Shipwrecks - Time Capsules of Human Civilization

Guest Article from Michael Tuttle: John Paul Jones' Ship Serapis

For today's weblog ( blog ) article, we are in for a real treat. I have invited a friend, Michael Tuttle, cultural resource director on the Serapis project to provide an overview into his fantastic work on John Paul Jones' ship named HMS Serapis. The following is his synopsis:

The remains of the American Revolutionary War era ship HMS Serapis have been located off the coast of Madagascar.  The vessel was taken by John Paul Jones who uttered those immortal words, "I have not yet begun to fight!" when asked to surrender by the British captain. Jones in the Bonhomme Richard was finally successful in the epic Revolutionary War Battle off Flamborough Head.  The battle was so intense that the Bonhomme Richard later sank in the North Sea while leaving the British coast.  John Paul Jones and his crew had to remove to the Serapis and sailed on to the Netherlands.  The Serapis ended up in the French navy, as the Bonhomme Richard was a French vessel that Benjamin Franklin helped to secure for the American cause.  The Serapis was sent into the Indian Ocean in 1781, where it caught on fire and sank.  In 1999 a crew of American, French and Malagasy archaeologists and historians located the remains of the vessel.  Today, under the direction of Michael Tuttle, the Serapis Project continues to research the vessel remains in order to recover the history and expose the story Jones and the Serapis.  In association with the University of Antananarivo it is hoped that enough materials will be recovered to establish a permanent museum display on Isle St. Marie to illuminate the maritime heritage of Madagascar and John Paul Jones. Please examine our web site at serapisproject.org.

I have included a link to the Serapis Project web site that can be found on the far right hand column of our blog. This is truly a valuable and historical cultural treasure!

Bermuda Triangle Lost Mariner – Part VI Final Conclusions

Our scientific expedition team spent seven days scouring the Atlantic Ocean for the lost Mariner aircraft using side scan sonar and a magnetometer.  Initially, I had requested a two-week window for our search but constraints on the resourcing of the project limited our group to one week. As we established our search area using GPS and Hypack, the goal was to "mow the lawn" around the Naval coordinates. Because of our short window out on site, our entire search pattern and our resources were predicated on the Naval coordinates being somewhat accurate.

As we thoroughly examined over 5 square miles around the Navy's coordinates, over one hundred acoustical anomalies were detected by the side-scan sonar, about 5 magnetic anomalies were found by the magnetometer and several targets were examined by our divers. Mark Padover, our technical expert from Aqua Survey (as well as myself) have continued with examining all data collected and we will be putting together our findings for a final Naval Historical Center report by the spring of 2006. Although we did not find the huge, potentially intact engines and tail sections of the airplane, we do not have conclusive evidence that any of the supplemental targets might not be that of our Mariner. The last magnetic hit that we got about an hour before we ended our search was very interesting and would of been a good target for our divers to visit.

In conclusion, we found some very interesting acoustical and magnetic targets. We dove one major piece that we were not able to conclusively rule as a piece from the Mariner. That does not mean that we didn't find a piece of the Mariner, just that we could not identify it as such. In a project debrief, it was felt by all the scientists that we were extremely satisfied with all the search patterns and decisions based on establishing the location of the aircraft. We were all in agreement that had we done the project again, the exact same logic and methodologies would of been followed and applied.  I would like to send a personal thanks to NBC, namely Tim Beacham, Jon Schreiber and Lester Holt, for their support on this wonderful project.

Bermuda Triangle Lost Mariner – Part V Official US Navy Report and Statistics

It is very,very difficult to find an intact 500 foot shipwreck in the open ocean. Employing the latest acoustical and magnetometric instrumentation, imagine the difficulty involved in trying to find a 80 foot aircraft that has exploded into many pieces.  Therefore our entire search philosophy was predicated on the official United States naval records. The overall statistics of the Martin Mariner PBM-5 aircraft is:

Specification                           metrics                                     English
length                                    24.33 meters                            79 feet 10 inches
height                                       8.38 meters                           27 feet 6 inches
empty weight              15,050 kilograms                          33,175 pounds
max loaded weight   26,300 kilograms                          58,000 pounds
maximum speed               340 KPH                                     210 MPH / 185 KT
cruising speed                   275 KPH                                     170 MPH / 150 KT
service ceiling                 6,035 meters                                  19,800 feet
range                              3,605 kilometers                           2,240 MI / 1,950 NMI

The full trial depositions for the official accident report is very large; however, the final summary report regarding this missing Mariner is quite small and a segment of this report is included below:

35. That PBM-5 BuNo. 59225, Squadron Training No. 49, Engines No. P-54213 and 52187, departed at approximately 1927R on 5 December 1945, on an authorized Air Sea Rescue search from U.S. Naval Air Station, Banana River, Florida.

36. That an "out" report sent by radio was received by the U.S. Naval Air Station, Banana River, Florida, from PBM-5, BuNo. 59225, Squadron Training No. 49, at about 1930R, Squadron Training No. 49, at about 1930R, 5 December 1945, and no further communications were received from said airplane after that time.

