the recovery of the ehime maru - Supervisor of Salvage and Diving

The Official Newsletter for the Divers and Salvors of the United States NavyVolume 6, No.1 / March 2002THE RECOVERY OFTHE EHIME MARUCOMMAND IN THE SPOTLIGHTSIMA - NORFOLK, VA

FACEPLATE is published by the Supervisorof Salvage and Diving to bring the latest andmost informative news available to the Navydiving and salvage community. Discussionsor illustrations of commercial products do notimply endorsement by the Supervisor of Salvageand Diving or the U.S. Navy.Articles, letters, queries and commentsshould be directed to the Commander, NavalSea Systems Command, NAVSEA 00C,1333 Isaac Hull Ave. SE Stop 1070, WashingtonNavy Yard, DC 20376-1070. (Attn:FACEPLATE). Visit our website athttp://www.supsalv.org.Captain Bert Marsh, USNDirector of Ocean EngineeringSupervisor of Salvage and DivingNAVSEA 00Cmarshb@navsea.navy.milCaptain Chris Murray, USNSupervisor of Divingmurraycc@navsea.navy.milMark WhitakerManaging Editorwhitakermc@navsea.navy.milHTCM (MDV) Chuck Young, USNBMCS(SW/MDV) Fred K. Orns, USNFleet Liaison Editorsyoungch@navsea.navy.milornsfk@navsea.navy.milF. Scott LassiterGraphic Designerslassiter@roh-inc.comSUPSALV SENDSThis issue is full of information thatyou, as a Navy diver can use; everythingfrom how we successfully liftedEHIME MARU and MDSU One recoveredthe remains of eight of thenine lost in the sinking tohighlighting SIMA Norfolk’soutstanding UWSHwork. I urge you to readand take pride in what yourcommunity has accomplished.As I mentioned tothe MDSU ONE Divers,when assigned to determineif raising the EHIMEMARU and recovering theremains was feasible, Iknew I had an ace-in-theholewith the MDSU locatedat Alpha docks onHickam AF Base. Myconfidence was fully justified.They not only succeeded in recoveringthe remains and personal items, theybecame America’s best Ambassadors toJapan. Through their meticulous awarenessof cultural issues and the establishmentof an exceptional working relationshipwith their Japanese counterparts,they restored trust between our two countries.I urge you to heed the wise advice ofMDV Schlenkerman for we all have a responsibilityto evaluate every dive we do.To my knowledge, we have yet to find away to transplant a set of gills onto a diverand until that happens the oceans will remainan alien environment, one that demandsour respect and requires constantvigilance on everyone’s part.To those old salts who went throughschool at NSDS here in the WashingtonNavy Yard, there is a move to establish eithera memorial or at least a plaque alongCAPT Bert Marsh, U.S. Navy Director of Ocean Engineeringand Supervisor of Salvage and Diving at the Naval SeaSystems Command, describes to the media the plans for thelifting process of the Ehime Maru. Photo by: PH3 Lolita D.Swain.the water front, where NSDS/EDU stood.If you are interested in supporting this initiative,contact Lee Wolford Code 00C 22Chere in our Salvage Operations Division.His phone number is 202-781-0950, or e-mail him at wolfordEL@navsea.navy.mil.Finally, as the last article in this issue relays, Jim Bladh, our FACEPLATE editorand a stalwart in Navy salvage, retired after58 years of outstanding service to hiscountry, the Navy, and our diving community.We all owe Jim, not only for histrail blazing in the salvage arena, but alsofor his determined efforts to resurrectFACEPLATE as your magazine.Front Cover Photo: Deep sea divers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit ONE, Pearl Harbor, descend 115 feet to the ocean floor to begin theirdive on Ehime Maru. Photo by PHC(SW/DV) Andrew McKaskle.In This IssueEHIME MARU Recovery Successful ............. 3EHIME MARU - EnvironmentalConsiderations .............................................. 6Story of Mobile Diving and SalvageUnit ONE’s Efforts in Support of theJapanese Fishing Vessel EHIME MARU ........ 9BMCS(SW/MDV) Fred Orns AssumesDuties as Fleet Master Diver ....................... 11Underwater Ship Husbandry Advisory,Diving Around ICCP Systems ...................... 12ESSM Diving Depot ...................................... 13The Old Master ............................................ 15Command in the Spotlight ............................ 16Historical Notes ........................................... 17Frank William Crilley ..................................... 18From the Supervisor of Diving .................... 19Jim Bladh, Editor of Faceplate Retiresafter 58 Years of Service to the Navy ....... 202 March 2002

Several boats and aircraft wereinvolved during the movingphase of the EHIME MARUrecovery operation includingthe ROCKWATER 2 (left).Photo by PH2(AW/NAC) KeithW. Devinney.By: LCDR Gregg BaumannEHIME MARU RECOVERY SUCCESSFULOn February 9th, 2001 USS Greenville(SSN 772) was conducting submarineexercises 13 miles off the coast of Oahu,Hawaii. While attempting an emergencymain ballast tank blow procedure, the submarinestruck and sank the Japanese fishingand high school training vesselEHIME MARU in 2000 feet of water. Thecollision, which took the lives of nine personnelaboard, created tension and attimes strained relations between the Japaneseand United States governments. Asa sign of sorrow and good will, the U.S.Navy promised to locate and recover themissing remains if it were technically possible.What followed was one of the mostambitious and technically challenging salvageefforts of its kind.In the days immediately following theaccident, search and recovery crewsscoured the ocean surface for survivors.As search efforts showed no signs of anyof the missingcrewmembers,attention turnedto locating thesunken vesselon the sea floorand searching itfor trappedcrewmembers.Due to the extremedepth,divers wouldnot be able to beused. The Commanderin Chief,Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) called on theSupervisor of Salvage and DivingThe lower lifting rig that will be used torelocate the sunken Japanese fishingvessel EHIME MARU is lifted from a bargeoff the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Photo byPHC(SW/NAC) Spike Call.(SUPSALV), and Submarine DevelopmentSquadron 5 (SUBDEVRON 5) from San Diegoto mobilize their Remotely OperatedVehicles (ROVs) and accomplish a subsurfacesearch. Both activities quickly mobilizedand flew their equipment to Honolulu.SUPSALV used ROV DEEP DRONE andthe Shallow Water Intermediate SearchSystem (SWISS) side scanning sonar systemwhile SUBDEVRON 5 using the ROVSCORPIO, quickly located the vessel andvisually searched the exterior and surroundingseafloor. After working aroundthe clock for over two weeks in adverseweather, the subsurface search was calledoff. None of the missing crewmemberswere located.With relations between the U.S. andJapanese governments strained becauseof the incident, the U.S. Navy made thecommitment to the surviving family membersthat if it were technically feasible toraise EHIME MARU theU.S. Navy would do so.Under direction fromCINCPACFLT, CaptainBert Marsh, RichardAsher, and Tom Salmonfrom NAVSEA 00C assembleda feasibilitystudy team composedof NAVSEA 00C,NAVSEA 05, Japanesetechnical and variouscontractor personnel.The salvage firmsSMIT Internationalfrom Singapore and SMIT TAK fromRotterdam functioned as the prime contractorbased on pre-existing salvage contractswith NAVSEA 00C.After transporting EHIME MARU to thefinal relocation site more than 12 milessouth of Barbers Point, the Crowley 450-10 barge released the ship in more than8,500 feet of water. Photo by PH2(AW/NAC) Keith W. DeVinney.Due to the depth of EHIME MARU,the team was limited in the techniquesthey could employ for the recovery. Sincesaturation divers were out of the questionand other means of gaining entry into thevessel at depth had very low probabilitiesof success, the team had to look at movingthe vessel to an area in which personnelcould safely search the interior of thevessel. Before being able to say this wasfeasible, a structural analysis of the damagedship had to be performed.With information gained from the initialROV search, Tom Packard and EdKadala led a team of engineers and navalarchitects from NAVSEA 05P in developinga structural model of the roughly 850-ton ship. Using a hull model based on abeam type finite element of over 200nodes and the shipbuilder’s lightshipweight distribution, the group generated(EH Recovery continued on page 4)August March 2002 2001 20023 3

