASTO
HT2(SW).J.H. CULBERTSON
HT2(SW) ER. DURKIN
YNl ED. FITZGERALD
HM1(SW) J.L. HALL
M53 D.L. JOHNSON
ET3 T.T. LAWRENCE
QM3(SW) T.G. MCMILLAN
GMGl(SW) R.A. MURRAY
BM2(SW) M.P. NELSON
SKSN P.J. ORELLANA
SN C.M. PETERSEN
EN1(SW) D.B. RINEHART
EN3 T.C. SCHNEIDER
ICFN I.E SOMOSKY
SN D.W. SPRINGER
RM1(SW) B.J. THOMPSON
EN1(SW) D.N. WALKER
DC2 A.A. WILLIS
SN R.L. WYNN
BM3(SW/SS/DV) J.J. ANDERSON
EN2(DV) S.P. BAIN
DC l(SW) J.D. BUSSARD
EN3 W. CLEMONS
GMG3 R.L. DONN
EN2(DV) G.D. ELLEDGE
MM1(DV/SS) K.J. GEST
EN3(SW) J.W. HARTKE
5H2 L.M. JOHNSON
EM3 J.L. LUCE
EN E MESSINA
HM2(SWIDV) D.D. MURRAY
EM2 W.S. NOAKES
0S3 D.W. PARKER
EN2 B.D. PIERCE
SN T.L. ROSS
BM1(SW) I.L. SMITH
YN3 M.D. SPERLING
SN R.M. STOKES
MS1 D.E. THOMPSON
RM3 B.J. WARFORD
PN1 I. WOODS
BM2(SWIDV) J.S. ANNON
EM 1(SW) A.L. BOND
BM3 A.E. CAINES
ET2 R.D. CROSBY
SN G.M. DRAPER
RM3 R.A. EMANUELSON
EM3(SW) D.E. GROVER
IC 1(SW) A.A. JOHNSON
EN3 M.T. KELLER
EMl(SW) T.M. MCCULLOUGH
MR2(SW) T.G. MINGS
EM3 J.L. NAVARRET~E
ET3 B.T. NUNLEY
M53 M.W. PARKER
SN I. RAUF
1C2(SW) F.E. SCHAEFER
BM2 E.W. SMITH
SN B.J. SPRING
0S3 R.B. STUBER
MSSN D.R. TUCKER
SN E.L. WATERS
M52 C. WRIGHT
Mi Vida Loca - Copyright ©1998 - All Right Reserved
LT. James "Jim" Hazelwood(SEAL)
Dela and Jim's home in Gladys VA. |
Veteran 'didn't want a lot of hoopla'
By Ron Brown / Lynchburg News & Advance June 5, 2004
Jim Hazelwood believed that service to his country was a duty. Fanfare was a matter of choice. So it seems fitting that he will be buried today in a quiet ceremony at the Carwile Family Cemetery in Gladys.
The 85-year-old veteran of three American wars died earlier this week from complications from a stroke. "He didn’t want a lot of hoopla," said his son, Tom. "He just felt like he was one person among many who have served their country. If there was going to be a fuss over him, he felt that there should be a fuss made over all vets."
That type of humility, coupled with quiet strength, is what endeared him to his family, friends and fellow veterans. "He was a warrior," his son said. Hazelwood’s military record reads like a chronicle of distinguished service awards.He was a survivor of Pearl Harbor and was wounded during the sinking of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in World War II during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
As a Navy diver, he was wounded while placing two markers on the beach before the Marine landing at Iwo Jima. He fought again in Korea and Vietnam. He also served on diving teams that provided splashdown rescue for astronauts on NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space missions.
He won the Silver Star and was awarded two Purple Hearts as a result of his combat experiences. In his own understated way, he once summed up his military record like this: "My greatest accomplishment is being a survivor of 32 years of hard Navy service." Terry L. Jamerson, who met him about a decade ago at the Lynchburg Area Detachment Marine Corps League, viewed his record much more generously. "As part of our ‘Greatest Generation,’ he was a leader among men and a true American hero that may never receive the recognition he deserves from all of us," Jamerson said.
Those who knew him believe Hazelwood wouldn’t have had it any other way."He didn’t brag," said Ben Brenneman, who met Hazelwood in the late 1980s as they both rode with the Lynchburg Bicycle Club when Hazelwood was well into his 70s.Some said Hazelwood was going on 25-mile bicycle rides as he approached the age of 80.
Jamerson said that persona fits with the aura of a Navy Seal, which Jamerson said is among America’s fighting elite."Most Marines look up to Navy Seals as being tougher than we are," Jamerson said. But it was on the home front where Hazelwood’s toughness shone through as he helped his wife of 59 years, Della, fight the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease.
It was in that battle that Hazelwood consummated his reputation as a warrior and the embodiment of the Marine’s motto."Semper Fi," Jamerson said. "Always faithful." »
Contact Ron Brown at rbrown@newsadvance.com or (434) 385-5542.
Doc
Riojas NOTE: I spoke with my Friend, Tom Hazelwood, Jim's son about
obtaining a picture of Jim in USNAvy Dress uniform. I never got it, but that's
OK. Tom said that Jim had a stroke, was taken to the hospital and the next day
he died. Della, Jim's wife suffers from the advanced stages of Alzheimer's
Disease and he was her primary care giver. I understand their daughter will
continue taking care of her mother Della. I last sat and chatted with Jim at the
UWSS reunion at Little Creek Va. May 2002. He looked great. He said he was still
doing a little P.T. every morning.
LCDR JAMES ROY HAZELWOOD (SEAL)(MDV)
by: Franklin Anderson
From The Blast 3d Quarter 2003
I would like to provide additional information on LCDR JAMES ROY HAZELWOOD. Previously, I had submitted a Wake Island Detachment Photo and Called Chief Hazelwood ‘ROY". That was what be was referred to in UDT-1 1 UNLESS IT WAS CHIEF. I had the pleasure of having Master Chief Hazelwood as my Platoon Chief and as Jim Barnes said "he was a Horse".
When Chief Hazelwood first came to Team 11, his reputation preceded him. He was known; for going shark hunting with "power heads", and was fearless. Another story was that he was diving in the Caribbean and found a Rolex watch that was encrusted with coral. He corresponded with Rolex, thinking they would really jump on the promotion of their product, since it started running as soon as he shook it. Rolex - in a nonchalant way said that "all of our products will perform like that" or something to that effect. As previously stated Chief Hazelwood was in my Platoon and he went with me to do Cable repairs at Wake Island (Photo previously submitted).
Upon our return, the Navy came out with a program for Chiefs with 18 years or more, could apply for a commission. I encouraged "Roy" to apply and also gave him an outstanding endorsement. We submitted the application and then departed for Kwajalein for another Cable Job. While there many incidents happened that I believe you will enjoy. Chief Hazelwood was a Master Diver and a physical Horse—he always ran wherever he went and prided himself in his abilities both mental and physical.
While at Kwajalein Island proper, we worked long hours blowing channels and laying the cable. We also conducted Aqua Lung classes for some of the people with the installation. We had a couple of engineers who were always trying to trip up the Chief (who was our senior Instructor). One evening the Chief was going thru some Diving Physics and equations. These engineers immediately hopped on the Chief about the math portion. "Roy", paused like he was baffled and them slowly and diligently went thru a long formulation and made their jaws pop—Roy was self-educated and was a Whiz at Math, Geometry and Calculus.
Needless to say-from that point on the Class paid close attention and were very grateful for his expertise. There also were a couple more incidents that were memorable—LT ANDERSON (OINC) and LTJG Harry Mackenzie lived in quarters some distance from the men’s barracks and we had a 4X4 for transportation. One morning we went out and all four tires were Flat. Lt Sorenson (cousin to PRESIDENT KENNEDY’S SPEECH WRITER) asked if we would like a ride to the UDT Barracks—We said sure— We rode up and all at once everybody was after SN Gerald Berg and SN Ted Matheson to pay up. It seems that Matheson and Berg had been taking bets that we would walk to work. It was obvious who had let the air out of the tires. I turned to the Chief and said, " I’ll let you handle those energetic Seamen". Chief Hazelwood, found a hand-Tire pump and made them pump up the four tires to 35 lbs. That was quite a chore and a valuable lesson.
The other incident was off the Island of Aniwetoc (not the Atom Bomb Island), and we were laying explosive. The Chief was always a perfectionist and ready to go, his diving partner was James Pahia. Pahia was slower in getting ready and The Chief was already in the water- He submerged and was down just a short duration when he popped to the surface and "Stepped on the Bow of the LCM", He was speechless and looked at Pahia-who was still standing on the ramp. He walked over and punched him in the Arm. After a few minute he compose himself- he explained that he was under the LCM and something bumped him hard on the arm, he thought it was Pahia. It happened again and he turned and saw about a 20 foot Great White Shark.
The Chief received his orders for Knife and Fork school, and had to depart before the job was completed, but he was always impeccable and dedicated to his duties. He received orders to a ship and then to the East Coast.
We were going thin Parachute Training at Fort Benning and Ens. Hazelwood was going thru at the same time—He had to get a waiver because of his age. However, he out performed many of the younger men. James Roy Hazelwood’s brother was going through Jump Training at the same time (Army) and he was going to quit. Roy told him that isn’t the Hazelwood tradition and really chewed him out. They both graduated.
This was during the time that President Kennedy was assassinated. They bunched up three classes to make up the delay in the schedule – They had jump with over 20 knots of wind and jumpers scattered all over the place. However, all the Frogs completed the jump without incident. UDT-11 Robbie Robinson was Honor Man of the Class and "Roy Hazelwood received special recognition for being one of the Oldest in the Class.
USS Lexington CV2 (Originally CC-1), 1927-1942
USS Lexington, a 33,000-ton aircraft carrier, was converted while under construction from the battle cruiser of the same name. Built at Quincy, Massachusetts, and commissioned in December 1927, Lexington was one of the U.S. Navy's first two aircraft carriers that were large and fast enough to be capable of serious fleet operations. During the late 1920s, through the 1930s and into the early 1940s, she took an active part in the development of carrier techniques, fleet doctrine and in the operational training of a generation of Naval Aviators.
displacement: 41,000
tons
length: 888 feet
beam: 105½ feet
draft: 32 feet
speed: 34¼ knots
complement: 2,122 crew
armament: 8 eight-inch and 12
five-inch guns
aircraft: 81
My friend and shipmate, Jim Hazelwood was an enlisted man in the U.S. Navy during WWII. He was ship’s company on the USS Lexington when it came under attack attack by several Japanese torpedo bombers as described in the book, "Queen of the Flat-Tops." Jim’s battle station was atop the ship’s island about 60 feet above the flight deck. Around the upper rim of the island was a catwalk with a platforms for machine gun mounts. At 1121 hours the Lex was under attack by torpedo and dive bombers. All of the ship’s batteries were in action and the the blast of the second torpedo that struck Lex on her port side was almost inaudible because of the extreme noise of her weapons.
Jim was manning his 50 cal machine gun when a light bomb hit the Lex’s funnel. It exploded and kills and wounds several men on the catwalk. Moments later, the Zero dive bombers machine guns wounds and kills many more of the men around the catwalk. Jim told me about the sudden moaning eerie wail of the Lex’s steam siren. It seems that a jap bomb struck and kinked the metal tube in which the lanyard, operating the whistle from the bridge was housed. When the tube bent it pulled the lanyard tight causing the whistle to continue to hoot and moan until somebody turned off the steam to it.
The Japanese did not sink the Lex. They damaged her to a degree that secondary internal fires created an inferno that cooked off airplane fuel and some 20,000 pounds of torpedo war-head guncotton. The ship was abandoned because all resources to fight the fires and continue damage control were 100% out of commission. She became an internal infrerno. One of our Destroyers sank her with two torpedoes.
Jim Hazelwood, also told me that he had to swim away from the Lex which was drifting towards some of the men in the water. She drifted away and floated down wind leaving a stream of swimmers and loaded rafts strung out for nearly 1,000 yards. It is speculated that shark attacks were not reported probably because of the the repeated heavy explosions that may have scared the sharks away and also perhaps of the abundance of fish that were killed great distances from the Lex.
Jim Hazelwood found himself , by the grace of God, alive and swimming among his shipmates whose thoughts were, "we are only a 400 mile swim from Australia." The survivors were rescued by the Carrier and Destroyers that were part of that Task Force and from Australia were shipped back to the States. Jim had met the "White Elephant!" in the Battle of the Coral Sea, 7-8 May 1942.
In early May 1942, Lexington returned to the South Pacific in time to join USS Yorktown (CV-5) in successfully countering the Japanese offensive in the Coral Sea. On 7 and 8 May 1942 her planes helped sink the small Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho and participated in attacks on the large carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku. In turn, however, she was the target of Japanese carrier planes and received two torpedo and three bomb hits. Though initial damage control efforts appeared to be successful, she was racked by gasoline explosions in the early afternoon of 8 May. When the fires raged out of control, Lexington was abandoned by her crew and scuttled, the first U.S. aircraft carrier to be lost in World War II.
Lexington's task force sortie from Pearl Harbor 15 April, rejoiningTF 17 on 1 May 1942. As Japanese fleet concentrations threatening the Coral Sea were observed, Lexington and Yorktown moved into the sea to search for the enemy's force covering a projected troop movement the Japanese must now he blocked in their southward expansion, or sea communication with Australia and New Zealand would be cut, and the dominions threatened with invasion.
On 7 May search planes reported contact with an enemy carrier task force, and Lexington's air group flew an eminently successful mission against it, sinking light carrier Shoho. Later that day, 12 bombers and 15 torpedo planes from still unlocated heavy carriers Shokaku and Zuikoku were intercepted by fighter groups from Lexington and Yorktown, who splashed nine enemy aircraft.
On the morning of the 8th, a Lexington plane located Shoksku group; a strike was immediately launched from the American carriers, and the Japanese ship heavily damaged.
The enemy penetrated to the American carriers at 1100 and 20 minutes later a torpedo to port struck Lexington. Seconds later, a second torpedo hit to port directly abreast the bridge. At the same time, she took three bomb hits from enemy dive-bombers, producing a 7° list to port and several raging fires. By 1300 her skilled damage control parties had brought the fires under control and returned the ship to even keel; making25 knots, she was ready to recover her air group. Then suddenly Lexington was shaken by a tremendous explosion, caused by the ignition of gasoline vapors below, and again fire raged out of control. At 1508 Capt. Frederick C. Sherman, fearing for the safety of men working below, secured salvage operations, and ordered all hands to the flight deck. At 1707, he ordered,"abandon ship!" and the orderly disembarkation began, men going over the side into the warm water, almost immediately to be picked up by nearby cruisers and destroyers. Admiral Fitch and his staff transferred to cruiser Minneapolis, Captain Sherman and his executive officer, CDR. M. T. Seligman insured all their men were safe, then were the last to leave their ship.