37. That the authorized Air Sea Rescue mission assigned to PBM-5, BuNo. 59225, on 5 December 1945, was as follows: Depart U.S. Naval Air Station, Banana River,and proceed to 29 degrees north and the east coast of Florida, expanding square search.

38. That Walter G. Jeffrey, Lieutenant (junior grade), U.S. Navy, File No.329291, was the authorized patrol plane commander who signed for and accepted for flight PBM-5, BuNo. 59225, 5 December 1945.

52. That PBM-5 BuNo, 59225, Squadron No. 49, and the assigned personnel aboard are unaccounted for since about 1930R, 5 December 1945.

53. That the hourly position report due at 2030R from PBM-5, BuNo. 59225, was not received at U.S. Naval Air Station, Banana River, Florida, on 5 December 1945.

54. That at 2115R on 5 December 1945 the SS Gaines Mills reported as follows:
"At 0050 G. M. T. observed burst of flames, apparently explosion, leaping flames 100 feet high burning ten minutes. Position 28 degrees, XX minutes north, 80 degrees XX minutes west. At present, passing through big pool of oil at 0119 G. M. T. Stopped, circled area using search lights, looking for survivors. None found."

55. That USS Solomons CVE-67 dispatched at 06127 reported as follows: "Our air search radar showed plane after takeoff from Banana River last night joining with another plane, then separation and proceeding on course 045 degrees at exact time SS Gaines Mills sighted flames in exact spot the above plane disappeared from the radar screen and never reappeared".

56. That concentrated search operations from 6 December to 10 December 1945, inclusive, by surface and aircraft in the area of the reported explosion failed to reveal any debris of the missing PBM or evidence of its crew.

Bermuda Triangle Lost Mariner – Part IV The Reported Facts

On December 5, 1945, at 2:10 p.m. five U.S. Navy Avenger torpedo-bombers comprising Flight 19 took off from Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station on a routine training mission and headed into an area of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Bermuda Triangle. Flight 19 was scheduled to take them due east for 120 miles, north for 73 miles, and then back over a final 120-mile leg that would return them to the naval base. They were never seen again.

Later on the evening of the 5th, a search party was dispatched, which included the twin-engine Martin Mariner (Martin PBM-5 Mariner, Bureau No. 59225, Squadron Training No. 49), with its crew of 13 men (3 aviators aboard and a crew of 10), that many claim disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle along with Flight 19. At 1627, this Mariner aircraft search and rescue crew was sent out in search of the bombers. The PBM Mariner was specifically designed as a rescue plane with the ability to remain aloft for 24 hours.  At 1930, the aircraft radioed an "out" report to its home base and was not heard from again.

There is evidence to explain the disappearance of the Mariner flying boat- sometimes referred to as the "flying gas can". Some twenty-three minutes after the Mariner left the Banana River NAS, observers aboard the tanker SS Gaines Mills reported seeing a plane on fire. It crashed into the sea with a hellish explosion. The captain radioed the following report:

"Observed a burst of flames, apparently an explosion, leaping flames 100 feet high and burning for ten minutes.  At present, passing through a big pool of oil. Stopped, circled area using searchlights, looking for survivors. None found." 

The USS Solomons, which was in the area at the time, sent a report confirming the tanker's observations. "Our air search radar showed a plane after takeoff from Banana River last night joining with another plane, then separating and proceeding on course 045 degrees at the exact time SS Gaines Mills sighted flames and in exact spot the above plane disappeared from the radar screen and never reappeared."

When the ship investigated, it found a patch of oil and debris where the flying boat must have crashed. No wreckage was sighted and according to witnesses there was little likelihood that any could have been recovered due to a very rough sea. The next day, water samples, taken in the area, developed an oily film. The area was not buoyed due to the heavy seas nor were diving or salvage operations ever conducted. The depth of the water was 78 feet and the site was close to the Gulf Stream. During the Board's examination of the disappearance of the PBM, several witnesses were questioned concerning gas fumes and smoking regulations, which were reportedly well posted and rigidly enforced aboard all PBMs. Although the Board's report is not a verbatim record and no accusations were made, there seems to be enough inference present to cause one to suspect that the Board was aware of the PBM's nickname.

Bermuda Triangle Lost Mariner – Part III The Research of Disparate Information

One of the biggest difficulties in trying to gather research on an event that happened sixty years ago is the gathering of credible information. My initial search for this information was on the Internet; however, the amount of good and reliable information was not very good. There were many different web sites with the story of the missing Mariner and so many differing accounts of this ill-fated flight that contradicted each other. I needed to enlist a new team of Mariner experts that would be able to assist us in getting the most reliable and detailed information about this aircraft and its disappearance. Fortunately, I was able to assemble the best research team in the world for advice and guidance.