(EH Recovery continued from page 3)numerous bending moment curves for anumber of different lifting arrangements.Incorporated into each analysis were reducedsection moduli in way of the damagedareas which assumed a worst casedamage scenario. The result of the analyseswas that EHIME MARU could withstanda static steady state lift but that thedynamic effect imparted by ocean swellscould be a problem. Concurrent with thiseffort, SMIT engineers conducted an independentanalysis and came to the sameconclusion.Based on the detailed structuralanalyses and a concept of recovery operationsfrom SMIT, Captain Marsh concludedthat that it was technically feasibleto raise EHIME MARU and estimated thatthere was an 80 percent chance of success.The results of the feasibility studyand the odds of success were sufficient toconvince CINCPACFLT to pursue recoveringthe fishing vessel.The concept of operations called forplacing two large lifting straps beneath theship and carrying it into shallow waterwhere divers could safely enter and searchthe vessel. This required that a site bechosen where the ship could be relocatedwithout causing damage to the environment.To prove this, CINCPACFLT had toaccomplish an Environmental Assessmentbefore the operation could begin.CINCPACFLT N45 (Environmental Division)was chosen to head up this effort.Drawing on assistance from EDAW Inc.from Irvine, CA, numerous subcontractors,NAVSEA 00C25 pollution engineers,and SUPSALV Emergency Ship SalvageMaterial (ESSM) contractor personnel,CINCPACFLT N45 conducted the assessmentin less than 13 weeks at a cost ofnearly $2 million. The Environmental Assessmentculminated with (CINCPACFLT)signing a “Finding of No Significant Impact”(FONSI) for moving EHIME MARUfrom its current location to about a mile offthe Honolulu airport.While the environmental assessmentprogressed, mobilization for the recoveryoperation began in earnest. To accomplishthe rigging and lifting operations,specialized offshore equipment was mobilizedfrom Singapore, Europe, Philippines,Texas, Louisiana, and California. Additionally,the Haliburton Corp. oil field drillingand diving support vesselROCKWATER 2 was contracted as thehost work platform. Since theROCKWATER 2 was already operating ineastern Asia, it was outfitted for the operationin Batangas, Philippines and was usedto transport some of the lifting equipmentto Hawaii. Three separate ROV systems, acoiled tube drilling unit, and rigging equipmentwere mobilized from the Gulf coast toPort Hueneme, CA and barged to Honoluluon the Crowley Marine 250-6 barge.Once the ROCKWATER 2 and remainingsupport equipment arrivedon-station, Pacific Shipyardwas subcontracted to completevessel outfitting. This entailedwelding down the ROV equipment,installation of portable generatorsfor the deck equipment,and welding of additional riggingequipment for the deep ocean lift.While the ROCKWATER 2 was inthe process of being mobilizedand outfitted, a separate ROVsupport vessel was contracted toconduct preliminary support operationson EHIME MARU. Thecable laying ship OCEAN HER-CULES was brought in to removethe center mast of EHIME MARUsince it was determined to be an obstructionto the lifting hardware. For the mastremoval, Jet Research Corp. from Texaswas subcontracted to cut the mast off usingunderwater explosives. OCEAN HER-CULES was also used to accomplishdredging of bottom sediment in way of thelift straps and to place a constellation ofunderwater ROV navigational transpondersaround the sunken vessel.After outfitting was complete, theROCKWATER 2 immediately transited toEHIME MARU site to begin recovery operations.The first order of businesswas to calibrate the navigational transponderconstellation so that the ROV pilotscould maneuver the ROVs in limited tono visibility conditions. Once calibrationwas complete, the recovery team went towork on putting two large lifting strapsbeneath the hull. The first attempt at doingso incorporated a technology called“coiled tube drilling.” This technology isroutinely used for drilling into oil wells. Ithad never before been adapted to deepocean salvage work nor operated byROVs. The general principle of coiled tubedrilling is to pump high pressure waterthrough 2-inch steel pipe outfitted with adrilling nozzle on the end to essentially“drill” with the high pressure waterthrough the soil. While the modified technologywas successful in drilling at 2000feet, it was not successful in placing thelift strap messengers under the vessel.The next attempt at placing the liftOn the aft deck of the ROCKWATER 2 is equipmentthat will be used in the recovery of EHIME MARU.Photo by PH3 Joshua L. Pritekel.straps beneath EHIME MARU incorporatedlifting the vessel via the stern andslipping the straps beneath it while suspended.The first try at lifting the sternresulted in the temporary lift strap breakingwhen it slipped onto and around therudder post. On the second try, the teamused a cable reinforced lifting strap. Thistime, the team was successful. With thestern lifted, the ROV pilots pulled a messengerwire underneath the after area ofthe hull. The team was unable to installthe forward lifting strap messenger.After the stern of the vessel was setback down the ROVs were then used torig one end of the aft messenger wire tothe lifting strap and the other end to aheave compensated crane aboard theROCKWATER 2. With this setup, thecrane was successfully used to pull theafter lifting strap underneath the hull.(EH Recovery continued on page 5)4March 2002

(EH Recovery continued from page 4)The forward strap posed a new challenge.With two forward lift strap installationprocedures having been attemptedand unsuccessful, the recovery team developeda third technique. With the aftstrap installed, they rigged a temporary liftwire through the anchor chain hawsepipes and lifted the bow over and ontothe forward lift strap. This turned out tobe a difficult procedure since the bow hadburied deep into the sediment when thestern was lifted. The solution to the problemwas to dredge the material from aroundthe anchors. While the procedure was effective,the time it took to conduct thedredging was considerable.Once the temporary lift wire wasrigged through the hawse pipes, the recoveryteam then placed the lowerspreader bar assembly above EHIMEMARU. The spreader assembly was designedto be buoyant so that when it wasplaced above the vessel and attached tothe lifting straps, it would keep the liftingstraps tensioned against the ship. Sincethey had deviated from the original plan,they had to reconfigure the rigging. Insteadof attaching both the forward andaft straps to the spreader assembly, onlythe aft lift wire was attached. In order tobalance the spreader assembly, one of theheave compensated cranes aboardROCKWATER 2 was attached to the otherend of the assembly. The temporary liftwire through the hawse pipes was thenrigged directly to the linear winch. Withthis configuration, they could now lift theentire vessel and move it laterally onto theoriginally designed forward lift strap. Thisprocedure was a success as the team nowhad both the forward and aft lift straps attachedto the lift assembly as originallydesigned.The next step was to lower the upperlift assembly down from theROCKWATER 2 with the hydraulic linearwinches. The two 500-ton linear wincheswere installed such that their lift wires andassociated sheaves went over the side ofthe ROCKWATER 2 and down to thelower spreader assembly. Once the sheavewas at depth (approximately 1900 feet) itwas then stabbed and connected into thelower lift assembly. The entire connectionprocess was accomplished using theROVs, the two heave compensated craneson the ROCKWATER 2, and the two linearwinches. With all the rigging hardwareconnected, EHIME MARU was ready tobe lifted as soon as favorable weather conditionsappeared.After closely monitoring the weatherforecasts, an acceptable window finallypresented itself. With seas less than 6feet, the team commenced the relocationprocess by raising EHIME MARU approximately25 feet above the seafloor. Withthe vessel lifted, the ROVs maneuveredbeneath the ship so that the area damagedby the submarine rudder could be inspected.The inspection confirmed thatthe structural damage was well within theestimates made in the feasibility study. Allconditions were “go” for relocatingEHIME MARU to shallow water.Transiting with an armada of othersupport vessels, the ROCKWATER 2 beganits slow trek to the shallow water site.Ensuring there were no undiscoveredproblems with the lift, the initial transitspeed was set at 0.2-0.3 knots. Since theROCKWATER 2 was outfitted with a dynamicpositioning system for navigationand station keeping, this low speed wasachievable. Once the team was comfortablewith the lift arrangement, the speedwas slowly increased to 0.5-0.7 knots.Speeds were kept under one knot so thatthe dynamic loading on the lift systemwere kept to a minimum. The speeds werealso kept low so that EHIME MARUcould be slowly raised with the winches asshallower water was approached. Aftercompleting the 13 mile journey, EHIMEMARU was set down at the 110 foot shallowwater site without incident.The next phase of the operationcalled for the Mobile Diving and SalvageUnit ONE (MDSU ONE) divers to penetratethe sunken vessel and search for themissing crewmembers. After monitoringthe ship for 48 hours to ensure that it wasstable, the Navy Divers began their difficulttask. They dived with surface suppliedequipment that was staged aboard a400-foot work and accommodations bargethat SUPSALV hired from Crowley MarineServices. Using knuckle cranes withstages attached, the divers were loweredto the vessel. Once on the bottom, theMDSU ONE divers climbed a ladder togain entry into the ship. Working underlow to no visibility conditions, theysearched every compartment of the shipfor the missing crew members. After 29days and 534 dives, MDSU ONE successfullyrecovered 8 of the 9 missingcrewmembers as well as a significant numberof personal effects.The last phase of the operation wasto place the ship back in deep water. Dueto the cost of leasing the ROCKWATER 2,it was decided that the diving supportbarge provided by Crowley Marine wouldbe used as the hoist platform. Instead ofusing linear winches to lift EHIME MARUfrom the shallow water sea floor,SUPSALV and Crowley opted to use ballastwater to accomplish the lift. This wasdone by ballasting the barge down to adraft of 20 feet at the stern and connectingthe lower lift frame assembly to fourchains that were suspended from the rearof the barge. Once connected, the bargewas then deballasted to a draft of 13 feet.The lift went without incident and EHIMEMARU was successfully towed back tosea and laid to rest in 8500 feet of wateron 25 November 2001.Despite all of the difficulties presentedduring this operation, the combinedCINCPACFLT, NAVSEA, MDSUONE, and contractor team made history incarrying out this recovery effort. The fullimpact of the success of the operation willprobably never be known. What is alreadyclearly apparent is that eight families ofthose nine unfortunate crewmembers havebeen able to bring home their loved oneand that the ninth family has been greatlyassisted in their grieving process. Everyonewho participated in the recovery hasassisted in accomplishing an act of kindnessthat will be remembered for a longtime.LCDR Gregg Baumann is currently theAssistant for Salvage for NAVSEA 00C.LCDR Baumann served as a NAVSEAsalvage engineer on EHIME MARU projectfrom February 2001 to December 2001.March 20025

