2009 F.O. UWSS reunion Panama City, FL

Navy Chief Retired, SFC (Diver) Gideon Don Navy Chief Retired, SFC Gideon Don "Indian" Checote, USN,RET
Obituary Navy Chief Retired, SFC (Diver) Gideon Don "Indian" Checote, USN, RET, 89, of Waynesboro, PA, passed away Sunday, October 9, 2016 in Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA. Born November 28, 1926 in Okmulgee, OK, he was the son of the late Samuel J. and Mary (Griffey) Checote. He grew up in rural Oklahoma, and entered the United States Navy in November of 1943. He served in WWII and in the Korean War. He earned his Associates Degree from the Naval Technical College in Washington, D.C.

Date: Sun, Sep 25, 2016 Reply to nickclass28, frog28, anbhale, grisemer, greenseal, artalari, gentlebreezes9., bill, garmesa, ibkelleys, lb93444, chipjump, PixHot, craigmarley, throc, frogfarm62, DKMSEAL, lyonclan, me, Frogman1930, duke.makeithot, tfrank, fwaranch, gmfreeman, gllanphier Mk5/Mk6 Some of you may remember I was in a diving accident with the Mk 6 and almost died. It was due to a transition issue from the Mk 5 to the Mk 6. Carl

Sent from my LG G Pad 7.0 LTE, an AT&T 4G LTE tablet

------ Original message------ From: Nick Nickelson Date: Sun, Sep 25, 2016 To: 'Al Fletcher';'Al Hale';'Alan Grisemer';'Arles (Steve) Nash';'Art Alari';'Bill Baker';'Bill Lipman';'Bj Gallagher';'Bob Kelley';'Bud Burgess';'Carl Swepston';'Chip Maury';'Cliff Hollenbeck';'Craig Marley';'Dante Stephenson';'Dee Van Winkle';'Dennis McCormack';'Dick Lyon';'Doc Riojas';'Don Belcher';'Duke Ogden';'Frank Toms';'Franklin Anderson';'Gary Freeman';'Gary Lanphier';'George Layton';'Glenn Luther Jones';'Greg Kassa';'Gulick John';'Hal Tune';'Hamilton Vose';'Harry Monahan';'Jack Couture';'James Young';'Jay Henry Stansell';'Jim Briscoe';'Jim Fox';'Joe DeFloria';'Joe Hutchins';'John C. Roat';'John Meyer';'Lance Mann';'Larry Miller';'Layton Bassett';'Lou DeLara';'Martin Mapes';'Marty McNair';'Mike Baumgart';'Mike Von Alvensleben';'Ned Pugh';'Nick Nickelson';'Pam Russell';'Perry J. Wootten';'R.D. Russell';'Robert Dickerson';'Rod Feris';'Roger Cook';'Roger Storer';'Ron Bell';'Ted Kassa';'Tom Copeland';'Tom Malak';'Will Sawyer';'Willy White'; Subject:closed circuit dive gear

An interesting story from Roger Cook so thought I would share it with you. Thanks Roger.

Thank you for the info on the Mk 5-Mk 6 semi-closed dive gear. I did not swim that gear when I was in the teams. I was probably in the space between the Mk-5 and the new Mk-6. Tom said that Tim Dowd died using the Mk-5 due to equipment malfunction. I did use the Mk-6 when I worked with Ocean Systems after the teams. I made a 700ft.lock-out using the Mk-6 out of the worlds first diver lock-out submersible Deep Diver in 1967. The Mk-6 was selected to save gas on that deep lock-out dive. The dive went very well, other than the fact my dive tender got a middle ear hit during decompression at 450 ft so we had to pressurize back to 480 ft to compress the bubble. That was my first experience with that kind of decompression hit. I had to hold my tender against the bulkhead because he was sick and didn't know what position he was in. A middle ear hit affects your equilibrium so the diver doesn't know what position he was in. That hit caused us an extra 12 hours of decompression. The Doctor and the pilot were in the fwd compartment of the submersible and could see us through a viewport in the hatch connecting both compartments,and we had communication with them. The Doctor said the build up of tar from smoking in his ears didn't allow the gas to pass freely, thus the hit. You had mentioned you thought the teams were still using the Emerson. The curator Ruth at the museum said they discontinued the Emerson in the mid 80's and know use a Drager unit. I saw one at the museum and it is a good looking rig. Again thanks for your input.

An entertaining bit of comedy lightened the end of the presentation. Emphasizing that this was neither a part of the school curriculum nor a punishment for erring seamen, the school’s ,maintenance officer, Gordon Hiles, with the help of R. Tappy, GM1(DV), proceeded to handcuff the wrists and bind the ankles of Garrett Bruce, SN, attached to the school’s service craft. Bruce was then lashed into a canvas bag along with a 50 lb shackle and tossed into the deep end of the swimming pool.

As the guests rushed to the edge of the pool to observe the outcome, Bruce calmly and quickly released his bonds underwater and floated to the surface with a :triumphant smile. He had out witted his division officer again.

This story from Gordon Hiles appeared in a Key West newspaper on December 1, 1961

RE: Presidente Porras Paper
Tom Hawkins
Aug 24 (1 day ago)
to Norm, Woodward, me, Dick, Don
Norm and Woody,

This appears to be a cruel joke at best. In all of my years with Dr. Lambertsen, he never once mentioned “FLATUS” (which is basically a big long fart)

Here is what Dr. Lambertsen related to me…of course we all know about the LARU, which was adopted by UDT in 1947 thanks to Lambertsen and Fane; however, it was Fane as COMUDU ONE that adopted the relatively new open-circuit UBA over the LARU, because it was simply much easier to get into the water. (Don Rose has a great story about this.)

The LARUs were thus allowed to rot on the shelf; something that Dr. Lambertsen felt deeply unsettled about even during our discussions. Once the UDTs came to their senses and realized that all of those bubbles were not very tactical, they started looking at what was available. They discovered the German Draeger and Italian Pirelli, which were acquired by the Teams. There was also a failed attempt by Scott Aviation to reverse engineer the Draeger.

In the interim, Dr. Lambertsen had invented a modernized version of the LARU and worked with the J.H. Emerson Company to manufacture it. He eventually gave J.H. the patient and decided to move on to what he was doing at UPenn in his research. He and Mr. Emerson got along very well, and he never regretted his decision. The Emerson rig was eventually adopted and issued to UDTs.
The Emerson rig and Mk 6 UBA is what I learned at Key West UWSS, circa 1967.
Unless I’m missing something, FLATUS should be subject to a high-speed disregard; unless someone knows more than me or Dick Vann (the ultimate expert on O2 rigs).

Tom Hawkins

From: Norm Olson [mailto:trident33@comcast.net] Sent: Monday, August 19, 2013 6:02 PM To: Hawkins - VB Tom; Woodward Gunner Subject: Fw: Fwd: FW: Presidente Porras Paper
I truly don’t know what this is all about, but I thought both of you might be interested in weighing in if appropriate. Norm

From: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2013 2:13 PM
To: Richard Vann ; Doc Stone
Subject: Fwd: FW: Presidente Porras Paper
Mr. Vann,
I would like to know more about this FLATUS Rig and as a previious student and instructor at UWSS, I would also like to know all that history.
I know Bob Bornmann, and Charlie Aquardo.
THank you very much

Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
USN Retired Corpsman

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Robert Bornmann <robertbornmann@hotmail.com> Date: Tue, Aug 6, 2013 at 10:26 AM Subject: FW: Presidente Porras Paper To: NMJim NMVorosmarti <docvoro@verizon.net>

Jim This e-mail exchange with Dick Vann is a prelude to the question I addressed to you this morning asking about a Chris Lambertsen patent for his constant mass flow regulator. Bob

---------

From: rvann@dan.org 6 Aug 2013

Bob, thank you very much. (Yes, Maine is considered one of the 50 states and is served by USPS.) From your comments below I take it that there is no “official” history of the Swim School or even an unofficial write-up. If Don were interested in putting something together, I bet we could get it published in The Blast since there were so many frogs trained there and Dave Schablie played a major role. Dick

P.S. I’ll also send this to John Clarke at NEDU as I suspect he hasn’t heard the FLATUS story from that close to the horse’s mouth.