For getting the most accurate and thoroughly documented reports into the disappearance of the Mariner, I contacted Jack Green, a public relations specialist with the Naval Historical Center, based out of the United States Navy's Washington Shipyard. Through Jack and several correspondences with experts at the Naval Historical Center, I was invited to visit their archives for a first-hand look at all the Navy's documents pertaining to the Mariner. Many of these documents had not seen the light outside their boxes for fifty-nine years. I want to thank the head of the Naval Aviation History branch, Curtis Utz, for spending time with me and gathering all the official documentation that I needed for my search. Additionally, I want to thank Wendy Coble of the Nautical Archaeology branch for her guidance and assistance, even while we were down in Florida commencing with our search.

In order to get the most information about the flight and operation of the Mariner, I had a wonderful ally in Bruce Barth. Mr. Barth is the historian for the Mariner Marlin Association of actual officers, crew and tenders for other Mariner aircraft.  Several of the people that I had a chance to interview were crew-mates and were at the Banana River Naval Air Station during the time our Mariner was lost. They were able to corroborate almost all the information that I had retrieved from the Naval Historical Center. Before, during and after the Mariner discovery/exploration expedition, Mr. Barth was an extremely valuable asset who provided us much information about the aircraft through pictures, stories and personal experience.

Finally, we are indebted to Stan Piet and all the wonderful people at the Glenn L. Martin Aviation Museum. Through this wonderful resource, we had every single detailed specification of our Mariner from the smallest of Mariner pieces to actual delivery pictures of our Mariner to the Navy in early-1945. On further research, we were able to secure an original pilot's manual for this Mariner; as well as the Mariner's Operations manual. As a consequence, Nautical Research Group had the most extensive collection of information about the missing Mariner aircraft in the world going into the discovery/exploration expedition.

Bermuda Triangle Lost Mariner – Part II The Expedition Team

There were a large number of people that played a very strategic role in the discovery/exploration Mariner project that should receive special attention.  Because the Sci Fi /MsNBC special did not mention these wonderful professionals by name and area of expertise, it is imperative that you know exactly all the talented resources that were used in the conduct of this project. We utilized two large diving/research vessels while on the project- Sea Dog Diver out of New Smyrna Beach Florida and the Ketty Lund/Discoverer from Key West Florida.

The discovery /exploration team was headed by David Bright and I am a nautical/biological scientist with 35 years of deep diving and not a professional nautical archaeologist (that was mentioned on the show). The following professionals were part of the exploration team:

Mark Padover-AquaSurvey; technology expert; auxiliary captain; nautical archaeologist
Andrew Driver-Mad Dog Expeditions; technical diver; auxiliary captain
Warren Miller-Silent Diving Systems; technical diver
Peter Hess-Admiralty lawyer; technical diver
Larry Lyons-Lockheed Martin; environmental marine scientist; diver
Ken Hayes-President of AquaSurvey; aquatic scientist
Rick Coleman-Captain of diving vessel Sea Dog Diver
Bob Bigelow-Sea Dog Diver mate
Eric Smith-Captain of research vessel Ketty Lund/Discoverer; technical diver
Jason Bartlett-Ketty Lund/Discoverer mate
Ining Hsu-Environmental Engineer, CDM
Karen Schwartz-scientist Columbia University
Chris Cox-Gettysburg College intern
Garrett Hayes-Gettysburg College intern
Dr. Kelly Rankin- Aqua Survey, Inc; oceanographic scientist
Tim Beacham-NBC News Producer/Director
Dennis Dillon-Cameraman
Ed Jones-Soundman
John Schriber-NBC Senior Producer
Lester Holt-NBC News Anchorman

In addition to these wonderful professionals, we used the talents of several organizations and their individuals in providing the research necessary to conduct the project. These included:

Wendy Coble-Naval Historical Center; Nautical Archaeologist with aviation specialty
Jack Green-Naval Historical Center; Public Relations Officer
Curtis Utz-Naval Historical Center; Head of Naval Aviation Historical Branch
Stan Piet-Glenn Martin /Maryland Aviation Museum and his wonderful archive staff
and last, but certainly not least, a gentlemen who was invaluable throughout the entire project:
Bruce Barth-Mariner/Marlin Association Historian

As you can see this was a very scientific and highly professional unit of individuals who quickly became a top-notched discovery/exploration team. I am very proud of all these people and we did some wonderful work together!

Bermuda Triangle Lost Mariner – Part I Introduction to the Science

Last week ended the highly-successful The Triangle mini-series on the Sci-Fi Channel. Normally, I am not a big fan of this type of genre but I thoroughly enjoyed the three-part adventures about a diverse group of individuals teamed together in seeking to unravel the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. As I have mentioned in our previous blog articles, I led a team of twenty scientists, divers and other underwater professionals on a discovery/exploration expedition to find one of the search & rescue aircraft that was sent out to find the five missing Avenger aircraft on December 5th, 1945 that also disappeared. In total, six Navy aircraft and 27 airmen were lost on that fateful day.