Lexington blazed on, flames shooting hundreds of feet into the air. A destroyer closed to 1500 yards and fired two torpedoes into her hull, with one last heavy explosion, the gallant Lexington sank at 1956, in 15°20'S. 1oo°30' E. She was part of the price that was paid to halt the Japanese oversee empire and safeguard Australia and New Zealand, but perhaps an equally great contribution had been her pioneer role in developing the naval aviatorsand the techniques which played so vital a role in ultimate victory in thePacific.
Lexington received two battle stars for World War II service.
Sam's Ciechon photo taken in 1947 off China
11 Are Missing
Subject: More recent pictures of rig fire in the
Gulf Of Mexico
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:33:06 +0000
Tuesday’s Gulf of Mexico oil-rig explosion and subsequent sinking.
We got us a real Burner diving boys.... Thought you might want to see these
pictures.
About 20 miles from Blind Faith..The transocean horizon drill ship blew
up last night…. 11 still missing and 8 critically injured
…..supposedly!! They were working for BP.
The DEEPWATER HORIZON was drilling at MC 252 #1 in 4992 WD at BP’s
MACONDO prospect. The last scout report (below) had them fighting lost
circulation at 18260’.
Al Cooper
LWD(RLL,BATSON,PWD) @17173, M 14.1,NO SWC,9 7/8LNR @14759-17168,LOT
15.9,LWD(RLL,BATSON,GEOTAP,PWD) @18260,LOST CIRCW/14.4 MUD,C&C SPTTD
LCM
MACONDO is a 3 way fault trap amplitude play 4 Blks. Northeast of MC292
Gemini E. Prospect partners are: "BP 65%, Anadarko 25%, MOEX
Offshore 2007 LLC 10% (They were BP's partner in Will K, parent company
Mitsui). As the attached ppt shows, this was Texaco’s “Rigel”
prospect. Operated
ALL OF THE MISSING WERE ON THE DRILL FLOOR WHEN THEY RECEIVED A GAS KICK
FROM THE WELL WHICH EXPLODED. IT IS BELIEVED THAT ALL OF THEM (11)
EXPIRED AT THAT TIME.
THE RIG HAS SANK IN 5000 FSW AWAY FROM THE WELL HEADS.
THE SEARCH GOING ON IS A RECOVERY NOT A RESCUE.
REGARDS, BEAR
Photos compliment of Doc Ball
This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows fire
boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig
Deepwater Horizon Wednesday April 21, 2010. The Coast Guard by sea and
air planned to search overnight for 11 workers missing since a
thunderous explosion rocked an oil drilling platform that continued to
burn late Wednesday.
Hyrum B. "Hank" Mullikin MDV USN
May 23, 1925
Wyoming - Apr 11, 2010 Florida
"Hank"
died at home after a long battle against metastasis of cancer. On
Wednesday 14 April 2010, There will be a viewing 1500-1700 followed
by a ceremony for Hyrum "Hank" Mullikin MDV USN (ret) at The
Church of Jesus Christ of latter-Day Saints located at 1751 Sea lark
Lane,Florida (850)939-3035
Pensacola Naval Air Station,80 Harvey Road, Pensacola,Florida
(850)453-4108 or 4846
PRESCENCE OF THE MAN
By: Frank B. Mullikin
(son of Hyrum Mullikin)
04/13/2010
Although the presence of man is gone
The spirit of the man will always carry on
Eternal life is true
Living for ever
Just not here with you
What a joy it must be to feel no pain
Worry and strife no longer remain
You family and friends all show up for you
The trumpets sound
And a voice says let him through
The presence of the man approaches the throne
He is given only one order
Prepare a place
Those you left behind will soon be home.
Jim
Noble RIP
Shaun K. Flynn
Pat
Hudnall
MDV Joe Bates
Bruce
"Piggy" Banks, Bobby "Guinea" Vendetto, and David
"Doc" Ball
VN LDNN diver
Invitation to B/D party for
Master
Diver Charlie “The Silver Fox” Coggeshall
----- Original Message -----
From: Erasmo Riojas
To: Doug Coggeshall
Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2009 8:02 PM
Subject: Fwd: Charles M. Coggeshall : USN Master Diver -- SEALAB and EOD
: 2009-12-20
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Doug Coggeshall Date: Sun, Dec 20, 2009 at 4:03 PM
To: docrio45 [at] gmail.com
Subject: Charles M. Coggeshall : USN Master Diver -- SEALAB and EOD :
2009-12-20
Mr. "Doc" Riojas,
Good afternoon …
I discovered your website while searching for information regarding Ken
Wallace, former US Navy Diver, and president of Taylor Diving and
Salvage.
I was sad to learn of Ken Wallace’s passing.
My father, Charles M. Coggeshall, is a former US Navy Master Diver –
SEALAB II-III and EOD, who worked for Ken Wallace at Taylor Diving for
twenty years.
My dad’s eightieth birthday is this coming 22 February 2010 …
I like to give him a surprise birthday party. I will invite his former
Navy friends and colleagues to attend.
I noticed the names “Murray Cato”, “Shorty Long” at your
website. These two names my dad has mentioned before .
Could you forward this e-mail to Murray. Possibly post
an internet invitation to anyone who’s ever served or worked
with Charlie “The Silver Fox” Coggeshall. Ask them if they will
attend my dad’s surprise birthday party.
I’ve attached a couple of photos for your reference
BTW. I live in Dunedin, FL … which is due west of Tampa … just north
of St. Pete and Clearwater …
Thanks for your time !
Douglas A. Coggeshall
Email:
Douglas-A-Coggeshall [at] TampaBay.RR.com
for info.
Corpsmen
NEC: HM8492(Diver) & HM-8493
(Special Ops Tech)
Today, Jan 16 2007, I received a phone call from MCPO Roy Dean Matthews a retired U.S.Navy SEAL. He said, "Rio, you were a diver much longer than you were a Navy SEAL, why don't you post something about Divers? Okay Roy, here they are !
All UDT-SEAL are SCUBA Divers. They are Combat Swimmers but not Deepsea Divers (hardhat divers.) Some UDT - SEALs were both !
Master Divers Web Page
The (John) Roat Deal
The 1st Class Deepsea Diving School was at the U.S. Naval Gun Factory, Wash.
D.C. and the Salvage Diving School was at Bayonne N.J. There were many 2nd
Class Deepsea Diving Schools throughout the U.S. Navy Diving Navy. Diving
shore duty billets included both the Submarine Escape Training
Tanks in
New London Conn. and
Pearl Harbor Hawaii.
E. "Doc"
Riojas was fortunate enough to have been stationed at both of them. The
other cushy shore duty billet was at the U.S. Naval School for Underwater
Swimmers (UWSS) in Key West FL. I also pulled shore duty there. All
the Navy's Tenders had billets for Divers, those were also great billets for
married sailors who did not want to go to sea often. I did duty on the USS
Fulton (AS-11),
USS Proteus (AS-19) and the
USS Simon Lake (AS-33).
Diving Pay varied for each class diver. 1st Class divers would
pull a monthly diving pay plus footage pay, I believe it was $0.05 a
foot. Hospital Corpsmen (Deepsea Diving Techs) drew 1st class diving pay
and underwent the same training as 1st class divers in D.C.
Did you know that?
The ASRARSASSN.ORG's web site was closed due to lack of interest by the members. By order of the Sec.-Treasurer, we stopping paying for our domain name and opted to get a FREEBE website. this is the URL: The Official web site of the ASR/ARS Assn. HERE ! It is all about Deep Sea Diving during the era of the MKV helmet and the modified MKV for helium-oxygen deepsea diving off ASRs. ARS divers did not have the He02 capabilities.
Chuck Micele (Sec-Treas.) E. "Doc" Riojas (Webmaster)
An Email from my Teammate LCDR Roy Boehm "The First SEAL."
To
the Doc's Riojas: here is how it was when I found out that I didn't have
any idea what I was doing for ten years. Before Diving School. This a part of my
book (The First SEAL) that did not make it into the pages.
DEEP SEA DIVING SCHOOL, U.S. NAVAL GUN FACTORY, Washington, D.C.
Prior, to reporting to my new command for duty under instruction. The moving of
a family was first priority, we had decided the only way to remain together
during all these changes of duty and travel was to provide affordable housing,
the way to accomplish this was with a trailer. Money as always was scarce and we
had bought a Masonite trailer, (superior.) This luxury item, was equipped with a
bed, room for the kids, a convertible couch, table and kitchen (that I preferred
to call the galley,) bath room facility was a chamber pot.
The trip from Long Island to Washington, D.C. was rather slow and uneventful
with the exception, of those terrifying moments, when the device, towed behind
me, took on the human characteristics of a clod. This happened once or twice,
mid the hysterical screaming of my mate. This always produced the calming
effect, I am sure it was intended too. The arrival in the District of Columbia
resulted in two positive accomplishments. Roy, (my first born) quit sucking his
thumb as I had told him he would not be allowed to enter Washington, D.C. `our
nation's capital' if he sucked his thumb. The second was, I was able to unhook
that monster I had been towing, as the shrieks of hysteria subsided, and it
again looked like I might get to share that "chamber pot." My second
son Robert D. was thoroughly entertained by all that took place especially the
swaying vehicle followed by his mother's Hysteria. He felt that, this all was
done, solely for his entertainment.
With the family settled in it was time to hit the books, It was also time for me
to be shocked into the world of realism. I had been diving for ten years, and
did not know the first thing about it. This was a higher level, with in depth
medical lectures on diving physics, and the absorption of breathing gases into
fat tissue. The whys and wherefores of decompression and the use of the
decompression chamber were also subjects that had to be perfected. We learned
how to mix gases as a breathing medium how to extract CO2 from your recycled
air, and how to use the decompression tables. On the practical side we
accomplished the overhead patch, a challenge in a deep sea diving-rig. We
Learned to weld, both underwater and on the surface. Proficiency in oxy arc,
(oxy-arc a tubular cutting rod) and a hydrogen torch, also for under water
cutting of heavy steel. Each educational step, meeting a sadistic test designed
by extremely competent instructors, with a sense of humor.
One project was to build a ten-inch box out of 3/8 inch steel, six ten-inch
squares were cut with an acetylene torch. The edges ground at a forty-five
degree angle and the box tacked and welded inside and out with the exception of
the one side that went on last. this was drilled and tapped to receive an air
hose. The project was completed on Friday afternoon each box was submerged in a
drum of water located in the machine shop. the air hose secured tightly in
place, then the air hose was turned on the air pressure was 100 Pounds per
square inch. At first nothing happened my steel box was perfect! . . . I did it!
. . . As the air pressure forced the water out, my project looked more like a
shower head than an airtight box, blowing water all over the shop. We were all
in the same boat. The instructor said, "Well its time for me to go
home." Come, Monday morning, a box that won't hold air or a machine shop
that does not shine . . . Will require your presence at the office with a packed
sea-bag. You may at that time pick up your orders, back to the Fleet. Needless
to say all home plans, or anything coming under a heading of `my wife, she' . .
. `my car, it' . . . or household affects came under, the heading of, . . . .
`not now dear.' We pitched in together and by 2200 (ten PM) Saturday all of the
boxes held air and the Machine shop never looked better. We slept through
Sunday.
Charles Hiltry Jones was slower then the second coming of the late J.C. of
Biblical fame. or the first depending on your preference. I was his opposite so
in their infinite wisdom, the instructors made us diving partners. I guess they
figured I would speed him up, and he would slow me down. The conversations
between us, (we could talk to each other by touching our helmets together,)
would have made good material for Bob, and Ray of radio fame. We dove with Emil
Mikich he later became my commanding officer in USS Penguin (ASR- 12), Bos'n
Domagalla and Tom Moss, our instructors became our Bos'ns so we were under the
watchful eyes of our peers. H.R. Williams (Willie Lump Lump) a shipmate from my
past was also a classmate and our journey through the Navy would continue
together. This friendship could not be considered, a career enhancement
arrangement. `We were always in trouble.'
Enters Snake Dennison another instructor they were all-perfectionist. The dive
was called a balancing dive. The tank it was to take place in contained twelve
feet of water. A diver in full rig, depending on height, runs a little over
eight feet. On the command from the instructor viewing you through a glass port.
The diver would grab his chin exhaust valve in his right cheek and his air
intake valve in his right hand and try to make himself neutral. The requirement
being don't break the surface and don't touch the bottom. Three to four minutes
of balancing was usually enough to pass this phase of the test. When my turn
came Snake had heard me say "piece of cake." I balanced for ten
minutes, never touching the bottom or breaking the surface, when I heard the
intercom say O.K. yellow diver prepare to surface. Upon getting undressed from
the diving rig I went down to see Snake Dennison, "What kind of Mark did
you give me Snake?" Not looking up he grunted, "three point seven
five.". . . "Hell that was a perfect balancing dive!" Said I
indignantly! . . . "Look Boehm I'm only a three eight point five diver
myself and you sure in hell ain't as good as I am!" I laughed and said,
"damned if you don't learn something new every day."
It wasn't all work and if we had a short day which was seldom we would stop off
for a drink before going home for the day. One of the ex instructors having lost
his eye in a diving accident took care of the issuing of gear at the school, for
the days activities. Stopping in for a quick drink before heading home we
encountered Fogwell (Foggy for short) I sat on one side of him and Williams
(Lump Lump) on the other. We bought Foggy a glass of beer, he thanked us and
told me to watch his beer, he had to pump bilges. He took two steps, came back
and said never mind I'll watch the beer my self and dropped his glass eye into
the glass of beer. Lump said he don't trust you, and I don't blame him. Then
there was the time that Foggy drank his eye, we don't know whether he recovered
it or not, but he had sort of a shitty outlook on life after that incident. One
weekend, expecting Harry Richard Williams Alias Lump Lump, over for dinner, we
couldn't help but wonder what happened, he was late. going out the door to see
if he some how got lost. I notice a note, tacked to my door. The following was
scribbled on it. "I said what is it? upon my visit. The trailers rocking. I
wont bother Knocking." I told the wife Lump says he can't make it.
I was scheduled for the USS Penguin ASR-12 upon graduation, when the orders came
through, the senior officer had changed my orders to his ship in New England
`the USS Skylark (ASR-20), ' I asked him how that happened? He laughed and
said "I can't understand it?". . . Time to pay a visit to an old
friend Edmund B. Taylor at this time a senior captain in the Navy, and over at
the Bureau. I walked into his office and asked his secretary if I may see him?