EHIME MARU - Environmental ConsiderationsBy: Bill Walkerthis article is intended to provide Navydivers and salvors with useful environmentalprotection information. This informationwill make you a more complete Navysalvage professional and may save you,your command, and the Navy from embarrassmentand even adverse legal actionduring future Navy salvage operations.Navy salvors should have a basic knowledgeof applicable environmental laws andregulations, the National Response Systemfor spills in U.S. waters, applicable U.S.Navy guidance and organization for environmentalprotection (worldwide), andsome of the environmental protection resources(tools and services) available tothe Navy salvor. The EHIME MARU recoveryoperation was certainly not a typicalNavy salvage operation in many respects,but since it required the Navy tooperate under the spotlight of intense publicand federal and state agency scrutiny,and because it allowed ample opportunityfor response planning, should prove auseful example of how environmental considerationscan and should be integratedinto Navy salvage operations.Introduction: Navy diving and salvageprofessionals know that marine salvageoperations will invariably involve more orless extensive efforts to protect the environmentfrom oil and hazardous substance(OHS) spills. The OHS pollution may resultfrom the casualty itself or may ariseduring the salvage operation. In somecases, Navy salvors will be required to coordinatetheir efforts with other Navy orcommercial teams responsible for environmentalprotection. In others, as withEHIME MARU operations, Navy diversSUPSALV V-boom skimmer systemintercepting oil sheen down-wind of divebarge Crowley 450-10.Photo by Howard Beecher.and salvors are directly involved in effortsto protect the environment against damagingreleases of oil and hazardous substances.Whether directly involved in orsimply coordinating with ongoing environmentalprotection efforts, it is important forNavy divers and salvors to have a basicunderstanding of environmental protectionconsiderations relative to marine salvageoperations.In addition to describing the environmentalprotection efforts undertaken duringEHIME MARU recovery operations,Background:When USS Greenville collided withEHIME MARU, the Japanese fishing vesselquickly sank, releasing an oil slick estimatedby the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) tocontain from 500 to 20,000 gallons of oil.No effort was made to contain or recoverthe oil at sea. The priority at the time wassaving lives. In addition, the prevailingtrade winds moved the slick further offshoreand caused the relatively light dieseloil to naturally disperse without threateningany sensitive resources. The Navylearned that at the time of the collision,EHIME MARU had approximately 65,000gallons of fuel (marine diesel) and approximately1200 gallons of lubricating oil onboard, in addition to very small quantitiesof kerosene, paints, solvents, and variouscompressed gasses. In planning the recoveryoperation, salvors addressed a potential“worst case spill” of 45,000 gallons,but assumed much less oil remained onboard. In terms of potential environmentalimpact, it is significant that the Navy intendedto move EHIME MARU and re-(EM Environmental Considerations continued on page 7)6 March 2002

(EM Environmental Considerations continued from page 6)maining on-board pollutants from a deep(2000 feet) offshore location (9 miles offshore)to a shallow (115 feet) near shorelocation (3/4 mile offshore). The potentialpollution source was to be relocated froman area of relatively low environmentalsensitivity to an area of relatively high environmentalsensitivity virtually on theshores of Oahu.Environmental Assessment:For legal reasons that are beyond thescope of this article, the EHIME MARUoperation was considered a proposed federalagency action that required the Navyto prepare an Environmental Assessment(EA) and to conclude a Finding of No SignificantImpact (FONSI) before initiatingthe operation. The bottom line of this requirementwas that ADM Fargo,CINCPACFLT, went on record up front bystating that the Navy salvors would notsignificantly affect the environment whileconducting the EHIME MARU operation.Our environmental protection “mitigationmeasures” described in the EA (the use ofhelicopter surveillance, oil containmentbooms, oil skimmers, dispersants, etc.)were a rigidly pre-established requirement.In addition, the ten-week EA process (normallytaking up to a year) involved extensiveNavy coordination with various federaland state “trustee” agencies (explainedbelow) and as a result, when the operationwas finally implemented, the salvors wereunder much greater trustee scrutiny thanwould normally be the case.National Response System:Various federal laws and regulations,including the National Oil and HazardousSubstance Pollution Contingency Plan,prescribe how we must respond to OHSspills in U.S. waters. OPNAVINST5090.2B assigns responsibilities and providesguidance for Navy compliance withthese federal (and state) laws and regulations.As a minimum, what Navy diversand salvors need to know is:1. It’s illegal to spill or release OHS intoU.S. waters (even during salvageoperations).2. If OHS is released into the water, itmust be reported to federal and stateauthorities.3. The spiller must clean up the spill.4. Federal and state On-Scene Coordinators(FOSC and SOSC) haveauthority to terminate or take overyour salvage (and clean-up) operationsif you do not protect theenvironment in accordance withapplicable laws and regulations.5. Other federal and state “Trustee”agencies (e.g. the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service) have regulatoryauthority to protect various sensitiveresources and may insist uponLift Ship Rockwater 2 with Ehime Maru approaching SWRSmoorings. Note two SUPSALV V-boom skimmer systemsand OSRV ‘Clean Islands’ in foreground and towedcontainment boom astern of RW2. Photo by Bill Walker.reviewing Navy salvage plans andoverseeing operations (generallythrough the FOSC or SOSC).6. Most federal and state agencypersonnel are trained to participatein joint (multi-agency) operationsunder the National InteragencyIncident Management System(NIIMS) Incident Command System(ICS) or simply “ICS”. They expectthe Navy to be familiar with the ICSorganizational structure and the ICSproject management process.7. (Finally, and here’s the good news)Navy On-Scene Coordinators(NOSCs) have been pre-assigned forall Navy operating areas to coordinateNavy environmental protectionefforts and to provide liaison withfederal and state (and foreigngovernment) authorities on environmentalissues.Navy salvage authorities should coordinatemarine salvage planning and operationswith the cognizant NOSC. The NOSCcan relieve salvors of most of the headachesassociated with items 1 through 6above and can keep us out of trouble. Ifnecessary, the NOSC can facilitate salvageoperations by mobilizing spill response resourcesfrom Navy, other governmentagencies, or commercial sources, as describedbelow for EHIME MARU operations.Response Organization:The organizationalstructure for EHIMEMARU operationswas a hybrid of theICS to address multiagencyenvironmentalconcerns and thestandard Navy operationalstructure forthe overall recoveryoperation. Brieflystated, CINCPACFLTdirected the operation,with the Supervisorof Salvage(SUPSALV) providingNavy salvagecontractor support for EHIME MARU liftand relocation, and Mobile Diving andSalvage Unit One (MDSU ONE) providingdiving services at the shallow water site.RADM Klemm from the CINCPACFLT staffdirected the overall Navy recovery operationand was the “Incident Commander”for the ICS organization.As one of three members of the ICS“Unified Command”, RADM Klemm coordinatedwith the USCG FOSC and theSOSC, from the Hawaii Department ofHealth on all decisions affecting environmentalprotection efforts. The UnifiedCommand, at the top of the ICS organization,provides a command structure thatrecognizes the responsibilities and authoritiesof all three government officialsunder applicable environmental law. Underthe standard ICS organizational structure,marine salvage efforts are directedwithin ICS two organizational levels below(EM Environmental Considerations continued on page 8)March 2002 7

