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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Submarine Rescue Chamber

Deep Submergence Unit, Diving Systems Support Detachment (Submarine Rescue Chamber).

The unit now operates out of the DSU compound on Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, CA. DSSD operates as the underwater rigging experts for recovery operations. Working hand-in-hand with the other units within DSU, DSSD helps to rig objects for recovery by the underwater robots of Unmanned Vehicles Detachment.
Specifications: Maximum Depth: 850 ft
Weight: 21,600 lbs., in air 50 lbs. (Positive in water)
Crew: 2,
Six Rescues: Supported by Submarine Personnel Rescue Kit.
SRO: Umbilical Control Console, Six air banks arranged in two racks
Two 6R80 Compression
Light Tower Generator
4 Point Mooring Package/Rigging Van
Submarine Rescue Cable Reel
Spare Parts Shelter
SRC Fly Away Stand

Size	Image Description	Contributed By/ Source
59k	Lieutenant Carlton Shugg, USN(CC), co-designer of submarine rescue chamber and designer of the New London submarine escape training tower; Lieutenant Norman S. Ives, USN, Commanding Officer of S-4 (SS-109); Lieutenant Charles B. Momsen, USN, developer of the submarine escape "lung"; and Chief Gunner Clarence Tibbals, USN, co-developer of the submarine escape "lung" and of the submarine rescue chamber. Photographed at New London, Connecticut, circa the Winter of 1928-29. The four men are listed from left to right in this view.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph, NH 100126, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Courtesy of Mr. Wallace Shugg, 1984. Photo added 01/08/08.
72k	A diving bell on the after deck of Falcon (ASR-2) during the early stages of the Squalus (SS-192) salvage operations, 1939, 30 May 1939. This is not a *McCann Rescue Chamber, but the Momsen-McCann diving bell. This was originally the Seaplane hangar on submarine S-1* (SS-105). When the *S-1* program was cancelled the Seaplane hangar was salvaged by Charles Momsen, the submarine Commander, for conversion to a rescue Bell.	Photographed by the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # NH 57503, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Partial text and photo i.d. courtesy of Jeffery G. Scism.
104k	Crewman A.L. Rosenkotter of V-5 (SC-1) demonstrates the use of the submarine's after escape hatch and the emergency escape *Momsen Lung, during V-5* trials, July 1930. In 1931, *V-5* was renamed and redesignated, becoming Narwhal (SS-167).	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 45641.
39k	The *Momsen Lung* in use by recruits at the Navy's submarine school.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
123k	Acting Secretary of the Navy Charles Edison (center) reads a Letter of Commendation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to members of the Squalus (SS-192) salvage unit, in his Navy Department offices, 16 September 1939. Looking on are Commander Allan R. McCann, USN, (left) and Commander Charles B. Momsen, USN, (right	Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # NH 57334, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
267k	Allan R. McCann stands next to the rail (third from left) as Falcon (ASR-2) crewmen suit-up two Deep Sea Divers during the rescue/salvage operation following the sinking of the U.S. Navy submarine Squalus (SS-192). Momsen led the successful effort, which resulted in the rescue of 33 submariners trapped aboard *Squalus* and remains to this day the greatest undersea rescue in history.	U.S. Navy photo # N-0000X-002, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
159k	Swede Momsen, traumatized by the sinking of the S-51 (SS-162) and learning that the men had survived the wreck only to be trapped inside the submarine at the ocean's bottom, thought of a way to rescue trapped Submariners. He would build a large steel bell-shaped chamber, which could be lowered with cables down to the escape hatch on a sunken submarine. A watertight seal to the submarine could be achieved by placing a rubber gasket around the diving bell's bottom and reducing the air pressure once the bell was over the escape hatch. Then, the hatch could be opened, and the trapped Submariners could climb aboard. A hatch on the top of the bell would allow the rescued Submariners and diving bell operators an easy way out of the bell. The diving bell went through a series of tests off the shores of Key West, Florida. Based on these tests, Momsen had several changes in mind for the bell, but was sent to the Bureau of Construction and Repair to teach Submariners how to use the Momsen Lung before he could make the changes. Lieutenant Commander Allan McCann was put in charge of the revisions on the diving bell. When the bell was completed in late 1930, it was introduced as the *McCann Rescue Chamber. Cutaway drawing of the device used to rescue 33 crewmen from the sunken submarine Squalus* in May 1939.	Text courtesy of onr.navy.mil. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # NH 97291, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
29k	Diagram of the *McCann Rescue Chamber*.	Courtesy of e-nekton.com.