She informed me that he was in conference. Captain Taylor said "is that
gravel voiced visitor by chance named Boehm?" I nodded. She said "yes
sir." He said "send him in." The captain had about four other
captains in his office he introduced me, offered me coffee and said stick around
this is just about over. After the meeting we kicked around old times, I told
him I wasn't flying under any false flags, I was here for a favor. He laughed
and said then we don't have to work up to the problem delicately. Hell no! This
guy had my orders changed for his ship when I had already been assigned to the
USS Penguin I'd like to carry out my original orders, if you can swing it I
would appreciate it. If not that's okay too. . . . Nothing happened from my
visit to my old skipper and the orders apparently had not been modified. . . .
As I was leaving the building, transfer papers for the USS Skylark in hand, the
yeoman came in with the mail and said "hang in there Boats! I have a change
of orders for you." Following him back into the office he presented the
change to the officer in charge. "How in the hell did that happen" he
asked, I laughed and said "I can't understand it."
The diving school published THE FACEPLATE a newspaper that was sent to all the
Submarine rescue vessels it had all sorts of good information. The ships in
their summery of operations kept the school informed and it contained
information, pertinent to operations and personnel. Often you would make your
first dive with a man that you had never met but read about and you felt you
knew him. This also was an informative, communication of the problems and how
other ships were addressing them. An organization united by a common bond can
accomplish much. I would live to see divided rivalries, result in discord and
ruination of morale Usurping our Navy of a needed capability.
GRADUATION OF DEEP SEA DIVERS SCHOOL
Charles Hiltry Jones, Tew, Barker, Darby Lt. Mulrooney, Gerry, Boehm, Williams A
thank you note is in order here, for if it were not for the girls on 8th street
providing answers for our home work and tests we may not have passed. Jimmie
Dean "B.S." (Before Sausage) and Roy Clark, provided the entertainment
in Maryland a friendly barn. We thank you, also . . . for your support, ---`the
drink chit's helped.'
May 3, 1952, we hooked up the Masonite monster and headed for Kittery Main pre
commissioning detail of the USS Penguin. We swapped the Superior in for a Walco
trailer shower and bath inside, but it was to light for all weather use, and
wasn't rugged enough for the Travel we would subject it to. We swapped the walco
in on an Anderson thirty five and a half feet long. That not only did the Job
but went through a hurricane unscathed. Our trailer later appeared in the
Saturday Evening Post in a (Trailer Coach Manufacturing Add.)
Tu Amigo, Roy Boehm
More from Roy:
The U.S.S. Penguin was busily conducting an event one thousand
drill (SUB SUNK EXERCISE) There became a lull in the physical activity, and that
was always a dangerous thing to happen where Lump was concerned.
Any idleness immediately transmogrified Lump (H.R. Williams) into a mischievous youth seeking adventure.
In this case it was a weather
balloon about three feet in diameter that caught his eye. He filled it
with helium and, tying a string to its neck, he began to cavort about the deck
as the crew watched amused by his childlike antics. At one point,
Lump skipped past the evil engineers who ran the deck machinery from the
safety of the first deck-- that is, the one just above the main deck. With
a swift cruel move --a nasty engineer reached out and touched his cigarette to
Lump’s toy. The balloon exploded with a loud bang! Poor
Lump. He not only lost his balloon, he had to endure our taunt. We
all kidded about life being full of mean engineers.
Undaunted, my friend went off in search of another. Finding one he
filled this one up with a mixture of acetylene and oxygen from the-arc welding
tanks. Tying a string, just a tad longer to his second balloon, he repeated his
cavort about the fantail of the Penguin doing a passable Freddie Bartholomew.
He began maneuvering close to the bad man that first broke his balloon. Several attempts to reach out and break the other balloon were made, as
Lump, ever the Wile evasive rascal, dodged off. As Lump danced closer and
closer, the holder of the cigarette tried harder and harder to reach the
balloon. Stretching out, he finally made contact with Lump’s three foot
bomb. It exploded with a deafening roar, singing the engineers hair and
eyebrows. Lump was never bothered again by the First-deck Mafia, no matter what
- he danced around the fantail with.
NOTE: Roy, why was did not included in the book? doc Rio
Roy's answer: Doc,
The original manuscript was written as a memoir called the " Reluctant Mustang." It was over six hundred single spaced pages, and was not written for publication. My book was 308 double spaced pages; there is a lot of things that was left out.
Roy
Ctrl+F to search on this page.
Adams, Don HMC/DV/IDC Ret diverdoc48@hotmail.com
Avenson, Jake HMCS/DV/SEAL(Ret)javenson@mac.com
Baker, Charlie HMCS/DV Ret docbaker@hotmail.com orcharles.baker2.ctr@navy.mil
Ball, David J. HMCS/DV/SS Ret davidball@cox.net or hcu1diver@gmail.com
Bannister, J HMC/DV Ret jbannister_mcse@yahoo.com
Banuelos, Rob HMC/DV rbanjo@aol.com
Barnum, Steve HM1/DV up10shift@yahoo.com
Boyce, Bill HMC/DV Ret wmboyce1@comcast.net
Bradley, Carl HM1/DV Ret divermed@cox.net
Brawley, James T. HMCM/FMF/DV/PJ Ret jbrawley850@comcast.net
Brown, Troy W.HMCS/DV Ret tbrowntroyb@AOL.COM
Britton, Cliff HM1/DV/SW/AC CLBRITTON@verizon.net
Burbank, Marty HM2/DV marty@martyburbanklaw.com
Cappock, Mark HMCS AW/SW/DV/PJ mark.cappock@navy.mil
Cast, Raymond W., Jr. LT Phys. Ass't. (HMCS/SW/DV) Retraythepa@comcast.net
Cavolt, Brian HMCM/DV/SEAL Ret bcavolt@verizon.net
Cherry, Steve HMC/DV (Ret) jubilee77@cox.net
Chittick, Shaun HMCS/DV shaun135@gmail.com
Cleaves, Michael HM2/DV/PJ mikecleaves3@cox.net
Cooper, Alphonso "The Bear" HMCS/DV Ret ajcthebear@att.net
Darius, Michael HMC/DV Ret.mlda9412@yahoo.com
Davis, Christopher HM1/DVN8052@USNBGTMO.NAVY.MIL
Decker, James director@imt.net
Demarco, Greg HM1/DV Ret gdemarco@roadrunner.com
Deming, Dennis HM1/DV Ret Divertransport@aol.com
"Docrio" Erasmo Riojas HMC/DV/SEAL Ret docrio45 [at] gmail.com
Dunagan, Ron HMCS/DV/SS Ret rondunagan201@gmail.com
Ellis, William HMC/DV Ret billsrealty@aol.com
Elsasser, Dennis HMCM/DV Ret kaneohebay@gmail.com
Faxlanger, Jim HMCM/SW/DSW Ret jjfaxlanger@panhandle.rr.com
Featherston, Stephen "Randy" HMCM/SS/DV Ret randyf@snet.net
Frazier, John HMC/DV/FMF/AW Ret john.frazier@med.navy.mil
Geyer, Louis HM1/DV lgeyer@earthlink.net
Gibbs, Larry V. HMC/DV Ret gibbslv@comcast.net
Gilliam, Erik HMCS/DV USN Ret erikgilliam@cox.net
Gingrich, Chris "Ging" HM1/DV/EXW/FPJ/FMF divemedtech@yahoo.com
Harrelson, Alvin HMC(Ret) alvinh@hiwaay.net
Harrison, John LCDR (HM2/DV) Ret tenker.rrmc@gmail.com
Helvey, Alan E. HM2/DV/UDT 21 aehelvey@yahoo.com
Himelberger, Mike HMCS DV/IDC/DMT Ret mhimelberger@gmail.com
Johnson, Douglass HMCS/DV/SW/RETSARAH23452@AOL.COM
Johnson, Michael HMCS/DV/SW/PJ/RETJOHNSONMR@NCSC.NAVY.MIL
Johnson, Shannon HMC/SCW/DV shannon.p.johnson@navy.mil
Juarez, Fernando HMCS/DV/DSW/SCW Ret fernando.juarez@yahoo.com
Kane, Pat PATKANE@USA.NET
Kelley, Neil B. HMC/SW/DV Ret dpcdoc@vt.edu
Keltner, Tod HMC/DV Ret todkeltner@cox.net
Kleckner, John "The Electric Grape" HMCS/DV Ret johnc.kleckner@gmail.com
Knott, Craig DIVINGPA@EARTHLINK.NET
Koester, Herbert "Scotty" HMC/DV/UDT/SEAL Ret herbycide@comcast.net
Kosa, Laszlo HM1/DV/PJ Ret lkosa@cfl.rr.com
Krinberg, Gary Diverdog54@hotmail.com
Lambert, Gary HMC/DV Ret gary_lambert@lycos.com ormarkfivediver@mac.com
Lemke, Greg HM2/FMF/DV Ret uxodivemedic@yahoo.com
Lettmoden, Michael HMC/SW/DV Ret deepseadoc@snet.net
Liggett, Walt HMCM/SW/DV Ret liggettw@charter.net
Matthews, Robert HMCM/DV Ret matthewsbobtam@aol.com
Meister, Richard HM1/DV/IDCrmeister10@cox.net
Miller, Steve HM1/DV Ret smiller@alliancecom.net
Noble, Jim jalbert752@aol.com
Norby, Christina HM2/DV HYPRTK@aol.com
Payne, James HMCS/DSW/EXW/MTS/IDC Ret wetwarriordad@yahoo.com
Pemberton, Bret HM1/DV/IDC/FMF/SW Ret pembertonltd8@verizon.net
Poplawski, Andrew HMC/DV/SW/SS Ret andypop1@comcast.net
Pruschki, David HMCM/SW/DV Ret pruschki@hotmail.com
Reedy, Jack HMCS/SS/DV reeja4@aol.com
Reilly, William HM1/DV Ret wdreilly33@msn.com
Richardson, John HMCS/DSW/FMF/IDC Ret dmtidc@cox.net
Riojas, Erasmo HMC/DV/SEAL Ret docrio45 [at] gmail.com
Rourke, Patrick paddydiver@hotmail.com
Russell, Dale HM2/DV deepseadale@gmail.com
Smith, Ken kcsmith@comcast.net
Smith, Richard "Dick" HMCM/DV Ret ski2smiths@aol.com
Starbeck, Len HMC/IDC/PJ/DV Ret lstarbeck@gmail.com
Stokes, Larry HMC/DV Ret larry@stokesauction.com
Thrift, Preston P. HMCM/SW/DV/IDC/MTS preston.thrift@med.navy.mil
Tobias, Richard HMC/DV RBT1236@aol.COM
Thomas, William H. HMC/DV/PJ Ret docsbox39@joimail.com
Veasey, Charles "Chuck" HMCM/DV Ret bacsivc@hotmail.com
Wagner, Susan HMCS/DV (Ret) skwdv@aol.com
Weaver, Chuck HMC/DV/PJ Ret cweaver333@gmail.com
Webb, Roger HMC/DVrfw@madisoncounty.net
Wendeborn, Wayne HM1/DV Ret rlwende2005@earthlink.net
Wenzel, Michael J. HMC/DSW/SW/FMF/IDC Ret kappaerdy@yahoo.com
West, Chris HMCS/DV (Ret) pcwest@bellsouth.net
White, Bob HMC/DV (Ret) usnwhite2@yahoo.com
Whittington, David HMC/DV/PJ (Ret) whittington.dave@scrippshealth.org
Wykoff, Fred HMCM(DV)FREDWYKOFF@AOL.COM
Med. Diving Tech.
drawing of UWSS graduate he returned to our ship as a real "hot shit SCUBA Diver" USS Coucal ASR-8, I'll think of his name and add it. Becker? by Doc Rio
Emails from Shipmates
From: chuck detmer
Date: 01/19/07 09:30:52
All Team guys had at least one Hard Hat Dive because making a dive to
determine if you were claustrophobic was part of what you had to do to get
into training. Newell got talked into eating a banana underwater in a tank
during a demo at Panama City while we were stationed down there. Also a
place to look for pictures is from the Key West guys because we taught
Second Class Diving to both Regular Fleet Divers as well as EOD guys. Myself
and a few of the other team guys went through the training while in Key
West...Unfortunately no pictures.
From: Tom & Peggy Shoulders Date: 01/19/07 08:48:16 Good God Almighty, I had forgotten O'brien had a red DC tattoo put over his caduceus, became a Boatswain and a MDV. Tommy
Hey Doc, I'm not sure what your looking for. Horse Kurcinski was a salvage diver, "Red S" that went through Bayonne. Team guys that I know of that became Master Divers after leaving the Teams were Dusty Rhodes, Tom King, Tom Shoulders, and one guy whose name I can't think of that was a certified underwater welding guru at SIMA Little Creek. Check out http://www.masterdiver.com
Tom
Rojo....
Doc O' Brian died around 1979 or so. Some
of the guys were in town on some gaggle and I linked up w/ them at the hotel
bar by the
We were there too long ; almost got into a serious fight; I hit one guy w/ a fire extinguisher...sorry..first tool I could find. The bar was "officer country" being that close to the Pentagon.
O’Brian had
a heart attack driving south to
He knew of his heart problem but had gundecked his physical. His brother died of heart failure at an age of around 42 as I remember. Typical team mentality "I'm invincible & can fix myself." He was a good trooper and dicksmith.
Info from a SEAL teamate.
From: Cptnjolly@aol.com
Date: 01/19/07 06:58:39
Another shot of "OB" for you. Right in the middle of "..............What do the druummms say???"
No Muff Too Tough, Will Dive For Five
This is no shit; William Berryman HM1, and I were stationed at the USNAS Corpus Christi TX. He was a Pharmacy Tech and I was a Fleet Marine Force Tech. One day he came into Sick Call where I was assigned and asked me if I was bored being stationed here. I said I was not because I had just gotten married to a local girl and was quite happy working 8 hours and going home to my wife. He then told me that I would be doomed to be stationed on Naval Air Stations and Aircraft Carriers as he was if we did not go a school that would change that. I asked him which school he had in mind. He said Deep Sea Diving School. I laughed and told him to go back to the Pharmacy.
It was colder than a witches tits in the Klondike when I reported to the U.S. Naval Diving School at the U.S. Naval Gun Factory in Washington D.C. in late January to start class four (4-55) February 1955. Six months of school plus one extra month for Mixed Gas Lab and advanced aspects of medical diving medicine. Our class proctor was an SF1(DV) George Stromer. He made a statement at the classroom indoctrination that there were four pecker checkers in class 4-55 and that he NONE would graduate!