August 05, 2013 To: Vann, Richard

Dick This morning I will send the Rosenberg-Ramsdell Martini manuscript [on the similarity of nitrogen narcosis to martini ingestion] by overnight mail [does USPS actually give daily service that far north?] to you at:

Richard Vann

95 Belfast Augusta Road

I was told that the Underwater Swimmers School was originally established as a secondary diving training facility in Key West for Navy Explosive Ordnance Demolition School in Indian Head MD as, unlike the other forces, Navy EOD personnel had to be able to work underwater. I believe that our XO LT Rudy Enders was EOD, while CO Ken Ploof was a former Master Diver who had done two tours, as enlisted and later as an officer, at the Experimental Diving Unit. After Enders left Dave Schaible fleeted up from Training Officer to XO. Dave had been in UDT but he also was a student at the Indian Head School when he was selected for commissioning. Both Ploof and then Schaible later became COs at the Indian Head School. Schaible acquired the facilities to conduct EOD diving training there on the base at Indian Head. I think that may have been a factor in the disestablishment of UWSS at Key West, but in the same time period there was a major revision and centralization of training in the Navy under NAVPERS and leading to the establishment of the Naval Training Command. The Deep Sea Diving School was affected also, but the big competition was with Naval Aviation which wanted to continue to control their own training. Many compromises but all focused on more effective, efficient and safe training.

Chris Lambertsen pushed the Navy with his FLATUS* rig to develop semi-closed circuit mixed gas SCUBA, which occurred in the later 1950s. Training with those rigs was included in the UWSS curricula. I think it was that addition which encouraged UDT to begin sending several of their swimmers to Key West for training. My recall is that had started before I left UWSS in the summer of 1962 while Schaible was XO. We also trained personnel of Marine Recon.

I have been told so many times that I am wrong about the founding of UWSS that I have ceased arguing the point. However, I would suggest that you contact Don Stone - UDT/SEAL corpsman and guiding godfather for the UWSS fraternity - to learn who is really an expert on the first history of the School and may have written or published on the subject. His e-mail address is included above. Bob

* The story I was told was that the original Lambertsen rig had a bell chime to indicate low gas pressure. For EOD the rig had not only to be non-magnetic but noiseless, so Chris sub-stituted an injection of mercaptan to warn the diver. The choice of either noise or bad smell led a joker to label it FLATUS.

Vann, Richard

Aug 24
to Robert, John, Gene, James, Tom, Norm, Woodward, me, Don

This is a good discussion, folks. Clearly, the details are not widely known to all if, indeed, any one person has the full story. Chris was involved in so many activities that it is not surprising that he didn't tell any one person everything. He did, however, tell me the "flatus" tale. Bob Bornmann knows it, too, and perhaps John Clarke as well. What I'm not clear on is the motivation and sequence of events that led to the semi-closed rigs (Mk 5, Flatus, Mk 6 – whatever). Certainly, EOD needed to go deeper than the LARU allowed. Did the Navy request Chris to develop a SC unit or did he do it on his own? It wouldn't surprise me it the idea developed in the collegial discussions between the Navy and CJL that was how things got done in those days. When he delivered the Mk 5 (?) which whistled when it ran out of gas, Chris was informed by EOD that it needed to be quiet. That led him to add the smell to replace sound. I don't know who came up with the name. (I believe there is an NEDU Report that describes its testing.) Does anyone know where the idea for the absolute 1st stage regulator came from that made constant mass flow of gas possible through the sonic orifice? Then there was the BUSHIPS (?) engineer, Mike Foran, who disliked Chris ("The Navy is not going to have any more diving gear named after Lambertsen.") and introduced many delays. I believe I heard this story from Tom.

Best regards,
Dick

From: Tom Hawkins <tomhawkins@cox.net> Date: Saturday, August 24, 2013 9:28 AM To: Norman Olson <trident33@comcast.net>, 'Woodward Gunner' <gunnerww@comcast.net> Cc: Erasmo Riojas <docrio45@gmail.com>, "Richard Vann, Ph.D." <rvann@dan.org>, Doc Stone <Stonefish7@cs.com> Subject: RE: Fwd: FW: Presidente Porras Paper

I was told that the Underwater SwimmersSchool was originally established as a secondary diving training facility in Key West for NavyExplosive OrdnanceDemolition School in Indian Head MD as, unlike the other forces, Navy EOD personnel had to be able to work underwater. I believe that our XO LT Rudy Enders was EOD, while CO Ken Ploof was a former Master Diver who had done two tours, as enlisted and later as an officer, at the Experimental Diving Unit. After Enders left Dave Schaible fleeted up from Training Officer to XO. Dave had been in UDT but he also was a student at the Indian Head School when he was selected for commissioning. Both Ploof and then Schaible later became COs at the Indian Head School. Schaible acquired the facilities to conduct EOD diving training there on the base at Indian Head. I think that may have been a factor in the disestablishment of UWSS at Key West, but in the same time period there was a major revision and centralization of training in the Navy under NAVPERS and leading to the establishment of the Naval Training Command. The Deep Sea Diving School was affected also, but the big competition was with Naval Aviation which wanted to continue to control their own training. Many compromises but all focused on more effective, efficient and safe training.

Chris Lambertsen pushed the Navy with his FLATUS* rig to develop semi-closed circuit mixed gas SCUBA, which occurred in the later 1950s. Training with those rigs was included in the UWSS curricula. I think it was that addition which encouraged UDT to begin sending several of their swimmers to Key West for training. My recall is that had started before I left UWSS in the summer of 1962 while Schaible was XO. We also trained personnel of Marine Recon.

I have been told so many times that I am wrong about the founding of UWSS that I have ceased arguing the point. However, I would suggest that you contact Don Stone - UDT/SEAL corpsman and guiding godfather for the UWSS fraternity - to learn who is really an expert on the first history of the School and may have written or published on the subject. His e-mail address is included above. Bob

* The story I was told was that the original Lambertsen rig had a bell chime to indicate low gas pressure. For EOD the rig had not only to be non-magnetic but noiseless, so Chris sub-stituted an injection of mercaptan to warn the diver. The choice of either noise or bad smell led a joker to label it FLATUS.
_______________________________________________________
Robert Bornmann

to NDRichard, Tom, Norm, Woodward, me, NDDon, John, NDrGene, NMJim

Dick I am not an engineer, and the events must have taken place when I was still in secondary school - but did not Chris Lambertsen use the sonic orifice constant mass flow regulator for his OSS oxygen diving rig, later known as the LARU? Once set the regulator would provide an oxygen flow, unchanged by depth or pressure, to the diver underwater. It was later that we began worrying about oxygen toxicity from going deeper than 30-60 feet. [But many such problems are recounted in Borghese's book on Italian incursori frogmen in World War II.] Lambertsen told me though that he could go to 100 feet without that worry if he started the dive with his LARU breathing bag full of surface air, so that at 100 feet his oxygen proportion and partial pressure would still be only about 20%. That is an interesting variant and base for his development of a semiclosed circuit mixed gas SCUBA. Also the need for EOD divers to go deeper would only come about when there was a perceived threat that explosive devices would be placed that deep in circumstances where they needed to be disarmed. Bob
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24 Aug 2013

----- Original message -----

Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 Subject: Presidente Porras Paper From: "Erasmo \"Doc\" Riojas" To: Tom Hawkins
I agree with You Mr. Hawkins. Thank you.

Doc Riojas
On Sat, Aug 24, 2013 at 8:28 AM, Tom Hawkins wrote:

** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Norm and Woody,****

** **

This appears to be a cruel joke at best. In all of my years with Dr. Lambertsen, he never once mentioned “FLATUS” (which is basically a big
Vann, Richard
to me, Tom

Flatus Mixed-Gas Scuba.