(EM Environmental Considerations continued from page 7)the Unified Command. For EHIMEMARU operations, the USCG FOSC allowedrecovery efforts to be managed externalto the ICS structure, perhaps becauseRADM Klemm headed both recoveryand environmental protection organizationsand ensured close Navy coordinationwith federal and state agencies. Thecontrol of marine salvage operations underthe ICS Unified Command, whenthere is significant risk of serious environmentalimpact, is an open and potentiallytroubling issue for Navy salvors. Itis important that we understand the issuesand recognize the legal authorities and responsibilitiesof the FOSC, SOSC, and thevarious Trustee agencies. A little cooperationand diplomacy could prevent youroperation from being prematurely terminatedor taken out of your hands. And, asnoted above, the pre-designated NOSCcan and should be your liaison in thesematters.Due to the nature and scope of theEHIME MARU operation, CINCPACFLT,as the Area Environmental Coordinatorover all NOSCs in his Area of Responsibility(AOR), assumed the NOSC responsibilitiesfrom the subordinate RegionalCommander NOSC. CINCPACFLT wasfortunate to have a highly experiencedformer NOSC representative from CommanderNaval Region Hawaii, on his staff.She became RADM Klemm’s Deputy IncidentCommander under the ICS organizationand directed day-to-day environmentalprotection operations and liaised withthe FOSC, SOSC, and trustee agency representatives.Regional NOSC Spill ManagementTeam (SMT) personnel as well asSUPSALV and contractor personnelserved on the Deputy IC staff.Environmental Protection Plan:The greatest risk to the environmentduring EHIME MARU recovery was thepotential for release of remaining dieselfuel. Other environmental concerns areaddressed briefly below. With the ship in2000 feet of water, there was no practicalway to quantify the actual oil spill risk orto remove remaining oil prior to movingthe vessel. As noted above, we assumeda worst-case spill of 45,000 gallons of dieselfuel. The mitigating measures prescribedin the EA for this worst-case spillincluded helicopter surveillance, up tofour offshore oil skimmer systems, severalthousand feet of containment boom, and adispersant capability. These resourceswere kept in ready standby at the pier ordeployed for on-scene standby, dependingon anticipated risk during the four keyphases of the recovery operation.Under OPNAVINST 5090.2B,SUPSALV is responsible for providing offshoreand salvage-related spill responseequipment to Navy operational commanders.At the request of the NOSC,SUPSALV offshore spill response equipmentand contractor personnel from theEmergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM)system were mobilized to implement theenvironmental protection plan.CINCPACFLT contracted for the servicesof the local commercial industry oil spillcooperative, Clean Islands Council, to providean additional Oil Spill Response Vessel(OSRV) and the necessary dispersantcapability. (Dispersants are chemicals thatmay be applied to a floating oil slick tobreak up the slick and disperse the oil astiny droplets into the water column. Dispersantuse in US waters remains controversial,but the USCG FOSC had authorityto approve their use if the booms andskimmers failed to adequately protect sensitiveHawaiian resources). The photos onpages 6 and 7 show a SUPSALV V-boomskimmer system with a pair of towboatspositioned to intercept an oil sheen fromEHIME MARU during Shallow Water RecoverySite (SWRS) diving operations.Other environmental concerns addressedin the EA and impacting recoveryoperations included physical damage tosea grass and coral at the SWRS due tovessel anchors and mooring systems, displacementof sea turtles and other endangeredor threatened species due to recoveryactivities at the SWRS, casualty or salvagedebris such as cargo nets or fishinggear left on the bottom that could entrapmarine life, and introduction of “alien”(non-indigenous) species to Hawaiian waterson hulls or in the ballast waters ofdiving and salvage platforms mobilizedfrom foreign waters. These concerns wereaddressed through mitigation measuresprescribed in the EA and through the ongoingcoordination of the NOSC withtrustee agencies.Protection Plan Implementation:The EHIME MARU environmentalprotection plan was implemented asplanned. As expected, very little oil remainedon board due to collision damageand probably also due to partially filledtanks being crushed as the vessel rapidlydescended to 2000 feet. Very little oil wasreleased to the environment during recoveryoperations. Oil that was releasedformed very light sheens on the surfacethat rapidly dissipated naturally.The EA specified that prior to finalrelocation to deep water from the SWRS,remaining OHS would be removed fromEHIME MARU, “to the maximum extentpracticable”, with diver safety the overridingconcern. SUPSALV ESSM personneldeveloped an oil removal plan forEHIME MARU and assembled prototypesystems tailored to the requirement.MDSU ONE divers operated these systemswith topside support from ESSM personnel.The systems included a “mini-hottap” for thru-hull access to fuel tanks, adiver-held suction wand for over-head removalof oil from vessel spaces, a topsidesampling and distribution manifold, and avariety of pumps for various applications.All systems were successfully operated,but very little oil remained to be removed.Small quantities of paint, solvents, andcompressed gas cylinders (freon, acetylene,oxygen, and CO 2) were located butfor safety reasons spaces containingthese materials were secured in lieu of removal.Summary:It is fortunate that nearly all EHIMEMARU fuel and lube oil were released welloffshore prior to EHIME MARU recoveryoperations and likely caused no significantenvironmental impact. It is unfortunatebut true that this could not have been predictedwith certainty prior to the recoveryoperation. Final hot tapping at the SWRSconfirmed that the tanks most likely tocontain fuel were in fact open to the sea(EM Environmental Considerations continued on page 14)8 March 2002

Following the tragic collision which resultedin the sinking of the Japanesefishing vessel EHIME MARU on 9 February2001, the Navy accomplished themonumental task of relocating the EHIMEMARU from 2,000 feet of sea water to adepth of 110 feet off Reef Runway, nearPearl Harbor, Hawaii. Once the ship wasrelocated, Mobile Diving and Salvage UnitONE (MDSU ONE) was tasked to conductall diving and salvage operations inan effort to accomplish five specific missionobjectives. Those mission objectivesinvolved recovery of the nine missingcrewmembers, collection of all personal effects,recovery of unique shipboard items,performing hazardous liquids and materialmitigation actions, and rigging the liftingassembly connections to the contractedbarge for EHIME MARU’s movement tothe final relocation site.To ensure the accomplishment of allobjectives during this international divingoperation, MDSU ONE planned the missionand developed a very detailed Conceptsof Operation (CONOPS) guide thatestablished a road map for accomplishingthe five mission objectives. With the On-Scene Commander’s decision to conductonly day-light diving, CONOPS required70 divers, divided into two separate divestations, working 16 hours a day for 33days. The team was comprised of ourthree Oahu Mobile Diving and SalvageDetachments and divers from Ship RepairFacility, Yokosuka, Japan, Explosive OrdnanceDisposal Units THREE andELEVEN, Naval Submarine Training Center,Pacific, Dive School and USS SAL-VOR.On 14 October 2001, the EHIMEMARU was relocated to the Shallow WaterRelocation Site (SWRS) off Reef Runway.MDSU ONE, aboard the Crowley450-10 barge, sailed from Pearl Harbor toU.S. Navy and Japanese divers prepare to jump from their stage to the deck of EHIME MARUto salvage personal effects and remains from the vessel off Honolulu International Airport'sReef Runway. Photo by PHC(SW/DV) Andrew McKaskle.reposition in a six-point moor over theEHIME MARU.Following a twenty-four hour periodto allow EHIME MARU to settle, SCUBAdivers conducted an external inspection toverify accesses to the ship’s interiorspaces were clear and to place inclinometerson the vessel to monitor ship stabilitybefore surface-supplied diving operationscould begin for internal work.(EHIME MARU continued on page 10)March 2002 9 9