About 1962, I was an HMC (DV) (nec: HM-8492) and reported to the USS FULTON (AS-11) at State Pier New London Conn. after graduating from a Deep Sea Diving refresher at DSDS in D.C. I had to check into the Diving Locker where SF1 George Stromer was the senior diver. I reminded him that he was my class procter at DSDS and that I was one of the four pecker-checkers that graduated with class 4 back in 1955. He remembered vividly. George was promoted to CPO the following year. He reported to the goat locker for the usual CPO initiation. We were on a shake down cruise down in Norfolk Va. It was winter. I am willing to bet that to this day George still remembers me, Doc Riojas, who made his miserable BOOT CPO initiation a living hell! That was the good old days. I believe CPO's don't go through that kind of initiation anymore. We became very good shipmates and diver brothers. I do not know if he is still alive. I hope he is.
SEAL Team TWO Corpsmen that were Hard Hat Divers
were there others after I left from ST-2 ?
Contents of the
"ole" ASR-ARS pages
Hard Hat Divers, My Shipmates
Bond entered active Navy service in 1953.[1] Soon after he qualified as a Diving and Submarine Medical Officer and served as Squadron Medical Officer from 1954 to 1958.[1] Later that year, Bond transferred to the Naval Medical Research Laboratory in Groton, Connecticut where he served as the Officer-in-Charge until 1964.[1] It was during this time that Bond conducted his earliest experiments into saturation diving techniques.[1]
SEALAB I
was lowered off the coast of Bermuda in 1964 to a depth of 58 m (192 feet of seawater (fsw)) below the sea's surface. It was constructed from two converted floats and held in place with axles from railroad cars. The experiment involved four divers (LCDR Robert Thompson, MC; Gunners Mate First Class Lester Anderson, Chief Quartermaster Robert A. Barth, and Chief Hospital Corpsman Sanders Manning), who were to stay submerged for three weeks. The experiment was halted after 11 days due to an approaching tropical storm.
Rio,
James "Hoot" Andrews went thru 2nd class
diving school aboard the USS FULTON. Mike Murphy and DiCatarina were the
Master Divers and in charge of the school. I also qualified as a 2nd class
diver at EOD School in 1953, along with Bob Shouse.
The
Diving Gear that is long gone and Forgotten
Here
is a LINK to some details of the gear and other facts.
Losing
the USS Thresher
SSN-593: x
When the nuclear submarine sank with
129 men aboard in April 1963, it was a turning point for the Navy –
and for the survivors who will remember lost loved ones next weekend. You will find a lot of pictures
of the Thresher's parts on the ocean floor.
FROM:
http://www.pressherald.com/news/thresher_2013-03-31.html?pagenum=3 "Monitoring the dive from
the surface, the USS Skylark received a mostly garbled transmission
saying that the submarine was "exceeding test depth," the
depth at which the submarine could operate safely. One minute later, the
Skylark detected a high-energy, low-frequency noise characteristic of a
submarine imploding. NOTE: Erasmo
"Doc" Riojas also told this reporter, when he was contacted,
"I was J.O.D. on the bridge when BM3 Mowen , who was manning the
radio, informed us that he had lost communications with the
Thresher." Rio was relieved and went to test the sea water
for radio activity with the ship's giger counter.
USS Thresher (SSN-593),
1961-1963. Whereas at
approximately 7:47 a.m. on April 10, 1963, while in communication with the
surface ship U.S.S.
Skylark, and approximately 300 miles off the coast of New England, the
U.S.S. Thresher began her final descent; Not to blow my own
whistle, but as historical record, I was JOOD on the USS Skylark (ASR-20) when we lost the
Thresher. Contrary to the story on THE HISTORY CHANNEL TV Show, there was
no oil slick, there was no debris, there was no radiation on the surface of the
water. Master Diver Hyrum Mullikin and GM1 (DV) Ira Salyers went around
the Skylark dropping hand grenades and I had a SN going around getting me
buckets of water to check for radio activity with our geiger counter. It was until the next
day that we were relieved by some destroyers that continued the search. The weather turned very heavy and we departed for New London
Conn, our home
port. Because I was an HMC I
was given the third degree at the board of inquiry as to my seamanship
qualifications for standing the JOOD watch. I had experience on the USS
COUCAL (ASR-8) as an HM1(DV) in CIC watches back in Pearl Harbor and
Japan. The only question that hangs in my mind is that one of the officers
on the board asked me to explain the "Williamson turn."
I had
just finished a Seamanship course and since we practiced man overboard drills, i
may have surprised them with my answers. Anyway, what is a JOOD,
just another better paid man than a seaman who is there to keep the OOD
awake? Just my opinion, I dunno?
Erasmo " Doc" Riojas HMC
(SEAL) USN Ret.
The TV channels had all kinds of helicopters hovering over us to live our dive as “we honored our fallen comrades to quote them”. Well as luck would have it our main induction stuck open on the dive and the diving officer( and rightfully so) said emergency surface, immediately countermanded by the CO from
conn. He said continue the dive and over the 1MC said mess hall get that induction shut we are diving. Later he said he was NOT going to have the world see another boat in trouble on top of Thresher. The cooks got the main induction shut and we all changed our skivvies at periscope depth later, dive was a success.
Andy Adams (MDV) USN Ret
Andy Adams was my shipmate aboard the USS COUCAL
(ASR-8), home port Pearl Harbor Territory of Hawaii 1956. He is a Retired
USNavy Master Diver and lives in the Corpus Christi TX area.
9-1-08 Hello Doc. Source from: http://www.navydivers.net/mail.html
Andrew "Andy" Adams
x
USS NEW JERSEY… Korea-May 21, 1951
Now at about this time, GQ was sounded and we manned our battle
stations. We didn’t leave the area… we stayed around long
enough to take care of the guns that were firing at us.
My job when we were steaming, or in port, was as the air test crew.
Each quarter, a number of compartments had to be tested for water
tight integrity. Now there are a lot of compartments in a
battleship, and many of them are not easy to get to. On some of
the tests, I would have to have a man hold a ball of string, and I
would take it with me so that I could find my way back out. Submitted by:
Gerry Flowers ,
Canadian Vietnam Veteran
Marauders
Recon Team Leader; Former United States Marine Corps Battalion Recon Sergeant,
0311/8654; Retired Pilot/Safety Officer, fixed and rotary wing pilot
and Marauder Scuba Team Member. Resident
of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Gerry is a Recon Marine who graduated from the UWSS Key West FL and a
very good friend who is a licensed pilot and currently diving the world with the
MAURAUDER Organization. Gerry is one of about 35,000 Canadians who joined the US Military during the
Vietnam War.
Please click on
the
photo to enlarge it.
U.S. Navy Deep Sea diving helmet MK mod 1 The US Navy developed a Mark V
recirculating helmet. They started by modifying a Mark V mod 1
helmet. In the
pictures below you see one of those early recirculating hats. You see that it
features a banana exhaust on top. It had to be moved there because of the
canister attached to the back. Some divers died using this hat: water leaked
into the banana exhaust (when the diver is upside down for instance) and reached
the extremely dangerous natron. I will explain that later.
In the final design the
perforated end of the banana exhaust is replaced with a second control valve.
This valve looks a bit like a Chinese straw hat so it was referred to as a China
Hat Model. The helmet was called the Mark V mod 4. A large canister was attached to the rear of the bonnet. This canister contained a
carbon dioxide absorbent. Gas is supplied to the diver through a normal hose to
the divers supply valve. However, the main supply valve is kept closed. Just to
the side of it is a much smaller valve called a "hoke". It is
attached to one side of the absorbent canister. Look at the little valve you see
in each picture below. The gas supply goes from the hoke to a jet nozzle that
acts as a pump to circulate the gas through the canister where carbon dioxide is
removed. The fresh gas enters the helmet on the other end for the diver to
breathe. Thru the nozzle a constant flow of fresh gas ventilates the helmet. The
exhaust valve is normally kept close to repeatedly reuse the gas. Have a look at the third picture,
the rear view: the big canister holds the
absorbent. On the right side you see the Hoke
Above that from right to left
you see:
a gooseneck for gas-inlet in
case the hoke fails or the diver wants/needs extra gas in suit and helmet
the exhaust that is brought to the top of the helmet (the China Hat)
a metal ring to lift the helmet of the divers head (with a steel wire for
instance)
the telephone inlet
the inlet for the underwear heating system. The Navy developed electrically
heated underwear because The Mark V deep sea helmet was
the first heliox hat (for military purposes) in the world Introduction Soon after initial problems like
air-supply and protective suits were solved, divers began to experience some
physiological difficulties after deeper dives and longer exposures. In fact they
suffered from: decompression sickness
oxygen poisoning
nitrogen narcosis without knowing it. This caused
terrible suffering and death in the early days of diving. For many years the
causes and cures for these illnesses were unknown due to a general lack of
knowledge in the physical science. Here are some names and dates of
interest: Robert Boyle
discovers
the relationship between gas pressure and volume in 1662
Daniel Rutherford
discovers the gasses nitrogen and oxygen in 1772
Paul Bert studied the
effects of high and low pressures on the body. In 1878 he proposes a
controlled decompression procedure to avoid the formation of gas bubbles in
the bloodstream With this knowledge around the
turn of the twentieth century, it was custom to lower and raise divers very
slow: only a few feet eacht minute. Even with these precautions many times
problems occurred at greater depths. John Scott Haldane did
some important work in this matter. He found out that existing air pumps were
not very suitable for greater depths: Due to bad ventilation of helmets carbon
dioxide build up inside them causing problems for the diver. He also developed a
"stage decompression" in 1905 that was accepted by the British
admiralty. Haldane was the godfather of the decompression tables that we
use today. Understanding and controlling
oxygen poisoning did not go that fast. Henry Fleuss invented the first
oxygen rebreather in 1876 but he did not have a clue that the gas could
be very dangerous under pressure. Many trials in the years after that showed
that oxygen could be dangerous under pressure. In WW II many secret military
operations were carried out with oxygen rebreathers. Nitrogen narcosis proved equally
difficult to cure. Every diver was influenced by it in some degree. For many
years no suitable solution to the problem was found. Mixed Gas In 1912, the US Navy began a
continuing series of programs to expand diving technology and techniques. They
experimented with gas mixtures other than air. In 1924 an experimental
dive was made to 150 feet (about 50 meters) using a mixture of helium and
oxygen. Substitution of helium for nitrogen in the breathing mixture
produces two main effects upon the diver under pressure: helium causes no narcotic
influence
the absorption rate in the
body is different By using a mixture of helium and
oxygen (called Heliox) the working depth is no longer limited. Heliox is
now used to depths up to 1500 feet and more ! It is also the second lightest gas
known. Absorption and dissolution out of the body tissues is much more rapid
than that of nitrogen. This all means that a diver can go down deeper, stay
there longer and have shorter deco-stops on coming up ! However, there is one problem in
using Heliox: As depth increases, the danger of oxygen poisoning rises unless
the amount of oxygen in the breathing mixture is carefully controlled. For this
reason helium and oxygen are mixed together before the dive for that
specific depth. We have a minimum amount of oxygen for any dive for the diver
not to die, we also have a maximum amount for the diver not to die of oxygen
poisoning ! This type of diving is called
mixed-gas diving. "air"
(21%
oxygen , 78% nitrogen and 1% other gasses) or
"gas"
(pure
oxygen, a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen or Heliox) The US Navy played an important
role in Heliox experiments: In the US there were natural gas fields of Helium.
In Europe there were none. Therefore experimenting with the gas was very very
expensive for the Europeans. Practically all the efforts in this field go to the
United States.
Diving
Museum at Islamorada Key Fl.
THe USS COUCALS ASR-8 out of Pearl Harbor used to chase down the first rocket missles fired by the boats.
getting dressed to make $$$$$$$$$$!
HM1 Doc Erasmo Riojas graduated in CLass
4/55 at DeepSeaDivingSchool (DSDS), U.S> Naval Gun
Factory, Wash, D.C. He was transferred to the Subase, Escape Training
Tank, Pearl Harbor , Territory of Hawaii in September of 1955. HM2
"Red" Maurath quit diving just as the USS Coucal (ASR-8) was about to
make a WestPac Trip. Doc Riojas was transferred to the Coucal. Master Diver Bob Sheats put all Tank Instructors through SCUBA class
at the Tank. I learned SCUBA very well from him and his crew and I was
hooked on SCUBA diving at work and on Liberty. My hobby was SCUBA diving
for sea shells and sea coral. I learned to be a Deep Sea Diver on the USS Coucal (ASR-8). We dove
a lot at LaHaina, Maui. I Cannot remember the name of our Master Diver, but we
had a terrific diving gang. The Coucal set the record in 1956 for the
deepest McCann bell transfer of men from a bottomed submarine in Hawaii. I
forget the depth, I wish I would have kept a diary. The Story was in the
ALL HANDS magazine.
Hey Doc,
That ain't me in this picture of MDV reunion
2007.We think it's Paul Heckert prior to 2000. The old
Hathaway bridge is in the background.
Here is a picture of me at the reunion this
year.
I'm closest to you.
Tom Shoulders
I was in eighth platoon with Andy Hayden,
ST-2 in Nam from October 69
to March 70. Lt. Aubrey Davis was the Platoon Officer, Lt. Dave Strong
was the assistant Platoon Officer. Doc Lusk (deceased) was the corpsman. I've left a message on Captain Davis's phone answering
machine waiting for him to call me back if I had the right phone number for him. Any way I can help I will. Tom Shoulders
The Official Web Site for the ASRARS
Association is HERE
!