Show full item record

Title: Flatus Mixed-Gas Scuba. NEDU_1954_13.pdf Author: Dwyer, JV Abstract: The flatus was tested by a series of dives on different mixtures injected at various rates. The evaluation produced the following conclusions: (1) The apparatus was found to conform to predicted performance for its basic class; consequently it can perform satisfactorily for any type of diving within depth and time limits for the mixture used; (2) It can meet interim UDU and EODU requirements; (3) It could become the safest mixed-gas apparatus available; (4) It should be made sturdier and then be evaluated for its maximum capabilities; (5) It should be given full-scale field for UDU and EODU use. (Author) Description: Citation Status: Active; Citation Classification: Unclassified; Title Classification: Unclassified; Report Classification: Unclassified; Identifier Classification: Unclassified; Abstract Classification: Unclassified; Distribution Limitation(s): 01 - APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; Information provided by the Department of Defense and the Defense Technical Information Center (http://www.dtic.mil/) is considered public information and may be distributed or copied unless otherwise specified. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credits is requested. URI: http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/3389 Date: 1954

From: Erasmo Riojas Date: Saturday, August 24, 2013 4:19 PM To: Tom Hawkins Subject: Presidente Porras Paper

I was told that the Underwater Swimmers School was originally established as a secondary diving training facility in Key West for Navy Explosive OrdnanceDemolition School in Indian Head MD as, unlike the other forces, Navy EOD personnel had to be able to work underwater. I believe that our XO LT Rudy Enders was EOD, while CO Ken Ploof was a former Master Diver who had done two tours, as enlisted and later as an officer, at the Experimental Diving Unit. After Enders left Dave Schaible fleeted up from Training Officer to XO. Dave had been in UDT but he also was a student at the Indian Head School when he was selected for commissioning. Both Ploof and then Schaible later became COs at the Indian Head School. Schaible acquired the facilities to conduct EOD diving training there on the base at Indian Head. I think that may have been a factor in the disestablishment of UWSS at Key West, but in the same time period there was a major revision and centralization of training in the Navy under NAVPERS and leading to the establishment of the Naval Training Command. The Deep Sea Diving School was affected also, but the big competition was with Naval Aviation which wanted to continue to control their own training. Many compromises but all focused on more effective, efficient and safe training.

Chris Lambertsen pushed the Navy with his FLATUS* rig to develop semi-closed circuit mixed gas SCUBA, which occurred in the later 1950s. Training with those rigs was included in the UWSS curricula. I think it was that addition which encouraged UDT to begin sending several of their swimmers to Key West for training. My recall is that had started before I left UWSS in the summer of 1962 while Schaible was XO. We also trained personnel of Marine Recon.

I have been told so many times that I am wrong about the founding of UWSS that I have ceased arguing the point. However, I would suggest that you contact Don Stone - UDT/SEAL corpsman and guiding godfather for the UWSS fraternity - to learn who is really an expert on the first history of the School and may have written or published on the subject. His e-mail address is included above. Bob

* The story I was told was that the original Lambertsen rig had a bell chime to indicate low gas pressure. For EOD the rig had not only to be non-magnetic but noiseless, so Chris sub-stituted an injection of mercaptan to warn the diver. The choice of either noise or bad smell led a joker to label it FLATUS.

Tom Hawkins

Draeger LARUBA Emerson-Lambertsen 02 Rebreather Lambertsen Amphibious Respiratory Unit(LARU)

Tom Hawkins
Aug 26

to: Robert, NDRichard, Norm, Woodward, me, NDDon, John, NDrGene, NMJim

Bob,
Great stuff…The deepest target that I know of that we ever planed was at 99 feet, circa 1979, when the Mk 15 was just coming into service (we had to admit that the target presented exceptional risk).
Our limitation was not the UBA but the demolition firing devices, which were not good past 66 FSW.

Tom Hawkins

From: Robert Bornmann
Sent: Saturday, August 24, 2013 11:45 AM
To: NDRichard NDVann; Tom Hawkins; 'Norm Olson'; 'Woodward Gunner'
Cc: NDdErasmo NDdRiojas; NDDon NDStone; John Clarke; NDrGene NDHobbs; NMJim NMVorosmarti Subject: RE: Presidente Porras Paper

Dick I am not an engineer, and the events must have taken place when I was still in secondary school - but did not Chris Lambertsen use the sonic orifice constant mass flow regulator for his OSS oxygen diving rig, later known as the LARU? Once set the regulator would provide an oxygen flow, unchanged by depth or pressure, to the diver underwater. It was later that we began worrying about oxygen toxicity from going deeper than 30-60 feet. [But many such problems are recounted in Borghese's book on Italian incursori frogmen in World War II.]

Lambertsen told me though that he could go to 100 feet without that worry if he started the dive with his LARU breathing bag full of surface air, so that at 100 feet his oxygen proportion and partial pressure would still be only about 20%.

That is an interesting variant and base for his development of a semiclosed circuit mixed gas SCUBA. Also the need for EOD divers to go deeper would only come about when there was a perceived threat that explosive devices would be placed that deep in circumstances where they needed to be disarmed.

24 Aug 2013

This is a good discussion, folks. Clearly, the details are not widely known to all if, indeed, any one person has the full story. Chris was involved in so many activities that it is not surprising that he didn't tell any one person everything.

He did, however, tell me the "flatus" tale. Bob Bornmann knows it, too, and perhaps John Clarke as well. What I'm not clear on is the motivation and sequence of events that led to the semi-closed rigs (Mk 5, Flatus, Mk 6 – whatever). Certainly, EOD needed to go deeper than the LARU allowed. Did the Navy request Chris to develop a SC unit or did he do it on his own?

It wouldn't surprise me it the idea developed in the collegial discussions between the Navy and CJL that was how things got done in those days. When he delivered the Mk 5 (?) which whistled when it ran out of gas, Chris was informed by EOD that it needed to be quiet. That led him to add the smell to replace sound. I don't know who came up with the name. (I believe there is an NEDU Report that describes its testing.) Does anyone know where the idea for the absolute 1st stage regulator came from that made constant mass flow of gas possible through the sonic orifice?

Then there was the BUSHIPS (?) engineer, Mike Foran, who disliked Chris ("The Navy is not going to have any more diving gear named after Lambertsen.") and introduced many delays. I believe I heard this story from Tom.

Best regards,
Dick

From: Tom Hawkins Date: Saturday, August 24, 2013 9:28 AM To: Norman Olson 'Woodward Gunner' Cc: Erasmo Riojas , "Richard Vann, Ph.D." , Doc Stone
Subject: RE: Fwd: FW: Presidente Porras Paper

Norm and Woody,

This appears to be a cruel joke at best. In all of my years with Dr. Lambertsen, he never once mentioned “FLATUS” (which is basically a big long fart)

Here is what Dr. Lambertsen related to me…of course we all know about the LARU, which was adopted by UDT in 1947 thanks to Lambertsen and Fane; however, it was Fane as COMUDU ONE that adopted the relatively new open-circuit UBA over the LARU, because it was simply much easier to get into the water. (Don Rose has a great story about this.)

The LARUs were thus allowed to rot on the shelf; something that Dr. Lambertsen felt deeply unsettled about even during our discussions. Once the UDTs came to their senses and realized that all of those bubbles were not very tactical, they started looking at what was available. They discovered the German Draeger and Italian Pirelli, which were acquired by the Teams. There was also a failed attempt by Scott Aviation to reverse engineer the Draeger.

In the interim, Dr. Lambertsen had invented a modernized version of the LARU and worked with the J.H. Emerson Company to manufacture it. He eventually gave J.H. the patient and decided to move on to what he was doing at UPenn in his research. He and Mr. Emerson got along very well, and he never regretted his decision. The Emerson rig was eventually adopted and issued to UDTs.

The Emerson rig and Mk 6 UBA is what I learned at Key West UWSS, circa 1967.

Unless I’m missing something, FLATUS should be subject to a high-speed disregard; unless someone knows more than me or Dick Vann (the ultimate expert on O2 rigs).

Tom Hawkins

From: Norm Olson
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2013 6:02 PM
To: Hawkins - VB Tom; Woodward Gunner Subject: Fw: Fwd: FW: Presidente Porras Paper

I truly don’t know what this is all about, but I thought both of you might be interested in weighing in if appropriate.

From:Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2013 2:13 PM
To:Richard Vann ; Doc Stone
Subject: Fwd: FW: Presidente Porras Paper
Mr. Vann,
I would like to know more about this FLATUS Rig and as a previious student and instructor at UWSS, I would also like to know all that history.

