Syllabus notes for lecture: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SUBMARINE ATMOSPHERE CONTROLS Dr. Jeff McClellen, CAPT MC USN, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery SLIDE 4 ‐ Key events in manned underwater craft Alexander the Great reportedly descends in a diving bell. (332 BCE) Van Drebbel submerges oared craft to 15 ft in Thames; heats saltpeter to evolve O2 and absorb CO2. (1624) Von Treileben uses diving bell to salvage cannon from Vasa in Stockholm harbor. (1640‐45) Bushnell’s Turtle unsuccessfully attacks HMS Eagle in New York harbor. (1776) Fulton operates submarine Nautilus in Seine for one hour but fails to obtain support from Napoléon. (1801) CSS H. L. Hunley successfully attacks and sinks USS Housatonic with a spar torpedo, but is lost in the process. (1864) Intelligent Whale built (1863) but has unsuccessful trial for USN. (1872) Holland’s Plunger ordered by USN, but abandoned by Holland after he concludes that steam power is impracticable for submarines (1895). SLIDE 5 – U.S. Submarine Development: John Patrick Holland, immigrant/inventor/American John P. Holland born in County Clare, Ireland and emigrated to New Jersey. His first submarine design (Holland I) was submitted to USN and rejected in 1875. Holland’s subsequent were efforts funded by the Fenian Brotherhood after being turned away by U.S. Navy. Holland II launched in 1881, it boasted a 9” pneumatic gun and was propelled by a 2‐stroke Brayton engine submerged. As it consumed air from the compartment, range was extremely limited. Holland extended this range by installing a compressed air tank. Soon after, Holland and the Fenians parted company on bad terms over the issue of payment. They seized Holland II and towed it off to Connecticut. Later dubbed the “Fenian Ram”, the Fenians had no one who know how to operate the craft. Holland would not tell them, it sat in a barn for years until it was put on display in Madison Square Gardens to raise funds for survivors of the Easter Uprising. Holland VI was launched in 1897, purchased by the U.S. Navy and commissioned as USS Holland (SS‐1) in 1900. A contract for 5 additional units was signed with a yard in Elizabeth, NJ; this organization ultimately became the Electric Boat Company. Holland’s design incorporates many basics features of modern submarines: internal combustion engine for surface propulsion and charging a large storage battery, which in turn is used to power an electric motor for submerged operations, internally loaded torpedo tubes and hydroplane control surfaces. SLIDE 6 – Submarine technical research as it related to Atmosphere Control in the pre‐WW2 period Very short duration dives typically lasting about 6 hours. Submerge when enemy comes within visual range. Surface when compartment air becomes foul. Expectation is for submarine to defend harbors or coast, or nearby ‘choke points’, as they have neither speed nor endurance. Think of as a smart, somewhat mobile mine field. L‐class submarines deployed to Bantry Bay, Ireland during WW1 and served with the Royal Navy. Transited Atlantic by way of Azores with ‘mother ship’ escort. Conducted 8‐10 day patrols though the end of the war—this was well beyond their anticipated capabilities. The S‐class, built in the 1920’s, consisting of 51 vessels constructed by 3 different builders, incorporated much learned from US, British and German WW1 operations. Improved, but with limitations in speed, weapons load, endurance and habitability. No air conditioning. These were quickly relegated to 2nd line status as soon as sufficient ‘Fleet Boats’ became available after 1942, but remained in active service through war’s end. Italian researchers (Belli, Torcello ‐ 1908) identify principle components of submarine atmosphere: O2, CO2, H2, SO2 and volatile hydrocarbons. In 1911, their report chemical agents able to produce O2 (‘Oxylithe’)and absorb CO2 (NaO2), By 1911, Germans use caustic potash and soda to absorb CO2. In 1914, USN engages Harvard Medical School to work on CO2 absorbents. They achieve a 17 hour endurance run on a D‐class. Additional work with O2 tanks, caustic potash and soda lime allow for a 48 hour run in USS G‐3. H2 build up during one run led to development of a palladium wire ‘Hydrogen Eliminator’. Hopcalite, with the ability to catalyze the reaction of CO CO2 at room temperature, was discovered at the American University Experimental Station in 1917. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) was established in 1923, upon a suggestion by Thomas Edison to President Wilson in 1917. The loss of S‐51 and S‐4 resulted in the establishment of a special Submarine Board by SECNAV to address specific submarine habitability and survivability questions. SLIDE 7 – Submarine Mortality prior to WW2 Pre‐WW2 period notable for submarine losses with All Hands due to material failures, collision or mishap. USS F‐4 sinks in 300 ft off Honolulu Harbor after leaking battery acid corroded hull (1915). 