In early April of 2005, I was approached by NBC News Productions and asked if I would be interested in trying to find the Martin Mariner PBM-5 aircraft that went missing and disappeared off the coast of Florida. I was very aware of the famed Avenger TBM’s that formed one of the biggest mysteries of the Triangle lore but knew very little about this Mariner aircraft. Last year, I watched a documentary on the Discovery Channel about trying to find the lost Avengers with using submersibles from Harbor Branch (Johnson Sea-Link) and Graham Hawkes revolutionary designed Deep Flight Aviator. One of my friends, Dr. Captain (USN Ret) Alfred McLaren, a retired United States Navy nuclear submarine captain, is very close friend of Graham and is a certified pilot of Deep Flight Aviator. Captain McLaren told me about Graham finding five lost Avengers clustered together several miles away from Ft Lauderdale in the early 1990s. To everyone’s amazement, these 5 Navy Avengers were NOT the missing Avengers from the lost flight of December 5th, 1945. I asked NBC News to give me a week to do some preliminary research and I would then get back to them regarding my decision to take on this project.

Using Nautical Research Group’s vast array of informational resources, we were able to extract out some very pertinent information about the aircraft but needed much more work to do from other sources to put together an expedition proposal. In this section of the ocean where the United States Navy had provided their coordinates for the Mariner, many ships ply up and down the Atlantic. What was very apparent to me was that the aircraft was broken up in many small pieces otherwise others would have found this aircraft many years ago. Knowing how difficult it is to find huge shipwrecks using the latest technology, I accepted the project knowing that we had a do an extensive search for extremely small pieces of debris. My original proposal called for this expedition to be two weeks in duration. Once my initial proposal was submitted to NBC News, they called me up and said that they had good news and bad news. The good news is that the proposal was accepted by the NBC executives in Rockefeller Center; however, the bad news was that the duration of the expedition would be only one week. I decided to accept the project but only after I had completed my diving expeditions to the Empress of Ireland and Titanic.

This series will contain several parts that can be retrieved at any time using the category called Mariner Project on the far right column of the web log. I look forward to hearing your comments on this series!

Sixtieth Anniversary - Bermuda Triangle's Six Missing Aircraft

I am not an authority on the Bermuda Triangle and have never claimed to be. I find the different theories regarding the mysteries of this region of the Atlantic Ocean to be interesting in a very curious way. Being a scientist, I have always based my initial observations on the physical sciences that I have been trained over the years. There is no doubt that there are things that I can not answer through the physical sciences realm that can not be readily explained. The nature of science is to seek out the unknown and then try to understand all about this unknown.

The documentary that we did for the Sci Fi Channel has received huge viewer ratings. The show was so successful that they have been additionally showing the documentary on MsNBC. Our main reason for doing the underwater discovery/exploration project was to bring closure to the families of the Martin Mariner aircraft.  As today marks the 60th anniversary of these lost aircraft, I would like to recognize the 5 missing Naval Avenger aircraft; and most especially, the 13 missing airmen on the Martin Mariner. Please remember these Mariner airmen in your prayers!

                               Walter George Jeffery, Lt. jg - Pilot
                               Harrie Grimes Cone, Lt. jg - Co-pilot
                               Roger Murray Allen, Ensign - Training Co-Pilot
                               Lloyd Arlin Eliason, Ensign - Co-Pilot
                               Charles Donald Arceneaux, Ensign
                               Robert Charles Cameron, radioman 3rd class
                               Cargill, Wiley Davis Sr. , seaman 1st
                               James Frederick Jordan, Aviation radioman 3rd class
                               John Thomas Menendez, Aviation ordnanceman 3rd
                               Philip Bird Neeman, Seaman 1st
                               James Frederick Osterheld, Aviation ordnanceman 3rd
                               Donald Edward Peterson, Aviation machinist’s mate 1st
                               Alfred Joseph Zywicki, Seaman 1st class

Science Trumps Lore in Secrets of the Bermuda Triangle

The following excerpt is from the Sci Fi Wire that was posted today on their website. The link to the full article will be displayed below:

Nautical researcher David Bright, whose efforts to find an infamous missing plane in the Bermuda Triangle are chronicled in the upcoming SCI FI Channel investigative news special The Bermuda Triangle: Startling New Secrets, told SCI FI Wire that he did not go into the project with any preconceived notions about what he would or would not find. "Absolutely not," Bright said in an interview. "I think the beauty of what we were doing is because we all had varying backgrounds on the project. They all came into play. What we did is before we even went out we did a bit of what we call 'What if?' scenarios. So in order to get to that point, what we really needed to do was to essentially do an awful lot of research."

The special documents Bright's expedition—which included a team of more than 20 scientists and technological experts—as they searched for the truth behind the Bermuda Triangle's most famous incidents. In 1945, a squadron of bombers called Flight 19 was lost during a training mission off the coast of Florida. The rescue plane sent to find them a few hours later also disappeared. None of the planes has ever been found.

To see the remainder of this full-length story, please select this Sci Fi Wire website link.