I know Bob Bornmann, and Charlie Aquardo.

THank you very much
Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
USN Retired Corpsman

From: Robert Bornmann
Date: Tue, Aug 6, 2013 at 10:26 AM
Subject: FW: Presidente Porras Paper
To: NMJim NMVorosmarti

Jim This e-mail exchange with Dick Vann is a prelude to the question I addressed to you this morning asking about a Chris Lambertsen patent for his constant mass flow regulator.

From: rvann
6 Aug 2013

Bob, thank you very much. (Yes, Maine is considered one of the 50 states and is served by USPS.) From your comments below I take it that there is no “official” history of the Swim School or even an unofficial write-up. If Don were interested in putting something together, I bet we could get it published in The Blast since there were so many frogs trained there and Dave Schablie played a major role. Dick

P.S. I’ll also send this to John Clarke at NEDU as I suspect he hasn’t heard the FLATUS story from that close to the horse’s mouth.

August 05, 2013
To: Vann, Richard

Dick This morning I will send the Rosenberg-Ramsdell Martini manuscript [on the similarity of nitrogen narcosis to martini ingestion] by overnight mail [does USPS actually give daily service that far north?] to you at:

Richard Vann
95 Belfast Augusta Road

I was told that the Underwater SwimmersSchool was originally established as a secondary diving training facility in Key West for NavyExplosive OrdnanceDemolition School in Indian Head MD as, unlike the other forces, Navy EOD personnel had to be able to work underwater. I believe that our XO LT Rudy Enders was EOD, while CO Ken Ploof was a former Master Diver who had done two tours, as enlisted and later as an officer, at the Experimental Diving Unit. After Enders left Dave Schaible fleeted up from Training Officer to XO. Dave had been in UDT but he also was a student at the Indian Head School when he was selected for commissioning. Both Ploof and then Schaible later became COs at the Indian Head School. Schaible acquired the facilities to conduct EOD diving training there on the base at Indian Head. I think that may have been a factor in the disestablishment of UWSS at Key West, but in the same time period there was a major revision and centralization of training in the Navy under NAVPERS and leading to the establishment of the Naval Training Command. The Deep Sea Diving School was affected also, but the big competition was with Naval Aviation which wanted to continue to control their own training. Many compromises but all focused on more effective, efficient and safe training.

Chris Lambertsen pushed the Navy with his FLATUS* rig to develop semi-closed circuit mixed gas SCUBA, which occurred in the later 1950s. Training with those rigs was included in the UWSS curricula. I think it was that addition which encouraged UDT to begin sending several of their swimmers to Key West for training. My recall is that had started before I left UWSS in the summer of 1962 while Schaible was XO. We also trained personnel of Marine Recon.

I have been told so many times that I am wrong about the founding of UWSS that I have ceased arguing the point. However, I would suggest that you contact Don Stone - UDT/SEAL corpsman and guiding godfather for the UWSS fraternity - to learn who is really an expert on the first history of the School and may have written or published on the subject. His e-mail address is included above.

Bob

* The story I was told was that the original Lambertsen rig had a bell chime to indicate low gas pressure. For EOD the rig had not only to be non-magnetic but noiseless, so Chris sub-stituted an injection of mercaptan to warn the diver. The choice of either noise or bad smell led a joker to label it FLATUS.

U.S. Naval School Underwater Swimmers, Key West, Florida, welcomed its first class in 1954 and trained over 6000 divers before officially closing its doors in l973. Students came from all branches of the U.S. military, from several civilian government departments, and from allied forces. Former staff and students look back on their days at UWSS with pride and fond memories.

The Fraternal Order of Underwater Swimmers School was organized to keep lines of communication open for former staff and students. Membership is open to all who share an interest in the goals and activities of FO/UWSS. One of the most important reasons for our existence is our biannual reunions held at various locations selected by members' votes. The Buddy Line newsletter is published quarterly.

Here are the details of our Reunion in Panama City, May 2013. United States Naval School, Underwater Swimmers, Key West ,Fla. (05-15-2013 to 05-19-2013)

Group/Organization: www.UWSS.org Location: N.A.S. Panama City, Panama City, FL Another LINK to the unofficial UWSS page is on www.sealtwo.org with many reunion pictures. Please go to the index and click on the UWSS tab.

Contact: Bob Holmes, President, UWSS, (SEAL Team TWO) deepdivebob [at] yahoo.com, Gerry Flowers, V.P., UWSS, (USMC Recon) nomad52usmc [at] gmail.com, Woody Woodward, U.S.N. gunnerww [at] comcast.net, Please click on: www.uwss.org

Additional Info: U.S. Naval School Underwater Swimmers, Key West, Florida, welcomed its first class in 1954 and trained over 6000 divers before officially closing it doors in l973. Students came from all branches of the U.S. military, from several civilian government departments, and from allied forces. Former staff and students look back on their days at UWSS with pride and fond memories. We are looking for ALL U.S. Marines, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force operators that attended this prestigious school.

Don "Indian" Checote, we rode the USS SKYLARK (ASR-20) and were on the Thresher Disaster

Front Left: ?? Aaron Farrior, John Hobbs Jr. behind: Rudy Boesch, and Richard Pere

Berni Campoli, Photographer's Mate and Underwater Photographer Extraordinaire

Lt. to Rt. Terry Jones, Gerry Flowers, Rudy B. Jim C., Bob Holmes, Andy Sendry, Tom Brechtel and Rosalie Shouse

Otto Holmberg, Chris Seger, Ed Abel, Joe Kennedy, Peter Wells,and George Coughlan

The Underwater Swimmers School gave a presentation last Friday to the visiting members of the Uruguayan Naval War College class which included demonstrations of swimming techniques taught by the school, "wet suit" protective clothing, the advantages and limitations of open circuit SCUBA equipment used operationally by the Navy, and the Mark V semi-closed circuit apparatus developed by the Navy's own Experimental Diving Unit. An entertaining bit of comedy lightened the end of the presentation. Emphasizing that this was neither a part of the school curriculum nor a punishment for erring seamen, the school's ,maintenance officer, Gordon Hiles, with the help of R. Tappy, GM1(DV), proceeded to handcuff the wrists and bind the ankles of Garrett Bruce, SN, attached to the school's service craft. Bruce was then lashed into a canvas bag along with a 50 lb shackle and tossed into the deep end of the swimming pool. As the guests rushed to the edge of the pool to observe the outcome, Bruce calmly and quickly released his bonds underwater and floated to the surface with a :triumphant smile. He had out witted his division officer again. This story from Gordon Hiles appeared in a Key West newspaper on December 1, 1961 Fraternal Order of Underwater Swimmers School Buddy Line Newsletter
1440 SW 5th Avenue Boca Raton, FL 33432

Dow Byers Shark UWSS Key West FL; Ernie Caltenbach was the model for the SCUBA diver

From Ernie Calthenbach MDV USN Ret. to: docrio45 at gmail.com Sent: March 24, 2010 Subj: F.O. UWSS Branson Reunion

Doc, I still have not gone into my box of pictures to send you for www.sealtwo.org. Can your web site put my rate and name under the Shark for being the model for the diver riding the shark. After that task of preparing me for the making of the casting of my body; I was told by Dr. Peterson that it would be a couple of hours for the cast to day. However it took them longer just putting me into the full bady cast. Of course all i had on was a jock strap and when it dried completely my puddies picked me off the shark and laid me on the floor of the carpentar shop. You have to picture that. The position I made laying there without the cast. I was sitting with a bunch of divers/SEALs and said: "Will you llok at that; we have to clean this guy up" There was a swab in a bucket and thest is history. Fun was had by all including me. I was great to be the model for the UWSS shark.

The very best; Ernie

John Spottswood was a true "Key West Conch" and was the Monroe County Sheriff before becoming State Senator in the early 60s. He decided he wanted to go through UWSS, got an OK from the navy and fell in with a regular SCUBA class. There seemed to be no love lost between the Senator and the Key West newspaper, locally known as "The Mullet Wrapper."