(EHIME MARU continued from page 9)Mobile Diving and Salvage UnitONE Gold Team Red diverremoving fouled items topside tosupport entry inside the EHIMEMARU. Photo by PHC(SW/DV)Andrew McKaskle of CombatCamera.Forty-eight hours later, divers donningMK-21 helmets equipped with thehelmet-mounted camera and light system,wearing dry suits for contaminated diving,entered the vessel and cleared debris in aneffort to locate and recover the nine missingcrew members. Simultaneously operatingtwo dive stations, divers entered theship to find total destruction of bulkheads,overheads, and debris fouling every passagewayinside the ship’s four deck levels.Following extensive debris removal, passagewayswere cleared and made safe fordeeper excursions. Using approved divertending techniques and meticuloussearch procedures, divers located and recoveredeight of the nine missingcrewmembers.Following the recovery of crew memberremains, divers proceeded to objectivetwo to collect all personal effects. TheMDSU ONE dive team searched fourdecks, clearing 120 compartments of over2,500 personal items for return to theEHIME MARU crew and family members.Objective three was the recovery ofunique shipboard items that would beused as a memorial artifacts. Items collectedincluded the ship’s helm, bell, andanchors. Certain family members requestedcollection of unique items that themissing crew members would have used inthe performance of their shipboard dutiesincluding radio equipment and engineeringcontrol handles.Objective four shifted diver prioritiesto removing hazardous liquid materialsfrom EHIME MARU. This was a criticalphase in preparing the vessel for removalto the final relocation. Due to the hulldamage and rupture of fuel tanks, therewas a large amount of diesel fuel and lubeoil in the overheads and spaces which requiredremoval. During preparation fordiving in a contaminated environment,divers designed and manufactured a firstof-its-kinddecontamination shower stationfor the dive teams. Once topside,divers proceeded to the shower for scrubdown, then back to their benches for undressprior to entry into the recompressionchamber to complete the Surface Decompressionusing oxygen requirements.To clear diesel fuel, lube oil and otherhazardous liquids, divers used hand-heldsuction wands for removing pocketed fluidstrapped in the compartment overheads.To access fuel tanks that were not compromised,divers utilized a techniquecalled “Hot Tap” to install two valveflanges onto the fuel tank side-walls. Thevalve flanges provided a connection pointfor hoses that led to an oily waste holdingtank on the contractor barge. MDSU ONEdivers accessed a fuel storage tank andemergency generator service tank to removefuel. Accessing these tanks wascompleted successfully without any lossof hazardous pollutants to the environment.To complete objective four, MDSUONE divers had to clear all topside materialsdeemed hazardous to the environmentand marine life. Divers performed thisship-wide titivation by clearing and removingover 127,680 meters of fishinglong-line and an estimated two tons ofmiscellaneous topside debris. All debrisand material was brought to the surface orsecured inside the ship. These efforts ensuredthere would be no environmentalimpact once the vessel was moved fromthe SWRS to the final relocation site.The final objective was to prepareand rig the EHIME MARU for lift whichrequired the connection of all lifting wires(EHIME MARU continued on page 11)10March 2002

That’s right, I have the side. A lot of youalready know me, and if you don’t yousoon will. I have served a fair share of yearsin the diving community at a variety of commandsincluding 3 salvage ships, submarineand ship husbandry, and a training command.With some “big shoes to fill” from thedeparture of MDV Dave Davidson, I am committedto improving the diving communityand am always listening and open to newideas. Give me a call anytime as I am lookingforward to this challenging job and expect tobe an asset to all of you.Not to be forgotten, we bid ENCM(SW/MDV) Dave Davidson a Hoo-yah and greatdiving in his return to Guam. As Dave moveson, we would like to thank him for his tenaciousyet humorous personality and immensecontributions to our community during histenure. MDV Davidson is moving on toCOMNAVMARIANAS Dive locker.BMCS(SW/MDV) Fred K. Ornsornsfk@navsea.navy.milcom.202-781-0526dsn.326-0526MDV Fred Orns(EHIME MARU continued from page 10)and plates. The contractor barge wasused to perform a ballast lift of the 830 tonEHIME MARU for the 14-mile transit tothe final relocation site. MDSU ONEdivers connected the lifting plates andspreader bar assembly to the contractorbarge, connected exothermic cutting deviceson the lift wires, and acoustic“pingers” to enable position fixing oncethe EHIME MARU was finally released atthe deepwater relocation site.Throughout the thirty-three days ofdiving, MDSU ONE logged over 650 divestotaling 625 hours of bottom time withoutdiver mishap to accomplish a task of acomplexity not seen since the Pearl Harborsalvage work over 60 years ago. The twoseparate dive teams accomplished the fivemission objectives and ensured that Japanesecultural sensitivities were honored.This is a testimony to the pride and professionalismof the Navy Divers.As a show of patriotism and specificremembrance for the September 11 th tragedyvictims, the MDSU ONE team proudlydisplayed a 50-by-30 foot American Flagfrom the massive crane on the contractorbarge.Chief Warrant Officer Primavera reported toMobile Diving and Salvage Unit ONE inJune 1998 and was assigned as Officer inCharge of Detachment FIVE and SEVEN,and eventually was assigned as OperationsOfficer until February 2001. In February2001, following the tragic sinking of theJapanese fishing vessel EHIME MARU,Chief Warrant Officer Primavera wasrelieved as Operations Officer to assume fulltime duties as Officer in Charge of divingfor the EHIME MARU.March 2002 11

UNDERWATER SHIP HUSBANDRYAdvisory Diving Around ICCP SystemsUnderwater Ship Husbandry (USWH)plays an important role in maintainingthe operational readiness of US Navyvessels and extending the periods betweenscheduled drydockings. UWSHdivers should be aware that securing shipboardsystems for diving can have adverseas well as beneficial effects. Securing theimpressed current cathodic protection(ICCP) system unnecessarily for extendedperiods for diving operations can result inunderwater hull corrosion and requirecostly repairs.The ICCP system plays a vital role inpreventing corrosion of underwater portionsof a ship’s hull and appendages. Althoughthe underwater coating systemprovides the primary barrier to corrosionon all surface ships, submarines, and aircraftcarriers, the ICCP system protects thehull and appendages when the coatingsystem is damaged and the underlyingsteel is exposed to seawater. The ICCPsystem is designed to protect up to 12percent bare metal. The ICCP system providesinsurance that these bare metal areasare adequately protected until the anti-corrosioncoating can be replaced eitherwaterborne or in drydock. Whenever theICCP system is secured, the ship loses theability to prevent corrosion in areas wherethe coating has been damaged. Corrosionis most severe when the ICCP system isde-energized for extended periods. Thefrequency and duration of inactivation ofthe ICCP system should be minimized.Securing the ICCP system when divingoperations are to be conducted shouldbe carefully considered and appropriatelyincorporated into the tag out process.The ICCP system should remain on wheneverpossible. Guidance for turning off theICCP system to allow divers to work in thevicinity of ICCP hull fittings is detailed inthe U.S . Navy Diving Manual section 6-6.9.2, and quoted below:an ICCP device such as an anode,dielectric shield, or reference cell.• When divers are required to workclose to an active ICCP anode andthere is a risk of contact with theanode, the system must also besecured.• In situations other than thosedescribed above, the ICCP is toremain active.• Divers working within 15 feet ofactive systems must wear a full drysuit, unisuit, or wet suit with hoodand gloves.Forward 4-foot long anode and dielectric shield.By: Tom McCue• All other underwater electricalequipment shall be secured whiledivers are working over the side.For additional information contact Mr.Tom McCue (NAVSEA 00C55) at (202) 781-0742, DSN 326-0742, or via email:mccuetp@navsea.navy.mil.Mr. McCue has over ten years of experiencein corrosion prevention and is theHull Cleaning Program Manager in theUnderwater Ship Husbandry Division ofNAVSEA. Mr. McCue has performed extensiveunderwater hull inspections,coating evaluations and applications inthe pursuit of improving materials for useby Underwater Ship Husbandry Divers.• Ship impressed-current cathodicprotection (ICCP) systems must besecured, tagged out, and confirmedsecured before divers may work onTypical ICCP referencecell (9-Inch Diameter).Example of a good shield.Typical anode. The flamingpattern above the anode is anormal bleaching on hullcoating systems.12March 2002