21 souls lost. USS F‐1 sinks after collision in fog, during 48 hour endurance trials, with F‐3 off San Diego (1917). 19 souls lost. Built at Union Iron Works, San Francisco. ex‐USS G‐2 sinks in Two Tree Channel, Niantic, CT (1919). 3 souls lost. USS H‐1 grounded off Magdalena Bay, Mexico then sinks during salvage efforts (1920). Four souls lost. USS S‐5 floods forward torpedo room and settles on bottom off Delaware Capes. Crew is able to raise stern clear of surface, drill a 3” hole and signal with a flag. SS Alanthus and SS General G. W. Goethals render assistance, cutting hole in hull at stern to extract crew (1920). No lives lost. USS S‐48 floods and sinks in 80 feet prior to commissioning (1921). USS O‐5 rammed by SS Abangarez and sinks at outlet to Panama Canal. Raised by Panama Canal Co. crane Atlas, saving two trapped crew members (1923). Three souls lost. USS S‐51 rammed by SS City of Rome and sinks in 130 feet of water off Block Island (1925). Thirty‐three souls lost. USS S‐4 rammed and sunk by USCGC Paulding off Provincetown, MA (1927). Survivors suffocate on bottom. Forty souls lost. USS Squalus founders during sea trials off Isles of Shoals in 243 feet of water. Thirty‐three crew members survive in forward torpedo room and are rescued using the McCann rescue chamber (1939). Twenty‐six souls lost. USS O‐9 flounders during test dive off Isles of Shoals in 450 feet of water (1941). Thirty‐three souls lost. "When the waves of death compassed me / the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; / the bonds of She'ol encircled me; / the snares of death took me by surprise; / in my distress I called upon the Lord, / and cried to my G‐D: / and he heard my voice out of his temple, / and my cry entered into his ears. / Then the earth shook and trembled; /the foundations of heaven moved / and shook because of his anger /...the heavy mass of waters, and thick clouds of the skies /... And the channels of the sea appeared, / the foundations of the world were laid bare, / at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast at the breath of his nostrils. / He sent from above, he took me; / he drew me out of many waters; / he delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me. / They surprised me in the day of my calamity: / but the Lord was my stay..." ‐ Samuel 22:5‐19 SLIDE 8 – Analysis of WW2 Morbidity and Mortality Role of Fleet Submarine: “They were to scout out ahead of the fleet and report on the enemy fleet's composition, speed, and course, then they were to attack and whittle down the enemy in preparation for the main fleet action, a titanic gun battle between battleships and cruisers. This was an operational concept born from experience in World War I. In order to operate effectively in this role, a submarine had to have high surface speed, long range and endurance, and a heavy armament.” – Norman Friedman M&M is driven by combat, trauma and accidents. Concern for impact of long term exposure not particularly relevant. Combat deaths – 3505 Died of wounds – 12 DNBR ‐ 50 Photo: SS‐167 USS Narwhal (V‐5) departing Mare Island. Note 6”/30 cal open mount deck guns. Designed, with sister ship USS Nautilus, as submarine cruiser. Length – 371 feet. Built 1930. Present at Pearl Harbor; credited with 2 assisted kills of Japanese aircraft. Served as picket at Midway. Troop transport to Aleutians in retaking of Attu and Kiska. Operated out of Australia, delivering SOF and supplies to Phillipines and retrieving agents, POWs and evacuees. 14 war patrols. Stricken from service 1945 PNSY and scrapped. Photo: USS Hammerhead. Balao‐class. Launched 1943 at Manitowoc, WI. Barged down Mississippi R. to NOLA. Length – 312 feet. Seven war patrols in South China Sea and Gulf of Siam. Mare Island reserve fleet. Reactivated for Korean War. Transferred to Turkey. Scrapped 1972. Photo: USS Kraken. Balao‐class. Launched 1944 at Manitowoc, WI. 4 war patrols. Lifeguard duty off Indochina. Mare Island reserve fleet. Transferred to Spain. Scrapped 1982. Class and type: Balao class diesel‐electric submarine Displacement: 1,526 tons (1,550 t) surfaced 2,424 tons (2,463 t) submerged Length: 311 ft 9 in Beam: 27 ft 3 in Draft: 16 ft 10 in Propulsion: 4 × GM Model 16‐278A V16 diesel engines driving electrical generators 2 × 126‐cell Sargo batteries 4 × high‐speed GE electric motors with reduction gears two propellers 5,400 shp (4.0 MW) surfaced/2,740 shp (2.0 MW) submerged Speed: 20.25 knots surfaced/8.75 knots submerged Range: 11,000 nautical miles surfaced at 10 knots Endurance: 48 hours at 2 knots submerged; 75 day patrols Test depth: 400 ft Complement: 10 officers, 70–71 enlisted Armament: 10 × 21‐inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes; 6 forward, 4 aft 24 torpedoes, 1 × 5‐inch / 25 caliber deck gun, Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm SLIDE 9 Snorkel invented by Dutch Navy and developed by German Kriegsmarine during WW2.