Media Blitz - The Hunt for the Bermuda Triangle's Lost Mariner

There is a unusual fascination about the Bermuda Triangle that has been quite a curiosity to me. I spend a large amount of my time in the Triangle area and must admit that strange happenings within this area are usually chalked up as a brief anomaly without much fanfare. In putting together the underwater expedition, I have found the media to be equally fascinated by the Triangle phenomena. We had to keep the project under strict confidentiality for fear that we would be inundated by interested spectators while doing our discovery/exploration activities out in the ocean. One elderly gentlemen saw us unloading the side scan sonar at the dock and he thought that we had found a torpedo from a missing enemy submarine (actually the design is quite similar). Following our project, all 20 of our expedition members were sworn to secrecy about our project and I commend them for their discipline over the past few months in not divulging our exciting project. I have been giving interviews all month to various newspapers, magazines, internet, radio and television crews with various major networks. It is amazing how many different ways that the same question regarding our outcome was phrased. Fortunately, I am an old pro at this type of questioning and was able to deflect them to watch the show. The SciFi Channel is promoting this documentary as part of their efforts to promote their Triangle mini-series that premieres on December 5th. The following picture is taken from the SciFi Channel's internet home page and shows a picture of me (right) and NBC News anchor Lester Holt discussing the project while motoring out to our survey site.

NBC News Documentary - The Hunt for the Bermuda Triangle's Lost Mariner Aircraft

Welcome to those special invitees to this Shipwreck web log. We are the leading source for shipwreck information using the latest in high-tech underwater discovery and exploration research and technology. Although technically an aircraft is not a shipwreck, the techniques used to find an aircraft are very similar to finding a shipwreck. Unfortunately, an aircraft is much smaller and presents a unique challenge. Enclosed is the formal announcement from NBC News/SciFi Channel of our latest big-budget documentary looking for the lost Mariner rescue aircraft that was sent out over the Bermuda Triangle to find the legendary lost 5 Avenger aircraft. Starting next week, we will be giving you very specific information about our underwater expedition. In the meantime, enjoy the documentary that premieres on Sunday, November 27th and I wish you a safe and wonderful holiday season! To make this picture larger, double-click with the pointer on the picture.

Lost Navy Aircraft - Mr. Bright Goes to Washington

Although we are in the midst of our Titanic Photographic Series,  I would like to tell you about another very exciting wreck project that we led this summer. We had many diverse diving expeditions and projects in 2005 (see Updated News section of our corporate web site) but the most unique expedition of the year was the huge diving operation that we had in collaboration with the Naval Historical Center and NBC News. There will be more web log articles about this project later this month but I don't want to give away any of our discoveries just yet. As a sneak preview, visit this website that was recently created by the NBC News/Sci Fi Channel announcing the exciting documentary that will air on November 27th.

As part of the recognition of the 27 lost airmen, a resolution was introduced in Congress that would memorialize these brave Navy aviators. This congressional resolution has received formal approval and will be officially unveiled as part of a ceremony on Capitol Hill on Thursday November 17th. A global news conference has been scheduled up on the Hill to introduce this new exciting documentary and I will be one of the guests of honor with Florida Congressman Clay Shaw; NBC News Anchor Lester Holt; Bonnie Hammer, president of USA Networks and the Sci Fi Channel; and Dave Howe, Executive Vice President and GM of the Sci Fi Channel. This scientific research expedition was undertaken like no other previous expedition before to discover and explore the mysteries behind the disappearance of these Naval aircraft. This SPECIAL two-hour documentary will premiere on the Sci Fi Channel on November 27th at 9 pm EST/8 pm Central. Check your local listings for this show outside of the United States and out West.

Living Legend - US Navy Submersible Leader Don Walsh

I have been around diving for thirty-five years now and there are many pioneers in diving that I have met. The latest living legend that I met while lecturing out on the Russian research vessel Akademik Keldysh over the Titanic wreck site is Navy Captain Don Walsh USN-Ret. Captain Walsh is the leading United States naval expert on submersibles and was the head of their undersea submersible program for many years. Although this would be considered quite an accomplishment, Don is most famous for another wonderful achievement.

As a young lieutenant, Don Walsh was a member of the elite US submersible team that started the exploration of the deep ocean floor. When the revolutionary submersible Trieste became available to the US Navy, this elite squad of naval professionals were quick to seize the opportunity. On January 23, 1960, Don and French submersible pioneer Jacques Picard journeyed to the bottom of Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean's  Marianas Trench. At 37,800 feet, the Challenger Deep is the deepest spot known in all the oceans. No one has been back since and this feat will never be broken.  For this remarkable accomplishment, Don graced the cover of every news magazine throughout the world and was awarded a presidential medal by President Eisenhower.

Exploration of the deep oceans is still on-going; however, there are only 5 submersibles in the world that can dive deeper than the 12, 600 feet where Titanic resides. With the announced news that Wood's Hole's famous submersible Alvin will be retired, that leaves only the two Russian MIRs, the French Nautile and the Japanese Shinkai as the only submersibles that can do deep ocean exploration-although none of these vessels can make it down as deep as the Trieste did that historic moment in 1960. For that reason, Captain Don Walsh is immortalized as the deepest diver of all-time! As for the Trieste, she can be seen on display at the Washington (DC) Navy Yard.