ESSM Diving DepotFADS III flasks being hydrostatic tested.NAVSEA has established a diving depotat their Emergency Ship SalvageMaterial (ESSM) facilities at Williamsburg,VA and Pearl Harbor, HI for intermediateand depot level maintenance of diver lifesupport systems (DLSS). These facilitieswere established to meet what was perceivedas a need for quality, timely maintenanceand repair capabilities for DLSS.Navy system certification imposes veryspecific requirements for procedure, qualityand documentation for all work performedon equipment identified as withinthe scope of certification. Many commandshave experienced difficulty in locatinglocal companies with the capability toperform the work required, while complyingwith all procedural and documentationrequirements. It needs to be said up frontthat it is not the intention of the ESSMDiving Depot to replace local companieswho provide quality service to the fleet.The ESSM Diving Depot was establishedto give the fleet an option where this serviceis not readily available locally orwhere the local firms cannot provide theservice required in a timely fashion.HISTORYThe ESSM Diving Depot actuallygrew out of a capability originally set up tomaintain specified DLSS for use by theMDSU Reserve Detachments. This facilitywas originally set up at the ESSM warehousein Stockton, CA. When that facilitywas closed, this function was transferredto the Cheatham Annex (CAX) warehousein Williamsburg, VA. Primarily this facilitymaintained ready-for-issue FADS I systemsand MK 12 sets with comms and umbilicals,which were providedto the Reserve Detachmentswhen requiredfor training or deployment.Since some maintenanceand repair capabilitywas required to performthis function, it wasa small step to provide alimited amount of maintenanceand repair for fleetDLSS. However, problemsencountered both inNorfolk and Pearl Harborresulting in significant operationaldown time madeit clear that there was acritical need for reliable depotfacilities to provide DLSS maintenanceand repairs. It was decided that we couldprovide that service with minimal investmentin facilities or manpower by using existingESSM diving facilities. However, thedemand for this type of support quicklyoutgrew what we were able to perform.NAVSEA made a commitment to expandthe ESSM capability to meet this need.With that decision was born the ESSMDiving Depot. This depot was establishedat the Cheatham Annex facility. As wordof this capability spread, it became apparentthat a facility such as this might be ofsome value in the Pearl Harbor area as well.This past year, NAVSEA established asimilar depot at the ESSM facility atBishop Point in Pearl Harbor. This facilityis less capable than the Williamsburg facility,but as demand at the Pearl Harbor facilitygrows, this will be re-evaluated. At thistime, functions that are not within the capabilityof the Pearl Harbor facility arehandled through the Williamsburg Depot.By: Bob KilpatrickCAPABILITIESThe ESSM CAX facility has the abilityto perform almost all functions requiredfor maintenance and repair of DLSS equipment.Where this facility does not have aneeded capability, they have the ability tocontract out for the needed work. One ofthe first capabilities that we added toESSM CAX was the ability to perform hydrostatictesting of cylinders, flasks, volumetanks and filter housings. With theadvent of the portable systems like theLightweight Dive System (LWDS) and theFlyaway Dive System (FADS) III that usecomposite flasks, this has been an importantpart of what we do. Another importantcapability established was the abilityto clean DLSS systems and componentsto MIL-STD 1330D. No complete depotcapability was possible without this ability.ESSM Diving Depot personnel havealso been trained to perform many of therepairs associated with the MK 21 helmet,including regulator repair and adjustment,and helmet shell repairs. The Depot alsohas the ability to perform gauge calibrationfor both air and O 2gauges and can setrelief valves as required. Compressor repairand maintenance are also among thecapabilities at ESSM CAX. Another capabilitythat is not actually part of the Depot,but uses ESSM personnel outside of theDepot is that of repairing HYDROCOMdiver communication boxes. This was acapability that was missing within theNavy for a long time. Within the ESSMCAX facility there are many other capabilitiesthat are used from time to time such aswelding, and umbilical assembly pull orstrength tests. While the facility at PearlHarbor does not have all of these capabilities,it does have the ability to perform hydrostatictesting, O 2cleaning, gauge calibration,and MK 21 helmet repairs.Most of the personnel in the ESSMDiving Depot are retired Navy divers whoare very familiar with the requirements ofSystem Certification and re-entry control.Retired MDV Paul Schadon and JeffWashburn head up the ESSM CAX Div-(ESSM Diving Depot continued on page 14)March 2002 13

(ESSM Diving Depot continued from page 13)ing Depot. Retired MDV Jimmy Johnsonheads up the Pearl Harbor Diving Depot.HOW DO I USE IT?One of the biggest mysteries concerningthe ESSM Diving Depot is “Howdo I use it?” ESSM was established manyyears ago to maintain a capability to respondto and support ship salvage and oilspill emergencies. Contractors staff ESSMfacilities all over the world including theones at Williamsburg and Pearl Harbor.GPC is the current holder of the ESSMcontract. Because this is a NAVSEA 00Ccontract, all direction to perform work atthe ESSM facility must come from designated00C personnel. The textbook wayto use the ESSM Diving Depot is to contactBob Kilpatrick, SEA 00C33, with aclearly defined description of the work tobe performed. E-mail has worked very wellfor this purpose. He works with ESSMDiving Depot personnel to develop a costestimate that is then provided to the requestingcommand, usually within a day ortwo. The command must then provide thenecessary funds in the form of aNAVCOMPT form 2276, Request for ContractualProcurement. In some cases aForm 1149 is used to transfer funding.The funding document is directed to NavalSea Systems Command, ATTN: BobKilpatrick, SEA 00C33, 1333 Isaac Hull Avenue,SE, Stop 1073, Washington NavyYard, DC 20376-1073. Funding documentsare usually faxed to SEA 00C at (202) 781-4588. Once funding is received, it isplaced on the contract and work is begun.It is expected that the command requestingthe work will provide the proper re-entrycontrol forms for the work to be performed.Note that cost estimate provided isjust that, an estimate, and although thework is usually completed within the estimate,it is possible that additional problemsmay be discovered while performingthe requested work requiring additionalfunding. An example of this would be discoveryof damage to a flask that requiresreplacement of the flask. Sometimes it isnecessary to look at a piece of equipmentbefore providing an estimate. Thesekinds of issues are dealt with on a case-bycasebasis.One of the most useful variations tothis process is establishing an “account”on the ESSM contract. Commands thatanticipate a lot of work during the courseof a fiscal year can provide a block offunding which is placed on the contract,effectively establishing an account. Oncethe funds are on the contract, all that is requiredto get some work done is to providea statement of work. This has workedvery well for several commands.One area where this Depot hasproven to be very effective is serving commandsthat are located in remote locations(ESSM Diving Depot continued on page 15)(EM Environmental Considerations continued from page 8)and contained only seawater. Despite frequentNavy and USCG surveillance overflights,only very low-volume (though frequent)oil sheening was observedthroughout Navy operations. The Navy’sextensive, and expensive, standby spill responseforces recovered virtually no significantvolume of oil. Never the less, allmitigation measures required under the EAwere successfully implemented, and had alarge spill occurred, the Navy would havebeen fully prepared.The value of EHIME MARUstandby spill response operations in termsof Navy preparedness for future marinecasualties cannot be overstated. TheNavy’s next major spill response will likelybe a true emergency response requiringmobilization in minutes and hours ratherthan months. For Region Hawaii’s AOR,all elements of a successful major spill responsehave been properly exercised. RegionalSpill Management Team (planningand response) personnel have nowworked with and are familiar with most lo-cal/regional spill response resources, includingSUPSALV’s Pearl Harbor ESSMbase, the local industry spill cooperative,and the largest regional spill responsecontractor, as well as several commercialwork boat, tow boat, and other marine operationscontractors. Valuable, positiveworking relationships have been forgedwithin the National Response System –with the USCG FOSC, the SOSC, and thekey trustee agencies.The environmental message for theNavy diving and salvage community isthat:1. There are rigid prohibitions againstreleasing OHS into the environment.2. There is an elaborate NationalResponse System that will beactivated should a spill occur duringsalvage operations in US waters.(The situation is similar in mostforeign waters).3. There is a worldwide Navy organizationfor dealing with Navy environmentalissues, and regional NavyOn-Scene Coordinators (NOSCs)should be involved early in salvageoperations planning and should benotified immediately should a spilloccur during salvage operations.4. There are spill prevention andresponse tools available to the Navysalvor, including some SUPSALVESSM systems (such as hot taps)available for operation by Navydivers and salvors.Future issues of FACEPLATE will profilesome of the ESSM environmental protectiontools available to the Navy diving andsalvage community.Bill Walker is a former Navy Diving andSalvage Officer on USS Deliver (ARS 23)and USS Grapple (ARS 7) during the VietNam war. He is also a former SUPSALVcivilian employee of 16 years who hasrecently returned to SUPSALV as a Salvageand Environmental Operations Specialistafter 11 years of marine operationsexperience in the private sector.14 March 2002