Angels in
Lead Boots
by Bob 'Dex'
Armstrong
One night when we were
sitting around in the After Battery somewhere between the last reel of Cheaper
By The Dozen and the arrival of mid rats. Some lower-order citizen in
raggedy dungarees and a four-week old beard looks over at the chief and asked, “Hey Dutch, you believe
in angels?” “Sure, horsefly. Not the
kind with wings… The kind who wears rubberized, canvas suits and bronze
helmets… Descend from above to save you… Navy Divers. When you hear those
magnificent bastards clomping around on your walking deck, you can go back to
issuing liberty cards.” Nobody respects and honors
Navy Divers more than the lads who ride underwater ordinance platforms. Any man
stupid enough to speak ill of a hardhat diver in the presence of a smoke boat
sailor could count on the next twenty to thirty seconds of his future being
filled with activity specifically designed to place his dental work flush up
against his spinal column. There’s a line in an old
vaudeville song called the Darktown Strutters Ball. It goes, “Be down to getcha in a
taxi, baby…” …Or something close to
that. They should paint that on the side of every ASR. That’s what they do for
a living… They come and get you. If you can reach bottom with watertight
integrity, they will come get you. You can make book on that. If you are beyond the
‘Continental shelf’, you will end up wearing your pressure hull as a pea
coat and spending eternity with your crew… Either way, God and the United
States Navy have removed all doubt about the ultimate outcome. Our ‘rescue vessel’ was
the USS Kittiwake. She was always tied up aft of whatever nest we happened to be
in. There was something very comforting about her being there. They used to do something
with those big ugly looking diving suits… I think the proper name was
‘deep-diving dress’. God did not provide me the size testicles it would take
to use ‘Navy Salvage Diver’ and the word ‘dress’ in the same sentence.
They would hang those deep-diving suits up and perform some kind of maintenance
on them. Looking at them gave a kid
riding submarines a good feeling… They were a silent symbol of a navy that
gave a damn about her undersea bluejackets. If you could be gotten, men who wore
those canvas suits would come get you. You knew that and it made you feel good
about the outfit you belonged to. That was a confidence the
poor bastards who rode Russian boats never had… Or if they did, it was an
ill-placed confidence, as became all too evident with the Manny, Moe and Curley
ineptitude shown in their repeated attempts to bring up the lads of the Kursk. If those idiots had placed
a 911 call for U.S. Navy Divers, I have no doubt that a few more Russian boat
sailors would be tossing down vodka with an arm full of Olga and Natasha
tonight. The poor sonuvabitches ran out of air while a clown act tap-danced all
over their superstructure. What a way to turn in your gear… Sitting in
darkness, listening to idiots trying to ‘get it right’. Salvage divers hold a very
special place in our hearts… As well they should. There are boat sailors alive
today who got the opportunity to grow old, compliments of Navy Divers. Forget
that and you become at best, an ungrateful sonuvabitch. The ones I had the honor of
meeting were big burley rascals, with hands the size of a picnic ham and fingers
like half smokes. I never shook hands with the Jolly Green Giant but it has to
be like shaking hands with a diver. The rascals splice steel
cable. I was a leading seaman… I know how to splice 3 and 5 lay hemp line…
But gahdam steel cable? You’ve got to be out of your mind! That is how they
get those oak bark fingers. You spend your career getting wire cuts all over
your fingers and God compensates you for your trouble with hands like a junkyard
crane bucket. Fine brave unselfish
bastards… God’s weirdest emissaries, who descend from above in bronze
helmets with lead belts and heavy boots to save mother’s sons who make their
living riding this nations submarines. I work with a gentleman
named Bill Duvall. I have known Bill for many years of professional association.
He is an executive engineer with the federal government. The other day, I learned
that Bill Duvall was once Lt. Garner W. Duvall, a rated Navy Diver and OPS
officer on the salvage ship, USS Cree. Bill Duvall, a Navy Diver. This means I am obligated
to buy this old saltwater ‘breathe through a hose’ bronze helmet soul-saver,
cold beer and listen to his sea stories. E-3s learned early that if you failed
to buy a hardhat diver his first beer, you ran the risk that the bastard would
splice your toes together and hang you upside down in his paint locker. But the best thing about
learning that Bill was a diver is that it lets me say a long overdue ‘thank
you’ to men who took incredible risk on our behalf… And Bill is the kind of
man you expect a diver to be… A big smiling rascal with those vice grip mitts
and an I-beam spine built to haul a couple of hundred pounds of working gear. God bless all deep-depth
divers…. wherever in the hell you are.
>
Frank De La
Oliva, Master
Diver Photo Page
From: George C. Rekow <gcr11[at] verizon.net>
Howard
"Joe"
Baimbridge DV Officer
From: two2scoops [at] aol.com Ernie Caltenbach
MCPO I was transferred before the bends happened to Sol. We are on the way now to the MDV reunion. In Solomons MD. I was also hit with the bends, a spinal and not treated because of the time lapse from dive to
symptoms. Dived on Fri and got Lt. leg mega pain for about 10 sec and then complete numbness. Started acting up so I have everything and submitted claim 2 wks ago. I am 70% now. Severe Spondylosis and C-3-4
fuzed. and also major narrowing in C & L.
We'll talk about Sol when I see you. Stay well. See you in Panama City Fl in May
2009 The Best . Ernie Caltenbach, Master Diver Ret.
Master
Diver's Reunion 2009
John Harter
Mr. James Joseph "JJ" Becker entered into eternal rest Monday,
Sept. 15, 2008, at Bay Medical Center in Panama City, Fla.
----- Original Message ----- BMC Dean Palmer
USN/DV1 1 Oct 2009
Hey Doc,
I thought you would like a
copy of this picture. It
is #58 of 300. I
gave Jodette (Little PeeWee) a copy. Two names just to mind.
John Slaughter, I think that is his first name. He
retired in 1982 at NSWC Ft. Lauderdale.
Last time I hear he was walking the beach with a metal
detector. Also
remember Jim Bunning. I
don’t know what happened to him. I retired in 1981 at NSWC
Solomon, Pardon the hand writing and
spelling. I am getting old.
Dean Palmer
Surrounded by his family, Chief Petty Officer Robert
Alien Vendetto, was born in New London, Connecticut on Sep. 4,1936.
Retired Navy Diver, died on Friday, Jan. 22, 2010 in Houma. Bob, known as “Guinea” among his military brothers, served our country 23
years. He was aboard the: USS Albany, USS Skylark, USS Sunbird, and the
USS Lipan. Bob was a diving Instructor at the 2nd Class Diving School.
He was In Vietnam with the Harbor Clearance Unit One. Bob's last tour
was on the USS Seawolf (SSN) 575. . He was awarded the coveted “Legion
of Merit” for his valiant service to our country. After his retirement
from the Navy in 1979, was an Offshore Saturation Supervisor at Santa Fe
Underwater Services.
David
"Doc" Ball Photos
These
were taken at DSDS in DC on the barge in either the winter of ’69 or
the spring of ‘70
From: David Ball davidball [at]cox.net U.S.Navy Diving
History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcSduoKj6KU&feature=youtube_gdata_player https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz5KdLfseWs&feature=youtube_gdata_player https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiQs56dgHQE&feature=youtube_gdata_player ASR ARS Diving ASSN (the
old web page)
Gadgets
powered by Google http://www.offshorediver.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1317:byford- dolphin-diving-bell-accident&catid=76:essay&Itemid=110
ASR
- ARS Assn. Emails the guys! Doc, Read
your E-Mail to Oz and he said that definitely add his name to the Six
of the divers in this picture were master divers. or would become one.
At the time ,The two masters on the Petrel were
Christoffersen and Alaman The diving officer
was Bos'n McCafferty The
names of the divers from left to right: Pop Stevens,BM1,Alcorn
BM1,Christofferson SFC,Josenahns BM2,Joe Guerrierie SF2,Powell TMC,BOS'N
McCafferty, Alaman SFC. The
mini sub in the Picture was being tested for The USNavy because the builder said
it could maintain neutral buoyancy ? I don't remember if it did or not..? I
just like the picture because I still have some hair ! Josenhans From: stahlmarine@sprynet.comJim
Stahl To: erasmo
"doc" riojas Sent: Sunday,
September 16, 2001 4:15 PM Subject:Skylark
Pictures doc:
Iam the diver on the left. I'm sorry I didn't get back sooner but I have
been very busy. I seen you in a picture with Billy Kitchen I think he was on
the USS SKYLARK in the fifties. Would
you have a email address for Billy I would appreicate if
you would send it to me. Thanks Jim
Stahl To: Jim
Stahl Sent: Friday,
September 28, 2001 8:33 PM were
you a diver? rio:
I was a second class diver I recieved all my training aboard the Skylark. I
was in charge of the compressor room and diving manifold> Iwas trained by
Joe Fontanna and others. Our first Master diver was Chief Strickland And the
second was Crief Carew Did you recieve the picture I sent you? I have no
pictures of you, but I have a friend who might. -----
Original Message ----- From: Jim
Stahl To: Erasmo
"Doc" Riojas Sent: Monday,
September 17, 2001 4:48 PM Subject: Re:
doing fine -----
Original Message ----- From: webmaster
asrarsassnErasmo "Doc" Riojas To: stahlmarine@sprynet.comJim
Stahl Sent:Monday,
September 17, 2001 10:18 AM Subject: Re:
doing fine check
this one out. did you go to UWSS? doc;
No, doc I did not go to UWSS I spent the best four yours of my life on the
USS Skylark ASR20. Iam going to the Navy Seals reunion in Nov. I have a
friend in Columbus IN ( who you probally know) Chief Jim
"Patches" Watson he invited me to go.Hope you are there. Thanks Jim A
Seastory by Jack F. Brown (First Class Diver) October
20, 2000 This
is no doo-doo. In
1950, the USS
Pirate and the USS Pledge
both minesweeper with steel hulls struck mines during their sweeping
ooperations in Wonson Harbor Korea. They both sank in about 170 feet of water. The
USS Conserver got orders to go dive on the two ships and totally destroy them
as they sat on the bottom of the ocean. The USS Concerver did not have on
board divers qualified to dive to those depths. Jack Yarbrough and I were
flown from San Diego CA to do the diving jobs. We
received 16 tons of C-2 and C-4 and we dove and placed every pound of it on
the two ships. The USS Missouri was dispatched to give support fire while we
were diving to place the demolition
on the Pirate and the Pledge. At
170 feet, we felt the effects of the "Mighty MO's" 16 inch gun
blasted. The vibration thru the water rattled my head around inside my MV
diving helmet. This make it difficult to concentrate on the job. We
set timers and by the time the speed boat returned us to the USS Conserver,
the ships were blown up. Later we inspected the site of the sunken
minesweepers and the area looked like a metallic junkyard. Jack
and I were also on a salvage job of an LST in Korea by the USS Conserver. Story
was told to Doc RIojas at the ASR-ARS Assn Reunion year 2000 at Panama Beach,
FL. A
Seastory by Jack F. Brown (First Class Diver) Hello
Doc Riojas, I am an old retired diver here. I
did the Salvage school in Bayonne about 54 - 55. The CO was Thurmon LCDR.
One of the instructors was James McDole. Later he was Diving Officer at
NOTS, Long Beach. I was also stationed there. I made
Master DIver in about 1966/67 and retired in March 1968 at Kodiatk AK. I
was checking on some old diving Buddies. Sad to see a lot of them
have passed on. I am 74 years old now. I
had a great time diving in a lot of places. I sure do miss the rush of
it. William
Blewett SFC(MDV)Retired. frogmanb@ptialaska.net Thank
you Chief, I would like to recruit you for the ASRARSASSN. contact the sec-treasurer
Chuck Micele November
15, 2000 I
was on Coucal ASR-8 1953/1957 and Greenlet ASR-10 early 60's Somwhere in there
I was on the Nerius. Damnedest
thing I ever thought I would ever see. I remember lots of fun stuff we did
together especially in Japan. I remember drinking rusty 190 in 1/2 pint can in
your sick bay [that is if BMC Warren didn't get it first] I
would really like to shoot the shit a bit if you remember me, I think I was a
MR3 when I was stationed with you. Did you relieve McWright or visa versa? It
has been so long ago I can't remember everything but, I SURE REMEMBER SOME
HIGHLIGHTS! What good old days. Willy
Reuter from:
I lost his name and email! sorry. About
the U.S. Navy Divers. the books that I read helped me through the Hi,
I'm MMC(SS)SEL Danny Hager, is there a contact Enjoying
your web page, and all the pic's. Sorry about you're wife, I lost USS
Brewton FF-1086 Doc
Riojas: Change of address and phone no. J.H. "Hoot" Andrews 5554
Petaca Rd. Las Vegas, NV, 89122-3391 PH: (702)435-0775 Haven't got the
compputer set up as yet. Will advise. Mi Hermano, HOOT The hard
suit 2000 is a product of
ours here at STOLT where I work. Your
Bro Roger-Roger SMITH
(SEAL) Roger:
Contratulations! A.Dee Clark and I would like to get together at your house
and see all your stuff. I got questions that I'd like to ask you. tu amigo,
doc Riojas -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Letter
from Joe Fontana's son: 11-04-01: Hi
Doc Hi
Doc Joe
Fontana wrote: I
hope all is well with you and your family ? I have another question Respectfully Paul
Heckert was the HMC when I was onboard 63-66 we had a CS1 named Hopkins he
left and we had a CS1 Lick he left then I took the galley as a CS2 and had it
for over a year made CS1 and was transfered to the USS Benwah APB-35 Flag Ship
TF-117 out of Dong Tam. I no Denny Morse real well he and Doc Heckert,Jim
Nobel, Hiram Mulikin and a few others Ton Moss was the XO Louie Two relived
him.. She was a good ship with a damn good crew when were you onboard.. Doc
and Jim got me drunk at the CPO club and the next thing I knew I was looking
at 6 more years hell I was to drunk to piss in the bottle and Doc did that for
me.. what a crew...I did finnaly get back to the west coast but it was all
spent with the MRF in the Delta 2-67 / 10-70 .. Albert Moore mrfa@abts.net MRFA
is the Mobile Riverine Force Association https://www.mrfa.org/ Subject:
Re: andrea doria Thanks
for the info. It has been 30 years since I saw Bob Schwarze and maybe >I
misunderstood his comments about the Andrea Doria. Would like to read or
>find out all of the particulars about open circuit at the depth that the
A/D >was at. > >Have a good day ! >Holly Houfek >Tampa, Fl. My
name is Robert Don Carter I was on the USS Norton Sound AVM-1 from
11-01-58 untill 06-09-62. I went to the USS Orion AS-18 12-01-64
untill 01-01-66, went to second class diving school at the barge @
D&S piers Norfolk. First class diving school @ DC. Transfered to
the USS Skylark ASR-20 01-01-66 untill 01-01-68. Class "C"
welding school @ San Diego. I would like to hear from any divers out
there especially any one that remembers me.
http://sites.netscape.net/robertdoncarter/homepage rcarter@mail.tds.net
Folks are asking Doc Riojas "how to
find a picture" on www.sealtwo.org "LONE
SURVIVOR" the movie showed an "FNG" reciting
our well known poem: AROUND THE WORLD TWICE but
in the film it was edited.
Here is a LINK to the real one: AROUND
THE WORLD TWICE!