56k	The *Submarine Rescue Chamber* (SRC) is loaded aboard an Air Force Reserve C-5A Galaxy at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego by members of the Navy's Deep Submergence Rescue Unit, Diving Systems Detachment. The SRC will be transported to Singapore for Exercise Pacific Reach 2000, a Submarine Rescue Exercise that will involve naval units from the United States, Japan, Singapore, Korea and Australia. 24 Sept. 2000.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1523C-047 by Senior Chief Photographer's Mate Terry Cosgrove, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
83k	Members of the Navy's Deep Submergence Unit, Diving Systems Detachment, slide the *Submarine Rescue Chamber* (SRC)from an Air Force Reserve C-5A Galaxy for transportation to Exercise Pacific Reach 2000.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1523C-001 by Senior Chief Photographer's Mate Terry Cosgrove, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
243k	Members of the U. S. Navy's Deep Submergence Unit Diving Systems Detachment secure the *Submarine Rescue Chamber(SRC) aboard the MV Kendrick* in preparation for Exercise Pacific Reach 2000.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1523C-002 by Senior Chief Photographer's Mate Terry Cosgrove, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
10k	Members of the U. S. Navy's Deep Submergence Unit Diving Systems Detachment secure the *Submarine Rescue Chamber* (SRC) aboard the *MV Kendrick* in preparation for Exercise Pacific Reach 2000.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1523C-002 by Senior Chief Photographer's Mate Terry Cosgrove N-1523C-047, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
291k	The U.S. Navy's *Submarine Rescue Chamber(SRC) (foreground) is secured to the deck of the MV Kendrick* by members of the Deep Submergence Unit Diving Systems Detachment in preparation for a multinational submarine rescue training exercise called Pacific Reach 2000.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1523C-009 by Senior Chief Photographer's Mate Terry Cosgrove, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
81k	The U.S. Navy's *Submarine Rescue Chamber* (SRC) deploys from *MV Kendrick* to dive to the Republic of Singapore submarine *Conqueror* . During the submarine rescue exercise Pacific Reach 2000, the *SRC* will dive to the ocean floor more than 200 feet below, dock on the "disabled" sub and practice evacuating sailors. In a real life rescue, the *SRC* could safely deliver 6 sailors per trip to the surface.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1523C-047 by Senior Chief Photographer's Mate Terry Cosgrove, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
258k	The Navy's Deep Submergence Unit *Submarine Rescue Chamber* is loaded on board a 747 aircraft at the Air Mobility Command (AMC) terminal at San Diego, Calif, on 7 June 2005. The equipment is being transported to Italy, where U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) divers will respond to a submarine escape and rescue exercise in the Mediterranean Sea during exercise "Sorbet Royal 2005." "Sorbet Royal " will test the capabilities and interoperability of 10 participating nations. Four submarines will participate in the exercise, testing divers abilities use rescue equipment to solve complex disaster problems.	U.S. Navy photo # N-6426C-030 by Photographer's Mate 1st Class James Christopher, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
227k	The Navy's Deep Submergence Unit *Submarine Rescue Chamber* is preparing to be loaded on board a 747 aircraft at the Air Mobility Command (AMC) terminal.	U.S. Navy photo # N-6426C-011 by Photographer's Mate 1st Class James Christopher, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
27k	Sailors aboard Grasp (ARS-51) ease the *Submarine Rescue Chamber* over the side on its way down to mate with the Spanish submarine *Siroco*.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of sorbetroyal2005.celex.net.
170k	Crewmembers aboard a U.S. Air force C-17 relax in the company of their charge, the U.S. Navy *Submarine Rescue Chambers Flyaway System* (SRCFS), during a training exercise, conducted at Naval Air station North Island at San Diego,12 Feb. 2006.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1126G-001 by Electronic's Technician Charles T. Grandin, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
77k	U.S. Navy *Submarine Rescue Chambers Flyaway System* (SRCFS) is loaded on board an U.S. Air force C-17 during a training exercise, conducted at Naval Air station North Island at San Diego 12 Feb. 2006.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1126G-002 by Electronic's Technician Charles T. Grandin, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.
131k	Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Jason Beres, a reservist assigned to Deep Submergence Unit (DSU) at Naval Air Station North Island, talks about the *Submarine Rescue Chamber* to Cub Scout Pack 546 on 5 May 2007. The *SRC* is used to rescue the crew from a submerged disabled submarine. DSU invited more than 1,000 visitors to tour its facility, May 4-5, during the Submarine Rescue Day that showcased the personnel, equipment, and capabilities used to perform worldwide submarine rescues.	U.S. Navy photo # N-4163T-055 by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephanie Tigner, courtesy of chinfo.navy.mil.