RMS Olympic's Encounter with a U-boat

Many stories have been written about the two ill-fated White Star ocean liners, Titanic and Britannic. Because of the tragic sinking of these two liners, one by iceberg and the other due to a mine, these ships have been documented extensively in the press, web, documentaries and movies. The account of these other sisters have dwarfed those of the most successful White Star liner named RMS Olympic. The Olympic was known as "Old Reliable" because of its long service as a passenger liner, troop carrier and general purpose ship that the Crown used for various purposes. In its twenty-five year service, the Olympic steamed close to two hundred thousand miles into various ports around the world.

The Olympic has the unique distinction of being the only vessel of its kind to directly sink an enemy ship without the use of armaments. In 1915, the Crown needed to bring her into the war as a troop carrier to ferry soldiers to the front. Immediately she was repainted in the "dazzle" motif which was a bizarre, geometric-like abstract color pattern of black, white and gray on a yellow backdrop. This paint pattern was meant to confuse enemy ships from attacking this huge liner. In May of 1918, the Olympic, on its twenty-second voyage as a troop carrier, was attacked by a marauding German submarine U-103 in the English Channel. The submarine started the assault on the much quicker liner by launching two torpedoes directly at the ship's port-side bow. Unarmed but not defenseless, the Olympic used evasive maneuvers and was able to escape the torpedoes destructive impact. Even though the huge liner could of steamed away from harm's way following this torpedo attack, in a most courageous act, she turned on this deadly submarine and proceeded to ram the U-103. Even though the impact on the submarine was a glancing blow, the size and weight of the Olympic's attack proved to be deadly to the submarine and she quickly sank. Several submariners were able to escape and eventually were picked up by an American destroyer. The Olympic was the only merchant ship to sink an enemy warship during the war.

Discovery of the USS Monitor

I was reading a story fresh off the news wires about a tale of a black cat aboard the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor that was supposedly placed inside a cannon by a superstitious but desperate sailor as the vessel was sinking. Personnel at the Monitor Center in the Mariner's Museum in Newport News, VA are in the process of excavating the cannon and examining the contents within its barrel-very vigilant for the potential remains of this black cat. So far, the cat's remains have not been found. To read the account of the sailor, select this link to CNN News.

The USS Monitor was a very revolutionary vessel that was the prototype for all military vessels today. The discovery of the Monitor was not by salvors or divers that regularly dive the Graveyard of the Atlantic but was found by a group of geological and oceanographic scientists that were conducting topographical measurements on the ocean floor. The wreck was discovered in 1973 by the lead scientists Robert Sheridan, Harold Edgerton, Gordon Watts and John Newton and several members from Duke, University of Delaware and University of Rhode Island. One of the best nautical books that you will ever read is Robert Sheridan's book on the discovery of the Monitor entitled Iron from the Deep - The Discovery and Recovery of the USS Monitor. The interactions between the the academic world, the military and the government is a a unique glimpse into the maniacal world of bureaucracy and ego. Although there is a fair amount of science, it is extremely interesting and lends credibility for the discovery and identification of the Monitor. I met Dr. Sheridan over 15 years ago when I was diving the Monitor in collaboration with NOAA and continue to speak with him on a semi-regular basis. He is currently retired as professor emeritus at Rutgers University and still very involved in the story of the Monitor. I find it quite interesting that the story of the finding and recovery of the Monitor has always downplayed the role of these fine scientists. Hopefully, with the new Monitor Center, their scientific exploits and their significant role in the discovery of Monitor will be captured for the generations of future marine scientists.

USS Monitor - Revolutionary First Ironclad

During the 1860's, no one would know that a revolutionary nautical concept and design would change the way our current warships are constructed.  When the tiny, cigar-shaped object named Monitor was being built in Brooklyn, many critics scoffed at the validity of such a ship to wage a naval battle, let alone even be able to float. John Ericsson, the Swedish designer, had to pitch this unique design to the Unites States Navy many times before it was decided to give this boat a chance during the Civil War. Her battle with the Confederate ironclad named Virginia ( Merrimack) is legendary and she sank in a storm while being reassigned to blockade service down in Charleston during a heavy December winter storm.

Nautical Research Group was one of the first to dive and explore Monitor in conjunction with NOAA. During our two years of diving to the ship, we conducted metallurgical / corrosion studies while creating a photometric record of the state of decay on major structural points on the ship. We were given permission to photograph and recover items from the ship by NOAA Monitor sanctuary manager, John Broadwater, which were placed on permanent display in the Monitor Center in the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia. Later this summer, we will be devoting a segment of our blog on the discovery of Monitor in the mid-1970's and give an update on the latest developments in the nautical archaeology and recovery of this historic vessel.