Mi Vida Loca - Copyright ©1998 -
All Right Reserved Webmaster: Erasmo
"Doc" Riojas email: docrio45@gmail.com
click on
the stampsize graphics to enlarge them.
If they don't work, please let
me know I have a couple
of pics of 2 of the boats I served on, which you would be Sorry, didn't
make the association. Navy Seal eh? My respects, Sir! Doc, I got this from
John Luke, please put it on the web site.
Chuck Micele Sec-Treas. Congratulations to
Jim Donahue,Chuck and all the bar tenders who made the San Diego Reunion a huge
success. It was a huge party and all of us attending owe a vote of gratitude to
the committee for the hard work they provided. I hope all have
recovered from the reunion. June 1, 2001 Hyrum
"Hank" Mullikin and his son visited us here in Pearland. We went to
Matamoros Tamps, MX to see a dentist friend of mine so they could have prostesis.
If you don't believe me, email Mullikin yourself. On the way down
to Brownsville TX Hank told me the following sea story. I was relieved on the
USS Skylark (ASR-20) by Chief "Doc" Paul Heckert so I knew "Frenchy"
and the noise that came from the engine room adjecent to the goat locker’s
bunk space. One night while
underway, the Chiefs were in that racks ready to sleep. A very loud noise was
coming thru the bulkhead that started as a very crescendo high frequency whistle
which terminated with an extremely loud "Bang!" Loud enough to wake
the dead. This noise repeated itself about every 5 to 10 minutes. Frenchy
Gillmetter GMC (DV), was a short "cajun" sailor about 4 feet 12 inches
tall. He had that very noticable cajun french accent, and a very short fuse.
"Frenchy" shouts , " did you guys hear that sound?" Paul
said , "no." Hyrum , Ernie Reed, and the other CPO’s said,
"no." Frenchy said,
"you did not hear that sound?" Immediately after he said that , the
sound occurred again. French said, "there, there it happened again, did you
guys hear it?" Everyone said, "no we did not hear anything."
Frenchy insisted that he was not crazy that a loud sound was coming into the
bunk space thru the bulkhead. The guys told frency to be quiet and go to sleep. Again, the
noise. Frenchy exploeded, " I can not stand that sound! It is driving me
crazy!" You guys hear it? Every body said that they could not hear anything
at all and for him to be quiet so they could sleep. Frenchy grabbed
his pillow and a blanket and headed out of the goat locker.
This is no shit! A
Seastory by Jack F. Brown (First Class Diver) October
20, 2000 This is
no doo-doo. In
1950, the USS Pirate and
the USS Pledge both minesweeper with steel hulls struck mines during their
sweeping ooperations in Wonson Harbor Korea. They both sank in about 170 feet of
water. The USS
Conserver got orders to go dive on the two ships and totally destroy them as
they sat on the bottom of the ocean. The USS Concerver did not have on board
divers qualified to dive to those depths. Jack Yarbrough and I were flown from
San Diego CA to do the diving jobs. We
received 16 tons of C-2 and C-4 and we dove and placed every pound of it on the
two ships. The USS Missouri was dispatched to give support fire while we were
diving to place the demolition
on the Pirate and the Pledge. At 170
feet, we felt the effects of the "Mighty MO's" 16 inch gun blasted.
The vibration thru the water rattled my head around inside my MV diving helmet.
This make it difficult to concentrate on the job. We set
timers and by the time the speed boat returned us to the USS Conserver, the
ships were blown up. Later we inspected the site of the sunken minesweepers and
the area looked like a metallic junkyard. Jack
and I were also on a salvage job of an LST in Korea by the USS Conserver. Story
was told to Doc RIojas at the ASR-ARS Assn Reunion year 2000 at Panama Beach,
FL. A
Seastory by Jack F. Brown (First Class Diver)
Thank you Willy, USS COUCAL (ASR-8) Keep the photos coming. doc riojas Doc,
I
couldn't send all these at one time so I will send them one at a time.
I hope you can use them, I have a few more but it has been so long ago
I might not be able to identify them. I also have a bunch from the
Greenlet if I can find them. Do you want some more? Willy
Reuter Baka Hatchi ASR-8
Doc Riojas& Japanese diver after a Table IV
December
2, 2000
Rio, Delete
my personal letter and put this on the ASR site if you want,
maybe somebody will read it and get some help. In
1970 I almost lost my career because of booze and in 1972 I was
the 18th person to be sent to the Navy Alcohol Rehabilitation
Program here on the east coast. After staying sober for awhile I
received a set of orders [I had requested] to the same Alcohol
Rehabilitation Center here in Norfolk and became a counselor.
That has been my second career and I have been doing it since
then. When
I learned that alcoholism was an illness [disease] and that it
was treatable, wow, I really could quit drinking and still live,
I didn't think it was possible, Until that time. I could and did
quit, but I could never stay quit for long and of course it got
worse and worse Until I got help. Once I was able to stay
stopped I decided that what I wanted to do was help others with
drinking problems, God knows there are a lot of us. I
met and married a gal here, and have lived in Chesapeake Va.
since 1975 when I retired. Life has been really good to me even
with the setbacks, I attribute it to AA and a God who for
reasons unknown loves me, He has sure pulled me out of some
tough shit and keeps on doing it. In
1983 I bought a new 33ft Cape Dory masthead sloop and my wife
and I were going to sail around the world starting in 1990 and
we made vigorous plans for seven years and then poor health put
a stop to that. I sold the boat a couple of years ago. It was
like parting with a loved one. I
spend a lot of time in my shop [woodworking] I also went back to
riding motor cycles [when I got out of the Navy] My wife and I
and one of our niece nephew [married couple] buddies rode from
Maryland to Kentucky all the way on the Blue Ridge Mountains a
couple years before I got sick, I also rode to Connecticut
[where my nephew and niece live several times and of course
everywhere else when the weather was nice, but bikes have gone
there way too, still have one old baby left, I don't ride it but
I still love it. I'll
ask my wife if you can put the picture of her sitting on it on
the site. That is if you think it goes there.
Jane on my bike.
Jane, Me,
my bike, my sailboat. I
have bragged about my escapades through the years and some of
the good things included you, so I thought I'd share a little of
my own life and maybe some other onlookers will do the same too. Until
next time, Willy
Reuter P.S.
Do you remember letting me help give shots on the USS COUCAL
(ASR-8) fantail before our first WESTPAC cruise? Some of the
guys let me do it. Doc
: I
sent both the links you sent to our web master he should have them
on within a couple days he's a state trooper in OK. and stays pretty
busy... My
NOTE: Yes, Lt. Trane(SP) and I were in ST-2. He died at an Army
Hospital. I head they gave him the wrong type blood. Doc
will
send the photo tomorrow also have a couple good ones of the
Skylark...Will have our web master post your web site to our site as
a link if
this okay with you.. was a member of the ASR/ARS assoc but let my
dues laspe I belong to so many things but will renew hell whats
another one.. Have sent The American Sailor application with this
message ..hope
you enjoy it. LT.
Master
Diver and also snake eater. Fraternal
Order UWSS Key West Y2K Reunion elticitl @mi-vida-loca.com(not
a link) klik to
enlarge
The U. S. Navy Divers' Locker ASR
/ ARS Assn. April 08,2001 November 15,
2000 I was on
Coucal ASR-8 1953/1957 and Greenlet ASR-10 early 60's Somwhere in there I was
on the Nerius. Damnedest
thing I ever thought I would ever see. I remember lots of fun stuff we did
together especially in Japan. I remember drinking rusty 190 in 1/2 pint can in
your sick bay [that is if BMC Warren didn't get it first] I would
really like to shoot the shit a bit if you remember me, I think I was a MR3
when I was stationed with you. Did you relieve McWright or visa versa? It has
been so long ago I can't remember everything but, I SURE REMEMBER SOME
HIGHLIGHTS! What good old days. Willy
Reuter Tuesday,
March 13, 2001 9:35 AM Subject: USS Current ARS-22 > Hello, > > Just
found your diving web site. Very interesting. > I just completed a web site
for USS Current. Can you add my site to your > web site. > > http://www.geocities.com/jimvasko_94555/index.htm
> > > Regards, > > Jim Vasko > from: I lost
his name and email! sorry. About the
U.S. Navy Divers. the books that I read helped me through the Again Thanks
Navy Hi, I'm
MMC(SS)SEL Danny Hager, is there a contact Enjoying your
web page, and all the pic's. Sorry about you're wife, I lost USS
Brewton FF-1086 Doc Riojas:
Change of address and phone no. J.H. "Hoot" Andrews 5554 Petaca Rd.
Las Vegas, NV, 89122-3391 PH: (702)435-0775 Haven't got the compputer set up
as yet. Will advise. Mi Hermano, HOOT The
hard suit
2000 is a product of ours here at STOLT where I work. Your
Bro Roger-Roger SMITH
(SEAL) Roger:
Contratulations! A.Dee Clark and I would like to get together at your house
and see all your stuff. I got questions that I'd like to ask you. tu amigo,
doc Riojas Paul Heckert
was the HMC when I was onboard 63-66 we had a CS1 named Hopkins he left and we
had a CS1 Lick he left then I took the galley as a CS2 and had it for over a
year made CS1 and was transfered to the USS Benwah APB-35 Flag Ship TF-117 out
of Dong Tam. I no Denny Morse real well he and Doc Heckert,Jim Nobel, Hiram
Mulikin and a few others Ton Moss was the XO Louie Two relived him.. She was a
good ship with a damn good crew when were you onboard.. Doc
and Jim got me drunk at the CPO club and the next thing I knew I was looking
at 6 more years hell I was to drunk to piss in the bottle and Doc did that for
me.. what a crew...I did finnaly get back to the west coast but it was all
spent with the MRF in the Delta 2-67 / 10-70 .. Albert Moore mrfa@abts.net
MRFA is the Mobile Riverine Force Association www.mrfa.org Subject: Re:
andrea doria Thanks for
the info. It has been 30 years since I saw Bob Schwarze and maybe >I
misunderstood his comments about the Andrea Doria. Would like to read or
>find out all of the particulars about open circuit at the depth that the
A/D >was at. > >Have a good day ! >Holly Houfek >Tampa, Fl. My
name is Robert Don Carter I was on the USS Norton Sound AVM-1 from
11-01-58 untill 06-09-62. I went to the USS Orion AS-18 12-01-64
untill 01-01-66, went to second class diving school at the barge @
D&S piers Norfolk. First class diving school @ DC. Transfered to
the USS Skylark ASR-20 01-01-66 untill 01-01-68. Class "C"
welding school @ San Diego. I would like to hear from any divers out
there especially any one that remembers me.
http://sites.netscape.net/robertdoncarter/homepage
rcarter@mail.tds.net © 1999 The
ASR-ARS Association
Class 4-55 started with 50 men and these are the graduates. send your stuff to me for
inclusion on this web site, my address is on the ASR/ARS Roster: Erasmo
"Doc" Riojas webmaster:
ASR-ARS
Assn.
- Copyright ©1998 - All Right Reserved
Solomons:
this is where we came down on
the 5 boat to do our deep Open Sea dives
both on air and He02.
Don Stone
Richard Martin
Erasmo Riojas Check out the ASR/ARS Web site
HERE !
Bo Burwell
Bob Clark
Bo Burwell
Tom Blais
Captain G.F. Bond MC
George F. Bond MD, Capt. USN; (1960)his discoveries enable divers to stay below
indefinetly.
Captain Bond and ENC Cyril Tuckerfield
On October 2, 1959, approximately 15 miles southwest of Key West, Commander Bond and Chief Engineman Cyril Tuckfield safely completed a 52-second, 302-foot buoyant ascent from the forward escape trunk of the U.S. Navy submarine USS Archerfish. Both men received the Legion of Merit in 1960 for establishing the feasibility of deep submarine escape by locking
out.
Dr. Robert Thompson, SEALAB I aquanautRobert Thompson, a U.S. Navy doctor and one of the four original SEALAB I aquanauts, died Feb. 11. He was 84.
Thompson is pictured here, Bob Barth, on the left, who was with the SEALAB program from its earliest days in the 1960s. The other three pictured are, from left: Capt. George F. Bond, aka "Papa Topside" and the father of SEALAB; Lester "Andy" Anderson; and Sanders "Tiger" Manning. They're all missed, but their legacy in the diving world lives
Bob Shouse Tending
Tender is Bob Shouse
Bob
Shouse going through 2nd. class diving school at the Navy Ship yard, San Diego,
CA in early 1953. The picture in the rig is Ens. Gleason and I'm tending. We had
to go to second class diving school before going to EOD school, Indian Head, MD
. Hoot Andrews was in my EOD class in 1953.
Hoot Andrews
"Hoot" Andrews
Doc
Berryman
Doc Riojas
"Shorty" Long (SEAL)
LCDR
Linda Ball, best looking DV in the USN!
Chapel Bedford Moore HMC
Jim HazelwoodPhoto is a LINK click on it !
The Newest TOYS for the DV boys!
the 50th anniversary
By Tom Bell tbell@mainetoday.com Staff Writer
KITTERY — For perhaps a minute or so, the 129 men aboard the USS
Thresher probably realized that their submarine would be crushed by
water pressure. Debby Ronnquist, right, and her
daughter, Marcye Philbrook, show a portrait of Ronnquist's former
husband and Philbrook's father, Julius Francis Marullo, who died on the
USS Thresher.
Photos by Jill Brady/Staff Photographer
Yellowed newspaper front pages from 1963 announce the loss of the USS
Thresher.
MEMORIAL SERVICE THE DEDICATION of the USS Thresher Memorial
Flagpole will be held Sunday, April 7.
Wreck
of USS Thresher (SSN-593)This page features views of wreckage
from USS Thresher, on the sea floor some 220 miles east of Cape
Cod.
"That's the horror part of it," said William Olsen, 72, of
York. "They had to know."
Had he not been attending a training program, Olsen, a crew member,
would have been on the submarine when it went down that day, April 10,
1963.
The sinking of the Thresher 50 years ago was a turning point for the
Navy. The nation's newest and most advanced nuclear submarine at the
time, the Thresher sank when a weld on a pipe gave way during a test
dive 220 miles east of Cape Cod in waters nearly two miles deep.
The Thresher disintegrated into pieces as it tumbled 8,400 feet to the
bottom of the Atlantic.
On the surface, the Skylark continued to try making contact with the
Thresher.
Ira Salyers, 80, a crew member on the Skylark, was instructed to throw
hand grenades over the side to signal the Thresher to resurface. He said
the crew was hoping that the problem was only that the Thresher's
communications system was down.
He said the Skylark conducted a sonar search for several days but never
found any sign of the Thresher.
