MOMS AND THE SEA MONSTERS This is my little tribute to Charles Momsen, aka "the Swede", a pioneer in the techniques of submarine crew rescue.
Before considering a submarine and had to perform various operational tests, the morning of May 23, 1939 the USS Squalus (SS-192) left the port of Portsmouth for your dive number 19, under the command of Lieutenant Oliver Naquin. On board were 5 officers, 51 sailors and 3 civilian inspectors.
The aim of the day was making a crash dive to 30 meters sailing in 16 knots surface. When he reached the test area (southeast of Shoals Islands) at 8:30 am communicated with the base starting the maneuver around 8:45. The commander, Lieutenant Naquin ordered Squalus immersion and began to descend very appropriate. The deputy commander gave orders to retrieve the horizontal position to the height of periscope. As soon began to level off, was heard a cry of alarm over the intercom: "Flood in the room engines!
The deputy commander then ordered the closing of watertight doors. Not all marines to escape the engine room, some did not arrive before the gates were closed and drowned. Difficult but necessary decision for the submarine was completely inundated. In the end only 33 survivors were locked in a room. The minutes passed and despair and fear were getting worse. At that time a submarine hunbimiento was synonymous with death, so we all prayed and hoped for a slow death from cold oxígeno.El consumption was becoming more intense ...
On September 25, 1925 Lieutenant "Swede" Momsen, the command of S-1, involved in the rescue of S-51 (sunk after being approached by a merchant), which killed fellow Marine. One day he decided to launch a project to save crews. The idea was simple, build a campaign that was down from the surface and attached to a submarine's escape hatch allowing the rescue stricken crew. Did some sketches and sent through the chain of command to their superiors. The year is still expected response.
Shortly after the S-4 had an accident and found the presence of surviving for 72 hours inside the wrecked submarine, but could not be rescued. Between 1929 and 1934, while serving in the unity of subsea safety testing, designed the "lung Monsen" and underwent a successful dive to 200 feet, thus receiving the Distinguished Service Medal. The lung Monsen was a rubber bag containing chemicals that recycled exhaled air by removing the poisonous CO2 and proved its effectiveness with the crew of the USS Tang (SS-306), which sank to 180 feet in the South China Sea in October 1944. The crew of the Squalus
breathing as he could with the limited presence of U.S. Navy oxígeno.La knew where the Squalus had sunk and the crew knew there was not much tiempo.Decidieron call and try your luck Momsen with your camera. The camera was attached by a rope for the descent and joined the hatch of the submarine by suction. A brave diver (if you find the name lay it) down 75 meters to connect the camera to the submarine. So were able to rescue the 33 crew members in 3 trips, thanks to the camera Momsen. This was the first time they rescued the crew of a submarino.Momsen received including the Navy Cross, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Service Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. Reached the position of Commander of the Pacific Submarine Fleet. He died of cancer in 1967 and rests in Arlington National Cemetery.
Charles Momsen "Swede"
Squalus
Momsen hood or chamber
Currently the only survivor of the Squalus alive before going to sleep each night, pronounce the same words: Thank God, Thank Swedish (looking a great picture on your table Momsen)