There were constant digs printed about the Senator, i.e., falling behind on morning runs, being last on swims and generally not being able to measure up, etc. It was well known around town that UWSS was a tough institute and that only the fittest survived. In fact, during those years we had an attrition rate of 63%. One untrue article published said something to the affect that -- every time there is a tough training evolution at UWSS, such as a night sneak attack on a ship or one of the home-ported submarines, Senator Spottswood is conveniently called to Tallahassee for important meetings. Actually, he was called away from time to time but not as his friends at the newspaper reported. He went on to graduate.

However a few classes later Senator Spottswood, at age 44, returned to swim school, this time with every contingency covered. He had appointed assistants to deal with whatever. He was NOT to be interrupted during the next 6 weeks. No matter what. He was assigned to a UDT class newly arrived from Rosey Roads. They were as hard as Chinese arithmetic. Ray Tullas, the class proctor, positioned Mr. Spottswood in the front of the formation to keep him from falling behind on runs. Tullas even told him, "hang on to my belt, just keep up." He did. During that course, the Senator made every evolution and graduated. Senator John Spottswood and Instructor Woody Woodward

He was so proud of himself he said the felt like his chest would burst. To celebrate, he threw a grand 'weekend-long party' for UWSS instructors on -- his own island -- Munson Island, where Warner Brothers filmed the movie "PT-109". He later arranged a photo op for the instructors with his old friend, President Harry Truman. He introduced each instructor to Mr. Truman explaining what stood out most in his mind about this guy or that. Mostly, "Instructor Blank tried to kill me," or, "Instructor Blank tried to drown me." He often had parties at his Key West home and would invite us and our significant others., "ah the good ole days."

Robert Bornmann
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

mailto:
Doc Riojas: docrio45 [at] gmail DOT com
From:eseidel [at] rochester DOT rr DOT com
Jim Eileen Seidel
Subj: UWSS Picture

You served with most of my classmates who made the Navy a career and it was my distinct pleasure finally meeting you. I believe the pictures Phil Mees sent are similar to my updated pictures. I believe I have all the teammates from UWSS are correctly identified, if not please correct and forward.

We are having a 1962 reunion this July at Little Creek. To date: a growing list of teammates attending, some you served with:. Andy Anderson, Jim;Finley; Wayne Gough; Russel Gugino; Phil Mees; Pete Peterson; John Reznik (Rzeznikiewicz); Jim Seidel; “Hook”Tuure; Len Conti; Al Ablowich; Jack Bellamy; Wayne Henze; Ben Panas; Tony Rossi; Ed Porter; Dave Watts; George (Ski) Wascovich; Bill Garnett; Al Warta; Tom Thomas; Jim Soltis. Missing: Brown, Horace F., Carr, James D., Clark, Edward J, Dunthorn, Stephen H., Edwards, Jon, Grant, McQueen, Edward G (Ed), Hawthorne, Rodman R., , Hoff, Richard W, Mattie, Daniel J., Remley, Barry G., Scott, James L., Sjostrom, John E., Sutherland David G, Swartwout, Peter S., Woodaman, Ronald E.H., Shirley, William L.

You wouldn’t happen to have any current or E mail addresses of our missing? Some teammates I have not seen in 50 years others like, Ken Estok, will not attend a reunion. Hopefully he, and others, can be persuaded to join us for a reunion dinner being scheduled for July,19 2012.???

I really enjoy your web site and have perused every section. There are a plethora of additional stories that are being lost to future generations, due to attrition, that should be acquired. I wish I knew a method of retrieval.

One critique: some of the recent additions are not in keeping with your intent, especially the addition of political opinions, because they tend to be divisive and transitory in nature.

I included a picture from the last reunion and I apologize for the lack of recognition of our teammate. Would you add a name to the face? Thank you and see you at the next reunion.

Jim Seidel.

This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

UWSS , Key West FL Commanding Officers: Top: R.A. Fay, J.C. Roe, CH. Hinman, K Ploop, R.T. Fleming, BOTTOM: Burnham, P.W. Willits, C.W. Wehmer, P.M. Badger Jr. LCDR R.A. Anderson

From:Two2scoops [at] aol.com; Ernie Caltenbach MDV USN Ret.
To: docrio45 [at] gmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Subject: F.O. UWSS BRANSON REUNION

Doc Riojas
I still have not went into boxes for pictures to send you for www.sealtwo.org
On your www.sealtwo.org/uwss.htm how about putting my rate and name under the shark me being the model for the diver riding the shark.

As for that task of preparing me for the making of the casting of my body; I was told by the Dr. Peterson that it would be a couple of hours in a full body cast to dry. However it took them longer just putting me into that full body cast.
Of course all I had on was a jock strap and when it dried completely my buddies picked me off of the shark and laid me on the floor of the carpenter shop You have to picture that . . . the position I am in laying there with out the cast.

I was sitting with a bunch of divers/SEALs and one said: "Will you look at that . . . we have to clean this guy up". There was a swab in a bucket and the rest is history.
Fun was had by all including me. It was great to be the model.

The routine of daily life is sometime taken for granted. Never again will I assume the usual to take place. I am Chief Petty Officer Eugene A. Cahill, U.S. Navy Platoon Chief, Underwater Demolition Teams.

On the morning of March 28, 1968, my unit was engaged in parachute training. Our aircraft was flying 1500 feet, and 110 knots above Salerno, Italy at 12 noon.

It was another routine training parachute jump, and I was looking forward to the end, because my unit was packing up and getting ready for a return to the states, from a six-month deployment. I had written my wife and four children the night before and relayed the news and anticipated arrival date. I was the Jumpmaster for the first group of jumpers, and I was breaking in a Lieutenant Junior Grade as Jumpmaster for another group of jumpers. I gave the prejump briefing; covering all the safety precautions and emergency procedures in case one of the jumpers had trouble. Just prior to exiting the aircraft, I asked the LTJG if he had his knife, (a required piece of equipment for all UDT jumpers). His reply was, "I forgot to bring it." Before leaving the aircraft I said "Here take mine, I won't need it."

The several minutes that followed, passed like several hours. I was the first jumper in a six-man stick. Immediately after jumping, five other men hit me on the way out. My parachute had deployed and was wrapped around the tail section of the plane. I was hanging by my neck about 25-feet behind the plane. The shroud lines of the parachute were wrapped around my neck. One man knocked my helmet off with his foot. One kicked me in the jaw and neck and another kicked me in the knee.

I was bleeding from my mouth and neck. I was near strangulation from the tangled shroud lines around my neck, and the weight of my body was pulling them tighter and tighter.

Somehow, I remained conscious throughout this ordeal. Shifting my position slightly, I was finally able to assess my precarious situation. I signaled the aircraft that I was conscious, using the standard signals (left hand on head, right hand on reserve parachute handle).

The aircraft circled the airport for almost ten minutes; weaving and dipping, trying to shake me free. This did not work.

At this point, I was trailing the aircraft lying on my back. I instinctively reached for the one necessity in this situation; my knife. I had to get my shroud lines free from my neck. It was not there! Then I remembered, "Here take mine, I won't need it," as I had said to the other Jumpmaster before leaving the plane. My knife was in his possession, and it was the one thing that could help most.

I finally managed to free the lines from my neck by rolling and pulling myself toward the aircraft. The rushing wind from the plane's speed made breathing difficult. Pulling my body toward the plane was like doing a chin up with lead shoes on.

Then it was time for a new maneuver. I reached across my chest and pulled the canopy release and was free from the plane, and my parachute. I started to tumble through the air. I remembered that while I was tumbling through the air, that my watch band had become uncoupled and that I reached over and recouped it.

I went into a free-fall position, parallel to the earth in order to get somewhat stable before pulling my reserve. When I became stable, I was coming down with my back to the ground. I pulled the reserve chute. The small pilot chute came out and blew apart, because of the force from the 120 miles per hour speed at which I was falling. Instinctively, I reached in and pulled the main reserve out and threw it into the wind.

My falling motion was slowed by a jarring jolt. Looking down, I estimated that I was between 300 and 400 feet from

the ground. This was later confirmed by the jumpers who were already on the ground. I was directly over a highway with railroad tracks and high-tension wires running along both sides.