Salyers said he was a tough, hard-drinking sailor and never thought much
about the loss. But 12 years later, while attending a church service in
Florida, he thought about the men on the Thresher and never thought much
about the loss. But 12 years later, while attending a church service in
Florida, he thought about the men on the Thresher and began to weep
uncontrollably."
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5054421
From: Joe G jgarrett10 [AT]comcast DOT
net
To: Doc Riojas docrio45
[AT] gmail DOT com
Date: 17 Mar 2013
Subj: USS Thresher (SSN-593) Lost during her shakedown cruise
I was on Hardhead at that time also, we had just left Portsmouth from a battery change and a week or so after we( all 4 of us left in Dev Group 2) went out with huge wreaths on deck to make a dive over her and to let the wreaths float off our deck as we pulled the
plug
I was playing ball with the Thresher crew a few days earlier, don’t remember who won and now it seems so trivial ,but somehow important. I lost a lot of friends on her, most of her crew came from Cavalla and Hardhead<both Dev Gru 2 boats.
Our engineer had just left Portsmouth as ship sup for her and they flew a chopper out to us( we were at sea then) and choppered him back to Portsmouth for the inquiry, we didn’t see him for months.
That must have been a horrible moment for all of you on Skylark, Was your CO a Louey Tew LCDR then? I don’t remember if he had Skylark then or later? He is a friend here in New London, but I have not seen him for a few months
Do you want to see the memorial stuff that Portsmouth is doing on Apr 7th ?
If so I will send it to you as I am invited to the memorial
Cheers, Joe
Webmaster's Note: The CO of the USS
SKYLARK (ASR-20) was LCDR Stanley Hecker. Please go to the
link above and scroll down a tad below the midway of that page for more
info and other LINKs to the Thresher disaster. Doc Riojas
I would like to try and contact Any divers that I
served with
I went through Salvage Diving School in 1954
Class 57 I was in the class after Carl Breshear. We became Friends and stayed in
touch until his death
I went to First Class School at the Naval Gun Factory In
1956-57. After 1st class school did a tour on the USS Coucal ASR 8
(!959-60). To Quonset Point R.I. In the Diving locker Then I
got Side tracked from diving and was sent to Gitmo in the Fleet Training Group
Made Chief and went back to Wash D.C. For master Diver Training. Then to the USS
Petrel. After a tour on the Petrel was off to the Naval Mine Defense Lab,
at Panama City Fla. There I was Selected for WO1 and was off to Subic Bay and
HCU1. There i decided i was not going to accept the promotion to Warrant
Officer. I was sent to the Diving School at Subic. I stayed there until I ret.
in Nov. 1967.
I Am 81 years old now still in good health I live in a
small town just north of Corpus Christi, Tx. I sure would like to contact any
and all of my old Ship Mates
Andrew Adams SCPO Ret.
Master Diver
WW11, Korean, Vietnam, Vet.
PH. 361 776 7203 aadamsjr [@] cableone.net
“My special sea detail was on the anchor, and my job was to operate
the brake to lower or raise the anchor. The best I can remember,
it was about day break when the word was passed to man the special sea
and anchor detail. As soon as we got to our station, we could
see North Korean shells hitting nearby the ship. The word came
down from the bridge… “let go the anchor
Bos’n!” and Chief Warrant Bos’n H.J.
White (he was from Mississippi,) told me to let the brake
off, and by then we were backing down at flank speed. When the
end of that anchor chain cleared the chain locker, it flew up and
over, and took a bite out of the gunwale. And so we left our
starboard anchor and chain back in Wonsan Harbor… One thing
that still bothers me today, is why did we anchor in harm’s way?
The
Chaplain was our battle narrator. He would get on the P.A.
system, and relay the info to all of us that were inside the ship and
couldn’t see what was going on. When he passed the word that
we were receiving fire, and had taken a hit on Turret #1, I got very
concerned as my younger brother, GMSN Neal Adams, was a gunner in that
turret. But as it turned out, he was OK, and he told me later
that he didn’t feel a thing when it hit.
When we were on our way back stateside, my enlistment was up, and I
was going to call it a career. But the word came down that
President Truman had extended us all for another year, so I re-upped
for six more.
I
retired in 1967, and went to work deep sea diving, but this didn’t
last long. They were not as concerned with our safety… they
just wanted the job done.
My
last few years I worked in civil service as an aircraft mechanic
overhauling helicopters… I am 80 now, and my health is good.
Andrew Adams, DCCM, (MDV) USN/Ret.
Master Chief Damage Controlman (MDV) - Master Diver
WW2, Korea, Vietnam
Ingleside, Texas
1958,
Holding the MK5 helmet's Spit Cock; Erasmo Riojas HM1 (DV)USS COUCAL (ASR-8),
home port Territory of Hawaii, Pearl Harbor. My relief HM2 (DV) Mc
??? (forgot his name) . Doc Riojas went to shore duty at the USNavHosp
Corpus CHristi, TX.
helium takes heath from the body very fast
In the early 1900's, compressed air diving was limited to depths less than 300
feet.
Breathing mixtures are classified as:
Photo Album
William
"Doc" Berryman was adwarded the Navy Marine Corps Medal for a heroic
rescue. Doc Berryamn
is the guy responsible for me getting to DSDS, Nav Gun
Factory D.C. into 1st class diving school. We were stationed at the USNAS Corpus
Christi TX. He said if we did not get out of the Airdale navy we would end
up on Aircraft carriers the rest of our carreers. Berryman was in
DSDS Class 3/53 and I was in class 4/55, he was almost done when i arrived at
the Diving school. He was stuck with EOD for his entire career and I got stuck
in Submarine Force until I went to navy SEALs. It was a great move for us
two. Doc and I keep track of each other, he live in Kailua Oahu Hawaii
with his wife and family.
Joe "Doc" DeAngelo
Wrong Year?!
Hank Mullikin & Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
Ted Kassa
Frank
"Doc" Munger
Date: Thu, Feb 26, 2009
Subject: Your web site www.sealtwo.org
the DV page
To: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas ; docrio45 [at] gmail.com
Doc,
I’m not sure how I came into viewing your web site, but it looks pretty good;
lots of diving stuff.
First of all, my name is George Rekow. I’m a retired W-4 Diver. Was a GMCM/MDV
and went Warrant at W3, mustered out with 30 as a W4 in 92’.
I noticed in your web site that you were aboard Coucal; so was I, and it was a
good ship while I was aboard.
I transferred off in 76 and went to EOD Group at West Loch. While I was at TEU 1
the Coucal went out of commission. I had been invited to the ceremony and after
the get together; I was asked if I knew anyone who wanted the ships scrap book?
I didn’t know anyone who did, but I didn’t have it in me to just let this
thing go to the shit can, so I took it and still have it.
I would gladly give you the book or certain pictures it you wanted them. In your
web site you also mentioned the deepest bell op of the time; well I have an
artist’s rendition of that event and will make a copy for you if you want.
Also, I see that Tommy Shoulders tried to remember former team guys who became
master divers, well you can include Chuck Ledger, and he was the underwater
welding guy who Tommy couldn’t remember. Also, Coy Payne, coy was a TM in 11,
12 or 13, I can’t remember which one, but I met him when he was at the Tank in
Pearl, around 75. He went on to make MDV. If I try I think I can muster up
another name, but right now can’t remember…but…give me time…
Anyway Doc, let me know if you want any of the items I offered.
Take care.
George
To: docrio454@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 4:25 PM
Subject: Hey Ernie a
question about Sol Atkinson UWSS, Bends case in 1968
Doc
Ken
Wallace
Divers at Ken Wallace Funeral: STANDING lt to rt: MURRAY CATO,
(MDV
RET),GARAHAND, JOHN HARTER, (RET DV
OFFICER), JOE BATES, (RET. MDV) KNEELING lt to rt: JIM
MULLEN (RET. MASTER DV); FERNANDO
LUGO.
James Joseph Becker "JJ" (1939 - 2008)
He was born March 6, 1939, in Philadelphia. JJ served in the United
States Navy for 26 years. Among numerous other medals, JJ received a
bronze star during three tours in Vietnam as an EOD diver. Following his
military service, he worked for 16 years as a civil service employee. He
was an active member of the FRA Branch 346, VFW 10555, AMVETS Post 47,
all in Panama City Beach, Fla., and American Legion Post 356 in Lynn
Haven, Fla.
From: Palm7De [at] aol.com
To: docrio
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 1:54 PM
Subject: UWSS reunion pictures
Rio,
that photo is me with DEE Clark. I hadn't seen him in over 30 years, he
hasn't changed a bit....[lol] it was also good to see Ernie C , hadn't
seen him in over 25 years. when i was in IUWG 2, in 71, Little Creek,
got to know just about everybody on the base. co of iuwg 2 sent me over
to spec warfare . Al Mann the corpsman and me would go running in the
mornings to get in shape for UWSS school you know we would have to stop
at the 1/2 club. Dave Sutherland, little fat rat, was my Procter at UWSS
like i said, i was the last hard hat student to go thru..can't remember
everybody that was there. here are some of the names i remember doc
west, peterson. al mann,[who was always going AWOL and turning himself
into the hospital] ed Leasure. we were always playing horse shoes. I
can't think of the seal that died in 73, in Athens Greece.
well, keep in touch.I see pee wee's daughter once in a while...made a
copy, pic of the statue and gave it to her..
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for
free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
Don
ChecoteRobert Vendetto, R.I.P.
Here’s
the write-up in my hometown newspaper of my participation in the 1977 1510 FSW
dive at NEDU. I am the CPO in the pictures.
click on image to enlarge it
To: 'Doc Rio' docrio45 [at] gmail.com
Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2010
Subject: Your pictures
Rio,
It was around mid October 1969 and my class picture was taken 1 May 1970
and I was in HCU-1 in the P.I. on 15 May 1970. I went on leave from DSDS
ON 5/5/70.
David
www.navydivers.net
San
Juan P.R., 1965; L-R: MR1 Denny Morse, CS2 Albert Moore, SF1Andy
Anderson USS SKYLARK (ASR-20)
Sub
Escape Training Tank; 2010 model
ASR
ARS SITE, another oldie
e-mail list. He also reminded me to let you know that back in
the day he
was know as "OZ" He was on the Greenlet 61-64, The Tank
till 68(this is
where he made Chief) and then to Keyport ,Washing ton where he retired in
his favorite year"69".
I check the ASR-ARS website frequently to see if any of his old running
buddies have signed in and to check to see who as answered the call.
unfortunetley more have passed than we would like.
Now we just hope that the fat lady doesn't sing for a long time.
Sally Jo(email us!)
USS Petrel (ASR-14)
09-26-01
from: WIlliam Blewett
willride@home.com
tough times in School. My faverite was ON THE BOTTOM/ by cdr Edward Ellsberg
USN Salvage Boat USN FALCON. Again Thanks Navy
point of email or a mailing address that I can mail Rudy Boesch
the Masterchief a congratulations? I think he did
good for the Navy, and any man that can put up with
45 years is tuff as nails...
hagar,
another bubblehead
he just proves how tuff you guys really arer
my wife Karen age 52 to cancer 5/23/00. So with my spare time at night I surf
the web. Got the chance to watch a udt team out of Subic work,in Vietnam on
an extended operation in the summer of 64 before the Bay of Tokin. We were on
the Uss.Epping
Forest LSD4. Started in the South and went up the coast to Da Nang. I think
the frog's went over and hit the bar's in their swim trunk's, but that was
just a rumor, they did have a funny looking speedboat with teeth painted on
the hull, in the well deck. But then you properly know all this. Good luck
hoot! BKENNIS@aol.com <>
BKENNIS@aol.comBig Bill I.U.W.G1-12
Mr. Mike McCain 517-453-2227
ussbrewton@hotmail.com or mccain@avci.net
Reunion: 19-21 Apr. 2001, Harrah's, Las Vegas, NV
Click here for the USS Brewton Website.
Name: Jim Pastore
Email Address: neohiocop1@aol.com
Website URL: http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/neohiocop Website
Title: NEOhioCop
Comments:
Great site. I served on the USS Sunbird ASR-15 from 02/74 to 11/75 in New
London Ct. I have such great memories and have been looking for old shipmates
for the past 4 years on the net. Until just a few day's ago I was unable to
locate anything on ASR's or ARS's. I'm going to send you a few pictures of the
Sunbird, maybe you can use them on the website. I'm looking forward to meeting
all of you at the reunion either this year or next.
Last year I had the privelage and was the only one they could get to do the
job, we installed a fibre web system to 3 platforms using the SUIT. 978' ,
875' , 770' The jobs were a sucess but we lost financially because the jobs
were bid way to low.
Here in the not to far away future I will again be given the very great
privelage of doing it again, WHY ME???????
Ive got great pics and know how and why if yall ever want to b/s about it or
any thing else!
Who
is DiverDan? you guys know him? I need a picture of Paul Heckert, he was a
CDR? tu amigo doc rio
paul heckert was a hmc at the time. he retired from edu pc fla as a hmcm(dv).
he still lives in pc. you will meet him at the asr/ars reunion. captain dan is
dan turner who was a civilian craft master who ran the salvage operation of
a/d. he now lives in new fernandina beach fla where the statue also lives. i
visit dan every other year when attending the master diver reunion.while
stationed at quonset point, RI nas diving locker in 1962. i continued jumping
for the next 15 years. while at nsds wash i made 500 + for free at pax river.
jumped while on skylark 64-66, tringa 66-67, kittiwake 67-69, nsds 69-72,
kittiwake 72-76. during my 67-69 kittiwake tour i was a jumpmaster at suffolk.
i put a gal out on her first jump who latter became my wife and still is. i
finished up my jump games with 1102 jumps earning uspa gold wings # 711. feel
free to correct any of my ramblings. i hold no sensitive pride of authorship.
in spikefish if you could please change B.F. MORSE to D.F. MORSE Thank you
Denny
Thank
you Denny, will change
your initials ma~nana.
Rio
I was poking around the web site and seen a interestinmg question that I might
help you with ! The question was "who is Diver Dan " ! Well I was
told by Jerry Wright ( who was in the Salvage Class with my Pop, Bayonne 1954
Class#56 ) that Diver Dan was the CPO instructor on the left in this picture !
I have some more info for you about "Diver Dan " Crawford ! It was a
reply
from Jerry Wright who was in the class picture with my Pop ! I hope this
answers some questions about the mysterious "Diver Dan" ?