By: EMCM(DSW/MDV) E. SchlenkermanThese are thoughts that might gothrough your head while attemptingto make the “right decision”. Should wemake this dive?During a diver’s career, he or shemight have to make the decision ofwhether we should dive or not to dive.The U.S. Navy Diving Manual gives usguidance on how to plan a dive and whatto look for in making that decision. But,are there other indicators that might helpus in making the right call? What arethose indicators and how will they helpus? Some of those indicators are: theweather, the sea state, the proper equipmentfor the job, the divers, and the listgoes on.Recently, the dive Navy lost a diver.After reading the message from the SafetyCenter that described the events that ledup to the loss, I personally asked myself,“Why was this dive even attempted, whatwas so important that it had to happenNOW!”? I don’t have those answers but itstirred up some past experiences when Ihad to make a decision of “to dive or notto dive”.The Navy has changed in the 28years that I have been in. We went fromignoring any rules (if we had any) to increasingthe requirements. In the past, we(divers) would ask the Engineer if the shipwas tagged out, and if the answer wereyes, we would dive. Currently, we physicallyhave one of our divers go and verifythe red tags, see if it’s signed, and if it’s inthe correct location. There are requiredpre-dive checklists that ensure our equipmentis set up properly and that it will performas required. We also have to do OperationalRisk Management (ORM). Thisis another tool we have to make sure weare doing the right thing. We figure outMDV Schlenkermanwhat risk are associated with the evolution,diving in our case, and determine ifit’s high, medium, or low. Once that is donewe conduct a dive brief or hold trainingprior to making the dive to discuss therisks involved and how to minimize thoserisks and what to do should somethinghappen.I’m sure that we have all either seenor been in a situation where we thoughtthat a dive does not need to happen.Someone was putting pressure on to makeit happen without looking at the overallpicture or didn’t have the big picture.When do we say “NO”, who is responsibleto make that call? WE ALL ARE! Thediver, the Diving Supervisor, the MasterDiver, the Diving Officer, the XO and theCO all are responsible.What is the right answer? Conductan ORM Assessment, check the tags, andlisten to what’s going on around you.What are your divers saying? Are theyasking why the rush? Are they enthusiasticabout the dive or are they questioningthe need for the dive? Look and listen.Make the best decision you can and standyour ground.Navy diving is voluntary. Let’s makethe right decisions. HOOYAH, DEEPSEA.(ESSM Diving Depot continued frompage 14)like Guam, Bahrain, Puerto Rico,Guantanamo Bay and the Mediterraneanarena. ESSM is very effective atshipping equipment all over the worldand we have used this capability toserve commands in these areas.CONTACTING USWe are very interested in yourfeedback on how we are doing inmeeting your needs for DLSS maintenanceand repairs. On the NAVSEA00C Web Site http://www.supsalv.orgunder 00C3 Diving there is a CustomerFeedback form that automaticallysends your feedback to us. Weencourage you to take advantage ofthis survey to encourage us when weare doing well and to help us serveyou better when we can improve ourservice. Any questions concerningthe ESSM Diving Depot should bedirected to Bob Kilpatrick, SEA00C33, (202) 781-4359, e-mailkilpatrickrd@navsea.navy.mil. Questionsspecific to anticipated work maybe directed to Paul Schadow or JeffWashburn at (757) 887-7402.Bob Kilpatrick is a Program Managerin the Diving Programs Division,Office of the Supervisor of Salvage andDiving.He is the senior engineer for surfacesupplied diver life support systemsand serves as the principal POC for theESSM Diving Depot.March 2002 15

By: CWO2 Dan MikulskiLocated in the heart of the US AtlanticFleet, Shore Intermediate MaintenanceActivity (SIMA), Norfolk, VA is home tothe largest dive locker in the United StatesNavy. The dive locker has 75 military billetsand employs 29 DOD civilian diverswho are all dedicated to providing UnderwaterShip Husbandry (UWSH) repairs tosurface ships and submarines in the Mid-Atlantic Region as well as forward deployedunits.With the decommissioning of the destroyerand submarine tenders at NorfolkNaval Base, intermediate level maintenancerequired by the ships homeported at NorfolkNaval Base became the responsibilityof SIMA, Norfolk. In 1999, responsibilitieswere further expanded into a regional repairconcept. This increased the original 18diving billets to the current 75 military and29 civilian employees. This took care ofmanpower requirements to accomplish thevolume of underwater work requested bythe Mid-Atlantic region. There weremany other issues that needed tendingsuch as platforms, facilities, job processing,Material Readiness Management System(MRMS) data, and a hyperbaric facility.All were major undertakings duringthe evolution of the locker.Many individuals have had a part inbuilding this dive locker. Master Divers(MDV) Tom Stock and Jeff Royce put theirstamp on the way dive requests are processedfrom start to finish. None of theirPreparing to installnew propeller onUSS SUPPLY AOE6. Left to right:BM1(DV) Lafeverand Mr. TonyKriedler.Old screw beingremoved from USSSUPPLY AOE 6Left to right:BM1(DV) Lafeverand Mr. TonyKriedler.successors have chosen to change theprocess. MDV Frank Perna and MDVJohn Spires were instrumental in both theadministration of personnel and the buildingof the state of the art facility we nowoccupy. While the MDVs were puttingtheir pieces of the puzzle together, theChief Petty Officers and Diving Supervisorstook over the responsibility of accomplishingthe work, which is now in excessof 10,000 production hours permonth.At present there are five active waterfrontteams of approximately 15 people,each of which has a Master Diver and isheaded by a Leading Chief Petty Officer orCivilian Work Foreman. There is also aproduction/administration and hyperbaricdetachment. Each team and detachmentoperate independently during normal dayto day operations or work as one largeteam when the situation dictates. Wehave relocated to an 8,000 square foot waterfrontbuilding and a 3,000 square foothyperbaric facility. There are 7 diving platformsconsisting of five boats and twomobile vehicles, including the $750,000Dive and Drive.Divers fresh out of second classschool and others with limited ship husbandryexperience are quickly exposed tothe knowledge of seasoned professionalsin the company of civilian divers with experiencethat dates back to the days ofhardhat, MARK V diving. This mixture ofyouth and experience keeps the old youngand gives the young a chance to learnfrom the UWSH experts. One such mentoris Ronnie “Frenchie” Le Bude. “Frenchie”attended dive school in 1966 as a FirstClass Petty Officer and is still diving deepwith a true affection for his profession. Apair of beneficiaries from the SIMA experienceare ENC(DSW/PJ) Kevin Jones andITC(SW/DV) Rob Leos. Both diverschecked into SIMA, Norfolk from Secondclass training as First Class Petty Officers,became Underwater Ship Husbandry Specialists,Diving Supervisors and are nowChief/First Class Divers running their own(SIMA continued on page 17)16 March 2002

Twenty years ago on January 20, 1982Washington D.C. was cold and heavysnow was falling. The Potomac River wasfrozen and most of the D.C. Metro wasshutting down. Around 3:59 PM, AirFlorida flight 90 taxied out toward the runwayto take off to the North in the directionof the Nation’s Capitol. The Boeing737 jet powered up, headed down the runwayand lifted into the air. Shortly aftertakeoff, the jet descended rapidly andcrashed into the Potomac River. Fivepeople survived the crash.The following day, salvage crews arrivedat the scene of the accident to beginthe work of retrieving the plane and itspassengers. Army, Navy , and Coast GuardDivers worked in murky water with surfacewind chills down to –47 o F. Frozen gearplagued the team. Ice was broken on adaily basis. Divers also had to contendwith high stress and low visibility. Themission was successfully completed with95 percent of the aircraft, all critical parts ofthe wreckage, and 68 bodies recovered,thanks to the dedication, team work, andcourage of the Divers.CINCLANTFLT stated, “ The performanceyou demonstrated in Washingtonis a classic example of what is meant byprofessionalism. Because of the high interest,you all were virtually operating under amicroscope… and yet you came throughwith flying colors and you made the entireNavy and the Nation proud of you.”(SIMA continued from page 16)SPM change out on USS SCRANTON. Left to right: HT2(DV) Bennet, BM2(DV) Woods,GM2(DV) Simon, and GMG2 Stradling.teams preparing for MDV evaluations.The types of jobs SIMA Norfolk accomplishesrange from everyday cofferdamsand inspections to propeller and auxiliarypropulsion motor replacements. Therecent 40-ton propeller replacement wesuccessfully accomplished while TAD atPhiladelphia Naval Shipyard has been oneof the most exciting and rewarding jobs todate of the Diving Regional Repair Center.SIMA is a command that ushers aperson into a successful career as a NavyDiver. From UWSH operations, to hyperbaricchamber sessions, SIMA, Norfolk isthe platform every Navy Diver needs tobecome a success in the water. Our commandmotto is a simple one that sums upour daily efforts - “We fix ships, underwater.”CWO2 “Diver Dan” Mikulski is currentlythe Diving Officer at Shore IntermediateMaintenance Activity, Norfolk, Virginia.He was Senior Chief Hull Technician,commissioned in March of 1999 and willtransfer to SUBLANT for staff duty in July2002.March 2002 17