USS Niagara - Tale of Two Ships

The name Niagara has been used by many different naval ships and by several different countries over the past 300 years. Even a class of Star Trek starships is named Niagara; however, it is not the focus of this web log to discuss starships. 

Originally, the Indian name for Niagara was Ongiara. Within years of Father Hennepin's visit to the Falls, the name gradually changed to become Niagara by the explorers and non-native settlers. The United States Navy has used the name Niagara many times ( there were eight Niagara-named naval vessels); however, we will discuss in this weblog two of the more recent uses of this name.  Our first USS Niagara was built on February 23,1855, commissioned on April 6th, 1857 and her first task was the laying of the transatlantic cable between Ireland and Newfoundland. This was a very monumental event that immortalized this USS Niagara. Additionally, she liberated 200 Africans from a brig that was bringing them over from Africa as slaves, transported the first Japanese diplomats from Washington to New York and served the Union as a blockade runner in the Civil War. The USS Niagara led a very long life and was decommissioned in 1864, remaining in the Boston Ship Yard until purchased by a private enterprise in 1885.

Our second USS Niagara originally was called the steam yacht Niagara and was built in 1898 in Wilmington, Delaware. Because of the onset of World War I, the United States Navy purchased her in 1917, converted her into a patrol boat and renamed her USS Niagara in 1918.  Like her earlier "sister" she was involved in the laying of cable between the United States and the West Indies - only this Niagara was used to escort the cable ships between several ports. Post-World War I, the Niagara spent the majority of her time performing vital surveying duties throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea areas. Much of our corporation's work in Florida owes a debt of thanks to the Niagara for providing us with accurate nautical charts of this region. Finally, the USS Niagara was decommissioned in early March 1931 and sold for scrap in September, 1933.

Niagara Falls Nostalgia - RMS Niagara and two USS Niagara(s)

I would like to thank Belinda Sawyer for breaking away from her busy schedule to give us a live report from the beautiful Malpelo and Cocos Islands. In three weeks, Belinda will report LIVE from the wreck site of the German battleship, Bismarck and our blog will have that exclusive story.

I would like to continue this coming week with ships that have a theme related to Niagara Falls.  The first ship that we will report on is the Royal Mail Ship - RMS Niagara. This converted luxury liner was carrying eight tons of gold bullion and hit a mine. She sank off New Zealand's waters on June 19th, 1940 in about 400 feet.

The other ships that we will report on are the two different USS Niagara(s). USS Niagara (the first) was built in 1857, served the Union in the Civil War and led a very long life. The second USS Niagara originally was called the steam yacht Niagara and was built in 1898. Because of the onset of World War I, the United States Navy purchased her in 1917 and renamed her USS Niagara.

Philadelphia's Rich Nautical History - Part V Philadelphia Naval Yard

No discussion of Philadelphia's rich nautical history would be complete without a weblog about the famous Philadelphia Naval Yard. Despite the extraordinary tale of the Philadelphia Experiment aside, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was the first Naval Shipyard commissioned in the United States. In 1799 the US Congress authorized $522,678 in funds for the purchase of land to establish the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. The shipyard was originally located in the Southwark region of Philadelphia. However, with growth of the city, the shipyard was relocated to its present site.

Philadelphia NSY is on League Island in the Delaware River in Philadelphia. The original naval yard was established in 1801. The yard underwent numerous upgrades, primarily in the early part of the 20th century. In 1917, the Naval Aircraft Factory was established on the island. After World War I, the factory focused on the development and manufacture of experimental aircraft and aircraft accessories. During World War II, the shipyard constructed 53 ships and repaired 574. The workforce was greatly reduced after World War II, from 40,000 to 12,000. The Naval Aircraft Factory was re-designated the Naval Air Material Center in 1943, and became the Naval Air Engineering Center in 1963. In 1974, the Naval Air Engineering Center was relocated to Lakehurst, NJ. The last ship completely built at the yard was finished in 1970. In 1987, fleet carriers underwent service life extension at the yard.

The 1991 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission recommended that the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard [PNSY] be closed but acknowledged that PNSY would perform the Service Life Extension Program for the USS. Kennedy from September 1993 until mid-1996. The work on the USS. Kennedy subsequently changed to a 24-month complex overhaul, which Congress required to be performed by PNSY. The Secretary of Defense concurred in this plan in September 1991. KENNEDY completed a two-year comprehensive overhaul in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on September 13, 1995 and then the Navy Shipyard closed on September 30, 1995.

The Navy Intermediate Ship Maintenance Facility (NIMSF) continued to store decommissioned and mothballed ships after the shipyard closed in the mid-1990s. In storage at the shipyard as of late 1995 were two battleships, one heavy cruiser, two aircraft carriers, two amphibious assault ships, two AEs, two AOs, two AORs, one AFS, four CGs, nine DDGs and seven FFs plus numerous small auxiliaries. These included the amphibious assault ships GUADALCANAL (LPH-7) and IWO JIMA (LPH-2); aircraft carriers SARATOGA (CV-60) and FORESTALL (CV-59); and the battleships IOWA (BB-61) and WISCONSIN (BB-64). 