I was trying to maneuver and, next thing I knew, I had fallen and landed in a courtyard about two feet from the side of a building. My first impulse was to silently thank God for helping me to remember what Airborne training had taught me.

I then looked around and about 150 Italians were crowded around me, all excited and all trying to help me. I had made a nice soft standup landing.

My men arrived along with the Italian Police, and sped me away to an aid station. A doctor immediately insisted I should drink some wine, which I refused. The last thing in the world I wanted was a drink. They then washed my burns, applied sulfur medication to my cuts, and transported me back to the airport.

Soon our C-117 Aircraft returned to pick us up. It had flown to its home base at Naples and landed to remove my parachute from its tail section. We then flew back to Naples, and I was taken to the Naval Hospital by ambulance.

When the ambulance finally arrived at the hospital, I walked inside and the Corpsman asked, "What happened to you Chief?' I replied, "I had a fall, but I'm Okay." The Corpsman started to check my cuts and bums and ask me to fill in an accident report and write a brief summary of what had happened. After reading what happened the Corpsman and two other doctors rushed in to check me over. Although I had no broken bones, I did have multiple contusions. Due to the vast swelling in my neck area from cuts and bums from the shroud line, I was unable to eat for three days. Aside from some scars around my neck, which [make me] look like I had been lynched, I have fully recovered and resumed normal jumping with the Teams.

Investigations never determined exactly how or why my parachute became hung up on the plane's tail section. It was one of those freak accidents, which requires one to utilize all past experiences and, to recall in an instant, all the instructions that one has been taught, and very possibly to create a few new ones.

Needless to say, I am lucky and very thankful to be alive.

Steve Sagri 5^th SF Group (Airborne). Doc, There is one of me with 2 SF 5^th Group bros. I am on the right. Don, the one in the middle retired . Pappard, the Sgt. On the left. I’m the good looking guy in the civvies on the right! Steven Sagri

OKAY guys and Gals; I promised a lot of things to a lot of you. Remind me and I will keep my promises. docrio45 [at] gmail.com thank you Rio

Meaning of Flag Draped Coffin

All Americans should be given this lesson. Those who think that America is an arrogant nation should really reconsider that thought. Our founding fathers used GOD's word and teachings to establish our Great Nation and I think it's high time Americans get re-educated about this Nation's history. Pass it along and be proud of the country we live in and even more proud of those who serve to protect our 'GOD GIVEN' rights and freedoms.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.'

The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that They pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America , and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic.

The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are ! uppermost reminding them of their nations motto, 'In God We Trust.'

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.

There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why.

Share this with the children you love and all others who love what is referred to, the symbol of ' Liberty and Freedom.'

MAYBE THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD READ THIS EXPLANATION BEFORE THEY RENDER THEIR DECISION ON THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

If you graduated from UWSS, were a staff member,at the UWSS Key West FL, you qualify to be a member! Associate memberships (non voting) only be a members recommendation.

for your donation of three plaques to the Fraternal Order of UWSS Key West Fl.

We really thank you for helping us out and we hope you will join us for this Y2K reunion in Panana Beach FL.

Roger, will be there to address the Fraternity. Will do on your other request. Here's my first cut: Shelley will be with me. Regards, Ron Yeaw Thank you Captain Yeaw. LouLou, my wife (and C.O.) has gotten about six raffle gifts for the Saturday Bash. Do not shit can your entrance tickets as there will be a drawing for the door prizes. Any other suggestions, or commands, will be cheefully carried out. Erasmo "Doc" Riojas your old SEAL Swim Buddy!

4/28/200 phone call from Joe Kruppa. He will be there with his three sons. One of them is on the Way to the US Naval Academy! Congratulations Joe and sons! wow! great going guys! tu amigo doc rio

Greetings from A.Dee Clark Tell the guys on the Fraternal Order of the UWSS KeyWest We will be there to hear their sea stories. Here is my new e-mail address. deec01@cox-internet.com. Would appreciate a response just to confirm your receipt of same. Regards Dee

HI Me amigo i sent you a email while you were away for the reunion i forgot
that you were goin to the UWS,renion did not get an answer yet. I stopped by and had diner with Larry Bailey and his wife. we stoped by and saw MR.Williams He lives in DC. also,I gues all of us old
timers are having prob with legs and backs. wonder why,did you and BO stop
off and see Dusty and Robby, well say helo to your lovely wife for me, ill be intouch with you
later. later my friend David E. Hyde outtttttttt " Keep on Trucking" "Big Bird", thank you, I'll see Dusty Rhodes because he is putting a layout table of sandwiches at this pub for us. come by if you are driving your 18 wheeler our way. I'll pay your $50.00 if you don't have the money. love you bro tu amigo doc rio your old UWSS instructor. Hey, your're supposed to stop by Pearland and let me drive your rig!

letter from Clayton Grady Jr. 4/19/20000 Hey Doc Rio, Margaret and I are looking forward to seeing a lot of the old frfiends. We noticed a lot of familiar names on your email list. Enclosed is our check. We already have reservations at St. Andrews State Park. Always is fun to do a little camping. See all of you in May.

Clay. Thank you very much "Doc" Clay ( he is a Registered Nurse). we all looking forward to yours and Margaret's company. Bring Video Camera!!! tu amigo rio

Buenes Dias:
One Medium, One Large Tee Shirt, and hat size eight. I hope you all have a great time. We may get to
see you at one of the other happings. Enclosed is $150 bucks for stamps, and the Tee shirts and hats.
I tried swede tornblom at swedest2@alaska.com but I keep getting it back as
undeliverable they say they will keep on trying for 5 days, does'nt work. Any more info.

"DOC Leg" Martin & Nancy, "Sweet Thing" Thank you Doc Martin, The shirts and hats will be mailed to you. Look in the package for a letter and your change. did you get ahold of the swede? You are a great guy, and thanks a million for the bucks! tu swim buddy, erasmo riojas aka Doc Rio

Original Message -----
From: <Wkm627@aol.com> Blackie Myers
To: <elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com>
Sent: Monday, April 24, 2000 4:04 PM
Subject: Re: the reunion for UWSS
Reios what money are you talking about? just let me know and where to send
it talk later we already have our reservations to come.

thank you "blackie" I am at: erasmo Riojas 4819 Meadowglen Drive, Pearland TX. 7584
looking forward to visiting with you. bring some old pictures to show and tell . tu amigo rio

Mr. Crawford,

It may be a long shot, but Bill Bruhmiller may be a good starting
point fore the history of the UWSS.

When I relieved MCPO Bob Nessley (sp) in 1980 at Ft. Bragg as Navy
Adviser I know he made a bunch of trips down to the Army's SF
Underwater Swimmer School in Key West. They relocated on the base to
a more secure area when I finally got to go down and inspect their
ops and gear, but they may have paperwork, pics, etc. on the history
UWSS. Maybe it all got canned due to the old service rivalry type
mind-set, but most of the guys I worked with down there were good
people. Their command is out of the JFK Center at Ft. Bragg and a
call to the information number there could probably connect you to
someone in charge. The Scuba Committee could be another source,
located in the same building on Ardenes (sp) Street.
Also,I suppose you guys still have reps. in Bragg and one of them
could possibly hook you up with the right people.

This isn't much, but who knows?
I'll keep you in mind if I think of anything else.

FITH,
Ty Zellers BMCS, USN Ret tzellers@cyberseals.org

Doc,
Saw an e-mail about the UWSS reunion and the newsletter on the SEAL
PML. Upon retiring from the teams after 29 1/2 years, I taught school for
two years, and now work in the Command Historian Office at NAVSPECWARCOM
(fancy talk for a one man show). I would like to talk to you about
gathering information on the UWSS for our electronic archives (computerized
history), which includes documents, photos, oral interviews, and videos
which will all be digitized onto CDs and hopefully available through our
Website in the future. UWSS was an intrical part of east coast training, us
west coast guys got diving during UDT training prior to going to the teams,
and we should ensure that our community captures its history.

Hooyah!