Warm Regards
Joe
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry and Edith Wright" <jered363@sunline.netjered363@sunline.net>
To: "Joe Fontana" <chocy@99main.com>
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2001 3:45 PM
Subject: Re: Diver Dan
Joe,Im sorry that it so long to get back to you.Chief Dan
Crawford workerd & dove on the Normandy when it caught fire in New
York and went to the bottom along side the pier,she rolled over
on its,there was a patch called the Tucker Patch it was use for the
port holes or any round opening,Dan made up many of these from
what I was told. That is all I can help you with Joe.Best of
luck Jerry Joe Our new e-mail will be atlast03@home.com
Hi Jerry
for you ! This instructor at Bayonne you told me about "Diver Dan"
who
is in the Class#56 picture, why was he so well known back then ? His
name from what I could find out (with your help) is "Dan Crawford DDC
USN" !Any more info would be helpful !
Joe
I'll be in CA sometime in the near future and would like to see Fred he was
always a nice guy.. I was sending him a MRFA newsletter but the last two I
sent came back so I guessed he had moved....any info given would be appreiated...how's
your FL. reunion coming along if you see Doc Paul Heckert tell hirt Moore said
Hi Jim Nobel as well. I was a CS2 on the Skylark with them I was getting ready
to get out of the Navy my enlistment had expired I wanted to reenlist on the
west coast..
Bo'sun holly,
nsds trained and qualified divers to 300 on air and 400 on heo2. the fleet
routinely requaled on air and he at 200ft. the reason for this was the time
involved to requal 30 divers on asr , 4 dives every 6 mons. the asr people
were very comfortable at 200 ft on air. we had no mental problems with deep
air and in fact considered it routine.
all the east coast asrs shared the ongoing job in ft laurderdale of recovering
test sub/asroc missles from 200+ on air. we would usually hit the bottom in
20-30 seconds, this was before dv med off and navsea ( essentially 2 groups of
parasitic nondivers ) decided we could not do many things even though we had
been doing them for many years. S4 or F4 sunk in 315 ft off hawii in 1915.
divers on air had no problems salving it.
the previous was of course all hard hat. during the search for the h-bomb at
palmares tringa divers dove to 190 ( no d limit ) almost daily. arss dove deep
scuba for years because they did not have adequate air for hard hat deep air.
mt morris dam, a unit of nots pasadena dove regular decomp dives in scuba to
200+. the point is that deep air scuba is not a problem for properly trained
and acclimated divers. however it is not for all divers and there are many who
have no business over 100ft. in the 60s and 70s we masters acclimated our
divers for deep air by numerous chamber runs enroute to the mission. this
worked very well and the divers felt comfortable at deep air depths. navsea,
dmo, shore duty/tender officers were scared of these dives because they were
non divers or non deep divers.
slowly but surely deep diving got lost. twa 800 was a good example of this.
the majority of the people in volved were not ready for depths 70ft shallower
than earlier asr routine requals. eod routinely work 200 this day. the eod
efforts to demine the persian gulf were done from rubber rafts ( can not moor
vessles containing metal over magnetic mines ) using only scuba. a good friend
of mine was mdv on that job if you need more info hope this helps,
e-mail if you want more
denny morse dencor@inteliport.com
Origional message from: Hhoufek@aol.com
The
American Sailor sent in by Albert
Moore (USS SKYLARK-ASR-20)
"U.S.
NAVY DEEP SEA DIVERS"
HERE IS NOW !
SEAL
TWO Photo ALbums by Doc Rio SEARCH this site ONLY!
PHOTOS
& SeaStories
welcome to. Funny how it worked back then, I had 4 kids, and couldn't afford
a camera, or much of anything else either. I'm sure you recall that we
didn't make near the money they do today. My kid made more money for sea
pay, than I did as EM2(SS). And he didn't hot bunk or stand port and
starboard watches!
Stories? Well yeah, we all have stories. My problem is that they are getting
pretty dim, and everything is beginning to run together. You know, things
like which boat was that on?, which ocean were we in?, who did what to
whom?, etc.
I recall picking an aircrew out of the sea, but can't recall which boat,
or
when. All I remember is that they wanted off that stinkin' submarine at the
earliest possible time. Hell NO!......they weren't interested in going to
Bermuda with us, get us OFFA here! Buncha pussies!
I remember getting a practice ASROC stuck in our sail, during fleet
exercises with some tin cans, but don't remember the details, except that it
hit our main induction, and caused some flooding in the boat.
I remember operating with Enterprise in the Med, in 64, and landing a smoke
flare on their flight deck. We were supposed to fire a flare when our
Skipper had reached a torpedo firing solution. He tracked them, got inside
their air cover, outwitted their destroyer escorts and the Skipper got a
good shot at them. So we fired the flare, the wind caught it and it landed
on their airplane floor. Guess that pissed 'em off! We got reassigned that
same night.
Another thing I remember was when our Cap'n made full Commander. We got the
word when we pulled in to St. Thomas, V.I. We were tied up across the pier
from some Gator boat, full of Jarheads. CO came up the forward room hatch,
decked out in full dress whites, with sword, going to some big shit meeting
with other ranking officers. His crew met him topside, and promptly threw
his ass over the side. A congratulatory ceremony for us "bubbleheads",
and
the Skipper accepted it as such. Never lost his composure and even managed
to throw his hat back on deck before he hit the water. Seems the duty
officer up on the gator boat, saw this happen, and sent a squad of Marines
over to help the Skipper control his mutinying crew. We had the skipper back
on board by the time they got there, and he was some kinda pissed. Not at
us, but at the skimmer duty officer. He explained it real plain to the
ensign that he didn't need any #^$(()6$@^* help. He was having a party with
his crew, and get his $#%%^%$&* Jarheads off our boat!!
As I recall, I was on a boat in company with Thresher, when she went down,
in 63. We were her surface contact, and our sonarman is the one who
initially made the call she was in trouble. Details of that are real hazy.
The SO was a guy named Paul Waters. He is mentioned in the book Blind Man's
Bluff, as a Chief Sonarman. He was SO2 when I knew him.
I'm sure there's other stories that come up, but like I said, it's getting
hard to sort them out. I recently visited with some of the guys I served
with, and our wives got sea sick, or tired of the smell of BS, maybe. But we
had a great time reminiscing the old days. Your Sec/Treas, Charley Micele,
is an old friend and shipmate, from USS Corporal. He was one of the guys
visiting.
I'll try to attach pix to this e-mail, but please Doc, bear in mind that I
am the original Cro-Magnon man when computers are the subject. I have a
lengthy download of pictures of an Australian Mk 48 torpedo attack
(practice) on an old ship. Are you interested?
Regards,
Bob
PS, did you go in to Cuba?
-----Original Message-----
From: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas [mailto:elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 10:24
To: Machen,Robert C
Subject: Re: thank you
hehehheheheh,
do you have any pictures or stories from your diving ship history to
contribute to the web site?
visiit it again at:
http://www.asrarsassn.org/index.html
thank you very much doc rio
----- Original Message -----
From: "Machen,Robert C" <rmachen@mwdh2o.com>
To: "'Erasmo "Doc" Riojas'" <elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 12:12 PM
Subject: RE: thank you
-----Original Message----- From: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas [mailto:elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 10:02 To: Machen,Robert C Subject: Re: thank
you
you must be having a senior citizen moment. Bob, you signed the ASR-ARS Assn
guest book.
I am the webmaster for the asrarsassn.org erasmo doc riojas go to:
www.mi-vida-loca.com and see about me.
doc riojas class 4/55 DSDS i am also a Navy (SEAL) usn Retired.
Chuck you need to put out an ALL HANDS to let everyone who did not attend that
the missed a good reunion and welcome them to Reno.
The attachment is some trivia that may amuse some of those attending the
reunion. It comes from an article in the NEW LONDON EVENING DAY. How I saved it
is beyond me.
Can any one recognize any of those younger pups in the article. The plane
connections to VA. BCH. were hectic. I had a lay over in DALLAS/FT.Worth for 2
days and had to make the best of what Irving Texas had to offer with a little
help from American Air Lines.
Regards JOHN LUKE
Chuck, where is the article?
"ASR-ARS
Guestbook" has been signed.
Name: Joe Frederickson
Email Address: svatus@pe.net
Served on Safeguard (ARS-25) 1963-1965, SA to SM3.
Check out that site at military.com and be sure to visit National Association of
Fleet Tug Sailors at nafts.com.
Thank you Willy for this great loggo of the Baka Hatchi.
willride@home.com
Al Moore, StewBurner USS
SKYLARK (ASR-20)
(snake
eater) web site Home
Panam Beach FL May 19-21
email me with the errors you may find
Name: Jim Stahl
Email Address: stahlmarine@sprynet.com
IP Address: (May not be obtainable) 63.52.235.6
Comments:
Served aboard the USS Skylark ASR 20 1954 - 1958.
Jim Stahl (DV)
willride@home.com
tough times in School. My faverite was ON THE BOTTOM/ by cdr Edward Ellsberg
USN Salvage Boat USN FALCON.
point of email or a mailing address that I can mail Rudy Boesch
the Masterchief a congratulations? I think he did
good for the Navy, and any man that can put up with
45 years is tuff as nails...
hagar,
another bubblehead
he just proves how tuff you guys really arer
my wife Karen age 52 to cancer 5/23/00. So with my spare time at night I surf
the web. Got the chance to watch a udt team out of Subic work,in Vietnam on
an extended operation in the summer of 64 before the Bay of Tokin. We were on
the Uss.Epping
Forest LSD4. Started in the South and went up the coast to Da Nang. I think
the frog's went over and hit the bar's in their swim trunk's, but that was
just a rumor, they did have a funny looking speedboat with teeth painted on
the hull, in the well deck. But then you properly know all this. Good luck
hoot! BKENNIS@aol.com <>
Big Bill I.U.W.G1-12
Mr. Mike McCain 517-453-2227
ussbrewton@hotmail.com or mccain@avci.net
Reunion: 19-21 Apr. 2001, Harrah's, Las Vegas, NV
Click here for the USS Brewton Website.
Name: Jim Pastore
Email Address: neohiocop1@aol.com
Website URL: http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/neohiocop
Website Title: NEOhioCop
Comments:
Great site. I served on the USS Sunbird ASR-15 from 02/74 to 11/75 in New
London Ct. I have such great memories and have been looking for old shipmates
for the past 4 years on the net. Until just a few day's ago I was unable to
locate anything on ASR's or ARS's. I'm going to send you a few pictures of the
Sunbird, maybe you can use them on the website. I'm looking forward to meeting
all of you at the reunion either this year or next.
Last year I had the privelage and was the only one they could get to do the
job, we installed a fibre web system to 3 platforms using the SUIT. 978' ,
875' , 770' The jobs were a sucess but we lost financially because the jobs
were bid way to low.
Here in the not to far away future I will again be given the very great
privelage of doing it again, WHY ME???????
Ive got great pics and know how and why if yall ever want to b/s about it or
any thing else!
Who
is DiverDan? you guys know him? I need a picture of Paul Heckert, he was a
CDR? tu amigo doc rio
paul heckert was a hmc at the time. he retired from edu pc fla as a hmcm(dv).
he still lives in pc. you will meet him at the asr/ars reunion. captain dan is
dan turner who was a civilian craft master who ran the salvage operation of
a/d. he now lives in new fernandina beach fla where the statue also lives. i
visit dan every other year when attending the master diver reunion.while
stationed at quonset
point, RI nas diving locker in 1962. i continued jumping for the next 15
years. while at nsds wash i made 500 + for free at pax river. jumped while on
skylark 64-66, tringa 66-67, kittiwake 67-69, nsds 69-72, kittiwake 72-76.
during my 67-69 kittiwake tour i was a jumpmaster at suffolk. i put a gal out
on her first jump who latter became my wife and still is. i finished up my
jump games with 1102 jumps earning uspa gold wings # 711. feel free to correct
any of my ramblings. i hold no sensitive pride of authorship. in spikefish if
you could please change B.F. MORSE to D.F. MORSE Thank you Denny
Thank
you Denny, will change your initials ma~nana. Rio
I'll be in CA sometime in the near future and would like to see Fred he was
always a nice guy.. I was sending him a MRFA newsletter but the last two I
sent came back so I guessed he had moved....any info given would be appreiated...how's
your FL. reunion coming along if you see Doc Paul Heckert tell hirt Moore said
Hi Jim Nobel as well. I was a CS2 on the Skylark with them I was getting ready
to get out of the Navy my enlistment had expired I wanted to reenlist on the
west coast..
Bo'sun holly,
nsds trained and qualified divers to 300 on air and 400 on heo2. the fleet
routinely requaled on air and he at 200ft. the reason for this was the time
involved to requal 30 divers on asr , 4 dives every 6 mons. the asr people
were very comfortable at 200 ft on air. we had no mental problems with deep
air and in fact considered it routine.
all the east coast asrs shared the ongoing job in ft laurderdale of recovering
test sub/asroc missles from 200+ on air. we would usually hit the bottom in
20-30 seconds, this was before dv med off and navsea ( essentially 2 groups of
parasitic nondivers ) decided we could not do many things even though we had
been doing them for many years. S4 or F4 sunk in 315 ft off hawii in 1915.
divers on air had no problems salving it.
the previous was of course all hard hat. during the search for the h-bomb at
palmares tringa divers dove to 190 ( no d limit ) almost daily. arss dove deep
scuba for years because they did not have adequate air for hard hat deep air.
mt morris dam, a unit of nots pasadena dove regular decomp dives in scuba to
200+. the point is that deep air scuba is not a problem for properly trained
and acclimated divers. however it is not for all divers and there are many who
have no business over 100ft. in the 60s and 70s we masters acclimated our
divers for deep air by numerous chamber runs enroute to the mission. this
worked very well and the divers felt comfortable at deep air depths. navsea,
dmo, shore duty/tender officers were scared of these dives because they were
non divers or non deep divers.
slowly but surely deep diving got lost. twa 800 was a good example of this.
the majority of the people in volved were not ready for depths 70ft shallower
than earlier asr routine requals. eod routinely work 200 this day. the eod
efforts to demine the persian gulf were done from rubber rafts ( can not moor
vessles containing metal over magnetic mines ) using only scuba. a good friend
of mine was mdv on that job if you need more info hope this helps,
e-mail if you want more
denny morse dencor@inteliport.com
Origional message from: Hhoufek@aol.com
The American
Sailor sent in by Albert Moore (USS
SKYLARK-ASR-20)
"U.S.
NAVY DEEP SEA DIVERS"
please send me
photos for this page. thank you
email them to:
Webmaster
Graphics created and owned by ASR/ARS Assn. and may not be used on any
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There are three corpsmen and one Hospital Corps WO-4 Mr. Harper