Congressional Medal of Honor RecipientFrank W. CrilleyOn March 22 nd 2002, ConsolidatedDivers Unit located on Naval Station,San Diego, will sponsor a buildingdedication for Congressional Medal OfHonor recipient, GMC(MDV) Frank W.Crilley, USN. This ceremony will take placeat the CDU compound. The Navy divingcommunities “Working Divers Conference”(WDC 2002) will be taking place thatweek in San Diego and all attendees arecordially welcomed at the ceremony andreception to follow. A sign up list will berouted at the conferenceFrank William Crilley was born inTrenton, New Jersey, on 13 September1883. Following enlistment in the Navy inMarch 1900, he became a Gunners 18Mateand received training as a diver. One of theoriginal members of Gunner Stillson’s experimentaldive team, he was instrumentalin bringing hard hat diving to the Navyand played a pivotal part in developingsubmarine rescue procedures that are stillutilized today. In 1915, while a Chief GunnersMate, he made dives to over 300 feetduring salvage operations on the sunkensubmarine F-4 (SS 23) off Honolulu, Hawaii.On 17 April 1915, he rescued a fellowdiver who had become entangled at adepth of 250 feet. However, his heroic effortswere not actually brought to lightuntil 1929, 14 years later, at which time hewas awarded the Congressional Medal ofHonor. His citation reads:“For display of extraordinary heroismin the line of his profession above and beyondthe call of duty during diving operationsin connection with the sinking in adepth of water 304 feet, of the F-4 with allonboard, as a result of loss of depth control,which occurred off Honolulu, (TerritoryHawaii), on March 25 1915. On 17April 1915, William F. Loughman, ChiefGunners Mate, United States Navy, whohad descended to the wreck and had examinedone of the wire hawsers attached toit, upon starting his ascent, and when at adepth of 250 feet beneath the surface ofthe water, had his lifeline and air hose soBy: CWO4 Rick ArmstrongFrank William Crilley.badly fouled by this hawserthat he was unable to free himself;he could neither ascendnor descend. On account ofthe length of time thatLoughman had already beensubjected to the great pressuredue to the depth of water, andthe uncertainty of the additionaltime he would have to besubjected to this pressure beforehe could be brought to thesurface, it was imperative thatsteps be taken at once to clearhim. Instantly, realizing the desperatecase of his comrade,CRILLEY volunteered to go tohis aid, immediately donned adiving suit and descended. Aftera lapse of time of 2 hoursand 11 minutes, CRILLEY wasbrought to the surface, having by a superbexhibition of skill, coolness, endurance andfortitude, untangled the snarl of lines andcleared his imperiled comrade, so that hewas brought, still alive, to the surface.”In 1917, Crilley was appointed to therank of Chief Warrant Officer (Gunner(T),and in February 1918 became an Ensign inthe Naval Reserve. He commanded theUSS Salvor in 1919 and left active duty inJuly of that year. In the mid-1920’s, he wasinvolved with salvaging USS S-51 (SS162), and returned to active Naval servicein 1927-28 to work on the recovery of USSS-4 (SS 109). He was awarded the NavyCross for his actions as a diver during thatoperation, the citation reads as follows:“For extraordinary heroism and fearlessdevotion to duty during the divingoperations in connection with the salvageof the USS S-4, sunk as a result of a collisionoff Provincetown Massachusetts, 17December 1927. During the period 17 December1927 to 17 March 1928, on whichlatter date the ill-fated vessel was raised,Crilley, under the most adverse weatherconditions, at risk of his life, descendedmany times into the icy waters and displayedthroughout that period fortitude,skill, determination and courage whichcharacterizes conduct above and beyondthe call of duty.”In 1931, Frank Crilley served as SecondOfficer and Master Diver during theArctic expedition of the civilian submarineNautilus. Also in 1931, he assisted withthe salvage of USS Mayflower (PY 1).Transferred to the retired list in May 1932,he was again employed on Navy work in1939, during the salvage of USS Squalus(SS 192). Ensign Frank W. Crilley died atthe Naval Hospital, Brooklyn, New York,on 23 November 1947. One of the true pioneersof Navy diving, the Officers and Enlistedmen and woman of ConsolidatedDivers Unit take great pride in dedicatingtheir new diving facility in Honor ofGMC(MDV) Frank W. Crilley a true Americanhero.CWO4 Rick Armstrong served as the R-6Division Officer, Ship’s Diving Officer, andDecommissioning Officer on USS DIXON(AS 37) and USS MCKEE (AS 41). InDecember 1999, he reported to CDU as theRepair Officer. He is currently serving as theExecutive Officer of CDU.18 March 2002

By: CAPTAIN Chris MurrayThis issue of FACEPLATE contains articles covering the raising, victim recovery,and then re-sinking of the Japanesetraining vessel EHIME MARU. Thiswhole operation was very complex fromthe deep ocean recovery (2000 feet), thediving and search phase, environmentalprotection, to the final transport and resinkingof this vessel. Several articleshave been written to try to cover all aspectsof this tremendous job. CAPTMarsh and LCDR Greg Baumann from thisoffice were intimately involved in the planning,deep ocean recovery, environmentalprotection, and relocation to the final restingplace. Mobile Diving and SalvageUnit One (CDR Rob Fink) did a magnificentjob under an intense spotlight everyinch of the way during the diving phase. Iwas extremely impressed by the wholeMDSU ONE team and the divers fromSIMA Yokosuka that dove with MDSUONE.Working Divers Conference (WDC2002) March 19-21Time to make your reservations and getin your point papers for WDC 2002. Thisyear’s WDC will be at the Admiral KiddWorking Divers ConferenceWhen: March 19-21Where: Admiral Kidd Conference Centerin San DiegoHow Much: $40.00Point of Contact: MDV Fred OrnsOrnsfk@navsea.navy.milConference Center in San Diego. Roomreservations should be made usingSUPSALV web site. A block of rooms arebeing held until 1 March and will be coordinatedby signing up for the conferencevia our web site. This year’s SUPSALVPOC is MDV Fred Orns. He will gladlyhandle any questions you might have onpoint papers or reservations. MDV Ornscan be contacted via e-mail at(Ornsfk@navsea.navy.mil). Point papers,sign up and reservations can be handledby going to www.supsalv.org and going toWDC2002.Conference fee will be $40.00 that willcover admin, coffee, continental breakfast,and Wednesday evening social at CDU.On March 22, 2002 CDU will hold abuilding dedication for Medal of HonorRecipient Frank W. Crilley. All divers areinvited.USS MONITOR Expedition 2002The USS MONITOR expedition givesthe Navy an excellent opportunity to performoperational Surface Supplied MixedGas Diving under some pretty aggressiveconditions. This year we will again be usinga civilian Saturation diving system as aproof of concept by Navy divers. MobileDiving and Salvage Unit Two will again beheading up this year’s mission with MDSUONE providing a detachment for the op.The current plan has the loadout in Juneon a derrick barge for mid June to late Julyoperation. This year’s goal is to recoverythe cannons and turret.Jim Bladh RetiresJim Bladh has retired from governmentservice after 58 years of active duty andcivilian service. This issue of FACE-PLATE has an article on the last page thatgives a short synopsis of his fantastic career.I would like to wish Jim the best ofluck and fair winds and following seas.Daylight runs out as U.S. Navyand Japanese divers arelowered. Photo by PH3 JoshuaL. Pritekel. to the sea floorSignalman 1st Class (Diver)Ronald Fontes stationed withMobile Diving and SalvageUnit One, surfaces after adive on the EHIME MARU.Photo by PHC(SW/DV)Andrew McKaskle.March 2002 19

Iwish to take this opportunity to thankall of you for the outstanding supportthat I have received since re-introducing“FACEPLATE” in the spring of 1995. Thisissue will be the 18 th that we have published.It was Captain Chip McCord whoasked for FACEPLATE to be re-introduced,particularly to the “Diving Community”.It has been truly a labor of love. Ithas allowed me to stay current and renewold acquantences. I believe each issuehas been an improvement. This is due primarilyto your input. I have tried to focuson publishing articles from the NAVYDIVER that will tell your story at the “deckplate level” showing photos with captionsin order for our readers to know and appreciatewhat you are all doing. I particularlylike “The Old Master” article. It hasbeen a vehicle to introduce and show youwhat our most senior divers have accomplishedand put a face to the name andhopefully encourage you in that direction.I have initiated the paper work to retireeffective 3 January, 2002. This will culminateover 58 years of service to the U.S.NAVY, 30 years active duty followed by 28years here at NAVSEA working for the Supervisorof Salvage.I was first introduced to diving when Icompleted EOD School at Indian Head,Maryland in 1952 and First Class DiverSchool in 1954 at the Washington NavyYard as Chief Gunners Mate. After servingin several EOD billets, I was commissionedWarrant Officer and subsequentlyJim Bladh, former Faceplate Managing Editor with “Jake”.LDO retiring in 1973 as a LCDR. Since retirementfrom active duty I have been employedin the Office of the Supervisor ofSalvage until my retirement on 3 January2002.I hope through FACEPLATE wehave brought your successes to the attentionof many. Although there have beenoccasions during my years of associationwith the Diving community that we havebeen put on the back burner until neededin one crisis or another, you all have respondedmagnificently to every challenge.I am proud to have been a part of it. I willcontinue to track your progress throughFACEPLATE.DIVE SAFEJim Bladh20March 2002