Don Crawford
Naval Special Warfare Command Historian Office
2000 Trident Way
San Diego, CA 92155-5599
(619) 437-3376 (DSN:577-3376)
FAX: (619) 437-2864
e-mail: crawford@navsoc.navy.mil
Thank you Mr. Don Crawford,

We have no objections if you take whatever we have here on the WWW. I have started saving everything that is sent to me as part of our archieves. I will give you copies of everything, just say the word and send us $$ for postage.

Please Keep in touch. elticitl@ mi-vida-loca.com tu amigo Erasmo Doc Riojas HMC(SEAL), USN , Ret

Your job as Doctor on that run sounds gruesome!!!! I sent you Bill Bane's address a short while back but here it goes againWilson M. Bane ( Bill ) Frank Kappesser Francis Doug Fan 2850 Del Rio Drive 3235 Tanglewood Trail 2425 N. W. 8th Avenue St. Augustine, FL 32095 Palm Harbor, FL 34685 Wilton Manors, FL 33311-3726 I don't have a phone number but do have a number of his sister-in-law who lives close to him. I'll try to reach him by phone. Frank Kappesser told me he thinks Pappy Hewitt lives in St. Augustine, wasn't Hewitt's first name Neel? Bill should know where Hewitt is. See you soon Our love to you and LouLou Smooth sailing and Gods speed, Bob Shouse

Thank you Bob, keep on helping me get this roster right. tu amigo and teamate rio

Joe Kruppa, hey buddy, I got your confirmation from the Boardwalk Resort: #217042. I forwarded the letter to you. See you at the party!

I am glad to hear from you again, and I enjoyed reading the UWSS Newsletter. I look forward to your Newsletter very much. Thank you for the nice things you have said about me. Like I told you, I feel honored to have been a part of the UWSS at Key West FL. I've never yet been to any miliatary reunion, and regret to say I cannot make it to Y2K next month. I was hoping to get there, but my work schedule and my family vacation will not allow it this year.

Coul you send me a cap and XL tee shirt sometime? I don't know how much money to send - but have enclosed 2 books of stamps for you. Would you be kind enough to let me know , sometime, the price you need for those items.

I am enclosing this photo of four of us, it is not very good, but it shows the four of us staff memebers the day we were transferred which was APril 1, 1967. From left to right: SN Dave Dilley, SN Larry Haffey, SN Tom RUffenach, and myself.

I hope all is well for you and your family, and again, I really am sorry that i will not be able to see you this time. Hopefully, next time. You all have a great get-together. Regards, Fred

Thank you "Ski." I hardly ever get called "chief," anymore and it sounds good. I will send you a tee shirt after the reunion ten bucks and the cap which is $7.50, plus the mailing is one stamp for $3.20 . The $3.20 will come out of the stamps you have already contributed, so in Jun send me a check to: E. Riojas for $17.50, OK? Thank you very very much . Doc

HI AMIGO WHERE TOU BEN IN HIDING OR ON THE ROAD i have sent a couple of
>emails and this is the first one have gotten back. ill try and get down to
>your reunion . Whats new with you. have you seen BO Burwell, OR
>RObby,or Dusty, would like to see you all. I hope to see by for now. >OUTTTTtttttt

David "BigBird"E.Hyde bigbird2dh@hotmail.com Fred, thanks for the two books of stamps and for this picture you sent for the archives. I hope to see you in May at Panama Beach FL. Doc Rio

Doc,

Enjoyed the phone conversation yesterday. It's fun trying to remember that
far back (28 years ago). Per our conversation you asked me to write about
the Yellow Banana. The two things that I remember that changed in our
class, was the number of pushups a instructor was allow to give a student
and the removal of the Yellow Banana. The Second Class Diving course
started with a 4 week Scuba phase, followed by a week of Jack Brown (surface
supplied air, full face mask), and the last phase being Hard hat Diving
(Mark V, 210 pounds of fun), conducted at the Pier.

What I remember is that during the beginning of the Scuba phase, the
instructors could tell us to drop and do 50, 100 or what ever number of
pushups. Than there was a Yellow (plastic) Banana on string, which was
given to a student to wear around his neck if he was messing up big time. I
believe it told the other instructors he was a weak link, as all the others
instructors gave the lucky person wearing it extra attention. There was
only two ways to get rid of the Banana, hope someone else messed up big time
(before the other instructors took a liking to you, and that wasn't a good
thing) or being dropped from the class. Half way through the course, the
Yellow Banana was taken away from the class and the instructor were only
allow to drop us for 10 or 20 pushups at a time. Of course, they could drop
us as many times as they wanted. I can remember the instructors complaining
about the change in the rules. I wouldn't be surprised if some student who
didn't make it through the course wrote his congressman.

Below is the class rooster for 7204. During this class, LCDR P.M. Badger,
Jr. was the Commanding Officer and HTCM N. J. Waters was the Master Diver of
the school house. Among completion of the course, our NEC changed to 5343.

Naval School, Underwater Swimmers,
Naval Base, Key West, FLA. 3340

Second Class Diver
7204 Graduation 16 Jun 72
1. MM2 Richard J. Pere

2. ETR3 Michael Anglin

3. EMFA Bruce McFarren

4. EMFA Glenn A. Murray

5. FN Glenn Poppe

6. MMFN David Rice

7. SN Jerry Spencer your swimbuddy, Richard Pere

Thank you for the infor for the archieves and for the forthcoming newsletter. We will take any copies of your pictures. I hope we get to meet you at Panama Beach FL in May. Your swimbuddy Doc Rio

Just talked to Frank Kappesser and asked if he was going to Panama City for the UWSS reunion. He didn't know what I was talking about so I guess his named slipped through the cracks. I'm going to visit him tomorrow and will take the newsletter with me for him to read. I also called Lee Barber and he said he tried to make reservations at the hotel and they told him the same thing they told me way back when, said he had to go through you. He said he called you and you told him you would get back to him. He said he didn't hear from you so he more or less gave up. He said he will be there but will stay with some friends. I sent him your page and will write him to see if he would like to attend some of the events.

You know I will try to stay on top of you no matter what you think. I think between you and I we should remember everyone that attended last UWSS reunion. I told you I think Pappy ( Neel ) Hewitt has moved to St. Augustine, FL. . I'll try calling Bill Bane who lives in St.. Augustine and see if he has contact with Pappy. I wonder where the log book is. I know a few didn't sign in but we would have a good portion of who attended. Have you had any contact with Chief Driscoll.

I'm sending you $10 dollars for stamps so I don't want to hear any more about it. Our love to you and LouLou. Later. Smooth sailing and Gods speed, Bob Shouse and Rosalie

When I opened this email, I couldn't believe my eyes. How did someone
locate me after all these year since I graduated from Underwater Swimmers
School?

My name is Richard Pere, and I was in Second Class Diver 7204, that
graduated from Under Water Swimmer School on 16 June 1972. In fact, not
many people know that there was a handful of people who received a Second
Class rating from UWSS. And yes I have a copy of my class rooter (I was the
class leader, MM2 Pere), a copy of my orders from there to the USS Brunswick
(ATS-3), and a coffee cup, plate, and pictures from the School house (Diver
sitting on a Shark).

After servicing 6 years in the Navy, I worked as a commercial diver (with
Walker Diving Contractors), putting myself through college. During that
time frame, I served in the 11th Special Forces (USAR), and than was
commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the US Army after completing college in
1978. I retired from the US Army as a Major in 1992. I'm currently the
Vice President of an Aviation Company in Melbourne, Florida. I have a long
history of supporting and serving in the Special Operations, which I'm sure
one of my SEAL buddies may have lead you to me.

I've very interested in the Frat. Order of UWSS. Please contract me at your
earliest. My work number is (800) 784-3535, home is (321) 777-4037. My
email at home is STIRichard@aol.com <mailto:STIRichard@aol.com> and
perer@sti-security.com <mailto:perer@sti-security.com> at work.