After months of intensive negotiations, on 21 October 1997 Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and Philadelphia Mayor Rendell signed an historic agreement with Kvaerner to to renovate and modernize the publicly owned yard. The shipyard project includes a public investment of $396 million in capital funding from federal, state and local sources. Public bodies will retain ownership in the yard and can recapture it should Kvaerner significantly reduce ship production.

Kvaerner is Europe's largest commercial shipbuilder, and an international engineering and construction company widely recognized as a world leader in high-tech transportation. In the deal with the city, Kvaerner committed to design and manufacture container and tanker ships using the world's most advanced robotics and software technology. The Philadelphia facility is Kvaerner's first American shipyard, and in the summer of 1998 the company established its North American headquarters in Philadelphia. Even though Kvaerner is actively involved in maintaining and running the shipyard, you can still see over 50 mothballed Navy vessels lining the northernmost docks of their shipyard within full view of Interstate 95.

Philadelphia's Rich Nautical History - Part III USS Becuna

Surrounded by the other much larger ships of Penn's Landing, the 'tiny' USS Becuna sits inauspiciously between the dock and the cruiser USS Olympia; however, looks can be very deceiving and the submarine Becuna was quite a mighty adversary.

Launched on January 30th, 1944, in the middle of World War II, from the famed shipyards of Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, the Becuna conducted five wartime patrols with the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Pacific. Becuna sank the 7500 ton freighter Nichiyoku Maru, two small coastal freighters, assisted USS Hawkbill with the sinking of the oiler Tokuwa Maru, and damaged another oiler. The submarine also served as a lifeguard for downed pilots and narrowly missed an attack on the battleship Yamato.

Following her World War II career, she was converted from her basic fleet boat configuration to a streamlined fast underwater submarine known as a GUPPY in 1951 that extended her service during the Korean War and Vietnam conflict in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The Becuna serves as an educational resource and tourist attraction with the cruiser Olympia and is a registered National Historic Landmark.

Philadelphia's Rich Nautical History - Part I USS Olympia

At Penn's Landing, the oddly-looking warship with a slanted bow is one of the most decorated ship of the United States Navy. The USS OLYMPIA was the flagship of the Asiatic Squadron and was launched on November 5, 1892 from her San Francisco-based Union Iron Works builder . Her official commissioning was on February 5th, 1895 where she assumed her role as the squadron's flagship under the leadership of Captain John J. Read. It is the only naval vessel from the American Spanish-American War fleet still in existence.

OLYMPIA is one of the most significant vessels in United States history as she  was the flagship of Commodore Dewey in his victory over Admiral Montojo's Spanish Squadron at the Philippine's Manila Bay. On May 1, 1898, OLYMPIA devastated the Spanish fleet, beginning the Spanish-American War. This victory by OLYMPIA enabled the world to acknowledge the United States as a major force on the world's oceans and won fame for her most famous officer, Commodore George Dewey. It was from OLYMPIA's bridge that Dewey remarked, "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley." OLYMPIA continued her distinguished serve throughout World War I and was later decommissioned in 1922. She can be visited at the Independence Seaport Museum and makes for a wonderful weekend family outing.

Philadelphia's Rich Nautical History - Introduction

Lately, I have been flying out of the Philadelphia Airport more and more. It is not to say that it is any easier to get to than Newark or the other New York-based airports. However, as I travel southbound from Nautical Research Group's central-New Jersey office on Interstate 95, through Philadelphia Center City, along the Delaware River, I get a sense of elation as I see a huge spectrum of our country's nautical history along the river banks.  I am truly amazed at how much maritime heritage ( and the diversity of ships and their related time-frames) is within plain view as we travel towards the airport. Every time I drive through this section of Interstate 95, I am craning my neck to see all the fabulous vessels that defined our history. 

For my next series, we will give a brief description of many of the tremendous ships that are docked in a brief five mile section of Interstate 95.  The diversity of ships is staggering and is literally a living text book on American nautical history. Within the Penn's Landing section, we will visit the USS Olympia, the flagship of Admiral Dewey during the Spanish-American War. Our next part of this series will be a tour of the Moshulu, the largest four-masted sailing ship in the world that was built in 1904, and now serves as a fine dining restaurant. The final ship in Penn's Landing that we will visit is the USS Becuna Submarine. This veteran of World War II completed 5 battle patrols and later served our country during the Cold War. Moving further southward from Penn's Landing is the beautiful ocean liner SS United States. Last month, we did a segment on the SS United States ( http://shipwreck.blogs.com/shipwrecks_historical_tim/2005/03/united_states_s.html ) and I hope to revisit this ship within the next eight weeks. Our last segment will be an overview of the Philadelphia Naval Yard, our countries oldest and most historic ship yard. Many of our most decorated naval ships were either built or served in this ship yard.  I hope that you enjoy our tour of Philadelphia's great nautical history!