Richard Pere Mr. Richard pere telephone me on 4/17/2000. THank you Richard for all the history that you shared with me. I will try to find that Corpsman that took your $20.00 for the merchandise he never has delivered. My collection agency charges 40%, be advised. I will anxiously await the memorabilia you promised. tu amigo doc riojas

http://www.cyberseals.org/rudy.htm Pictures of Rudy Boesch's house on the Island Paradise. Go get 'em Rudy! We'll talk money later. doc rio

I have not had a chance to view my Home Page as yet. It is during the lunch hour right now, so I am taking a little time to say hello to you and Lu.I rec'd the letter about the meeting in Panama, I believe it was. Concerning the old Swim School. I wish we could join, well, some day when I retire from politics. we will. Right now I am too busy being Mayor & City Manager.

One of my buddies here showed me a page from my Home Page, he printed out for me. It is quite popular here, many individuals are comenting on the Seal & UDT pictures. Great job, we appreciate it.

Our wood carver is still working on the cane. He finished one, with a Raven design, however, I gave it back due to a slight flaw, so he is carving a new one. As soon as he finishes with it, I will mail it to you.

Let everyone know that we miss them all when you get to the reunion. As I mentioned, someday we will make it. Have fun.

Thank you Sol, our Congratulations and we wish you smooth sailing and we hope it is always on a "run" with very few "tacks against the wind." your brother, Doc Riojas

Mr. Art Wigdahl send his fee for he and his wife Celia Barrios Wigdahl to attend the reunion. Anybody want to telephone him, i got his number in Chickenitza 44778 Zapopan Jalisco Mexico .

Thank you art, bring real USA money for tee shirts and caps and other goodies. No se aceptan Pesos Mexicanos. ((((hehehehhe))))). I tried calling you but your line was busy busy busy. Doc Rioja

I received a Telephone call from Dr. Aquardo from Bufort NC 28516 28516. He is still in his practice and he has been down to FL visiting with CDR Fane. He said they went to visit and to try and get more history on UDT. CDR Fane is 90 years old and his mind is less than what they expected but they did OK. He said to tell all his swimbuddies that he wished he could've made it and will try to make the next one. Doctor Aquardo sounded good, and he said he is doing OK.

13 March 200 I received a phone call from Donald "Doc" Stone. He said he was doing fine, running, swimming and keeping fit. He said he was going to send me money for our reunion this May. I am looking forward to visiting with Doc Don Stone.

Hi Doc, Enclosed is our check for Vickie and I before I forget. I am one of those odd types that don't own a computer so,k hope you can read my writing. We are looking forward to the get together this May and hope for alarge turn out. The beach will be populated with tourist during this period but it gets worse later on. 850 769 6519 , please call if you like. I'm not home much anymore. Retirement is great. Again Looking forward to seeing you both /s/ Layton B.

thank you Bassett, only a few minutes ago I got a call from Dr. Aquardo, ( he will not make it this year) who like you does not have a computer. Oh well, it is true, sometimes you cannot teach old dogs new tricks. (((((ehhehehe))))). You can get a free computer from MicroSoft if you give them twenty bucks a month for four years. See you and Vickie in May, we will be there a day early, I'll call you buddy. tu amigo doc rio

GREETINGS.. NICE JOB. LOOKS LIKE I WILL HAVE TO BUY
A FEW TEE SHIRTS FOR THE GRAND KIDS,, AND MY KIDS COME TO THINK OF
IT.

THE RAT POISON AND OTHER DRUGS SEEM TO HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED MY
LIFE. I LOST MY HEAD AND LEASED A NEW GMC PICKUP.. JUST IN CASE WE CAN
MAKE THE REUNION...SOUNDS LIKE GREAT FUN, EVEN THO I CANT DRINK BEER ANY
MORE..

I WILL MAIL THAT PUBLICATION TO YOU MAYBE TODAY. I INCLUDED A LITTLE SEA STORY
FROM LONG AGO. THE WEATHER IS IMPROVING HERE, PAT AND I ARE SUFFERING FROM TERMINAL CABIN FEVER AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A FLOWERY SUMMER..

I EMAILED DON SCHULTZ YESTERDAY, WE ARE KIND OF PLANNING TO DRIVE MY LITTLE TRUCK TO
THE REUNION.. I DO HOPE TO MAKE IT,

ALTOUGH THEIR WILL BE VERY FEW
SHIPMATES I WILL KNOW.. I WOULD LIKE TO MEET YOU AS I AM CURIOUS AS TO
WHAT (elticitl) MEANS.

PAUL WELLS MNC EOD RET. LIVES IN PC, UNLESS HE
RETURNED TO THE SAILORS REST HOME.. WE WERE IN KOREA AND JAPAN TO
GEATHER. FRAN HALE EOD UDT OF SPARTA TENN., UWSS INSTRUCTOR IN 56,
ALONG WITH STAPLES, CROWELL..THORNDIKE AND OTHERS.

thank you Ed. You have contributed more than your fair share, we appreciate it mucho mucho! doc rio

Feb 12, 2000, Snail Mail The Gard House, 12 Henry St. Silver Creek, NY 14136 1611 tele: 716 934 9578

Hello Erasmo, I hope this finds you all well. Here is a PMO for $20.00. I would like an extra large Tee shirt and one hat. i am still considering the reunion . I am going thru some medici8ne adjustments and maybe I will feel well enough to go come the time. Also, here are some more stamps. I can not find you on the web any more, did you change?

MY REPLY: Thanks a million! you broke the record for sending stamps! THree times! God Bless you Ed. by the way, yest, I quit out of the SEAL-PML.ORG and bought my own domain name: mi-vida-loca.com so the web site for the UWSS moved (sorry I did not inform everyone) to http://www.mi-vida-loca.com/uwssindex.htm

and don't forget to put my email address in your books: elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com . again Thank You, your swimbuddy, Erasmo "Doc" Riojas

UPDATE: Feb 11, 2000, recieved this email from BO "Doc" Burwell in Panama City FL:

After a trip to Daytona Beach to visit Dusty by Bruhmuller and Bob Nissley we
have a better story of what happened. Apparently he is not as bad as the
initial report stated. In fact Bill says that it was not a stroke but his
blood had thickened to the point that the brain was not being properly
supplied. He was having blackout or fainting spells. He is currently on
blood thinners to improve circulation. He will possibly be home by Saturday
night. He will need to have a pacemaker put in to regulate the heart rate
but that will be done back in the Panama City area. When I got the report
from Bill he was certainly much more upbeat that when we talked as he was
headed out of town. Thank you for your response and concern. We do need to
cover each others "six" every opportunity.

Bo Burwell

My note: I hope Dusty is home by May 19, 2000, We have to go visit his PUB, perhaps we could have a luncheon set up there on Sunday, cold meat sandwiches, chips and drinks (cash bar). Not to worry, We will have money for it, there will be a bunch of registrations at the door and we gotta soak them the penalties the caterers are putting on us.

Gaudeamus igitur Juvenes dum sumus Post jucundum juventutem Post molestam senectutem Nos habebit humus.	Let us rejoice therefore While we are young. After a pleasant youth After a troublesome old age The earth will have us.
Ubi sunt qui ante nos In mundo fuere? Vadite ad superos Transite in inferos Hos si vis videre.	Where are they Who were in the world before us? You may cross over to heaven You may go to hell If you wish to see them.
Vita nostra brevis est Brevi finietur. Venit mors velociter Rapit nos atrociter Nemini parcetur.	Our life is brief It will be finished shortly. Death comes quickly Atrociously, it snatches us away. No one is spared.
Vivat academia Vivant professores Vivat membrum quodlibet Vivat membra quaelibet Semper sint in flore.	Long live the academy! Long live the teachers! Long live each male student! Long live each female student! May they always flourish!
Vivant omnes virgines Faciles, formosae. Vivant et mulieres Tenerae amabiles Bonae laboriosae.	Long live all maidens Easy and beautiful! Long live mature women also, Tender and loveable And full of good labor.
Vivant et republica et qui illam regit. Vivat nostra civitas, Maecenatum caritas Quae nos hic protegit.	Long live the State And the One who rules it! Long live our City And the charity of benefactors Which protects us here!
Pereat tristitia, Pereant osores. Pereat diabolus, Quivis antiburschius Atque irrisores. (vers. C. W. Kindeleben 1781)	Let sadness perish! Let haters perish! Let the devil perish! Let whoever is against our school Who laughs at it, perish!