Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-06
|reatest Navy Divers Foretold the
Devices Which 1t Is Now Claimed
J Prevent Repetition of Tragedies
linated in New Submersibles.

Where is Criey?'. received no answer and
then went to sleep.
Il was three hours at $50 feet was grad
ually pulled up to the bottom rung of the
ladder, which was at 100 feet, and placed at
the bottom OF it. / remember this stage OF It,
but at so feet again passed out.
For the time 1 had been down, should
have remained at that depth for about Is
hours. 1t was finally decided to hoist me up
and place me In the decomposition chamber.
I heard the command: Let go-come up
regulate valver
A soon as reached the barge they took
my helmet OF and said: I'm all right,
Steve
That's the last thing said for three
weeks. My suit was cut off me and was
placed in the decomposition chamber along
with Crilley and Drs. Garrison and French.
I unconscious, the drums of DR.. Gar
rison broke and he bled DR.. French was nau-
seated, so you can see that it was real cham
Der Of horrors to Criley. who was perfectly
conscious at the time, but had to look at us
for IA hours.
The pressure finally reduced to IS
pounds in the decomposition chamber but
when it was reduced to 80 I was in such pain
that it had to be boosted to 35 again. Finally,
pneumonia and that they had to take me out
of the chamber would die, so I had to
endure the awful pain while the pressure was
decreased and taken to the hospital.
"A number of times the doctors gave me up
and said that I could not possibly live but
managed to drag by, although I had q severe
pain in my hip and it was not until two years
later that ] had an X-ray taken which showed
a broken bone. Despite the fact that it was
fixed have been limping ever since"
A FTER Criey had come out of the recon-
~ preston chamber-it had been a terrible
ordeal for him with the three sick people in
there his chamber mates-he was anxious
to find place where he could get some quiet
and little rest After giving few answers
to his inquistors, Crilley slipped away and was
lost to sight. causing much anxiety among
those who were solicitous to his welfare.
It was not until afterward that it was found
out that he had gone aboard the Maryland and
curled up for q long nap behind generator in
the dynamo room. H..
Diving operations were resumed on the F-4
two days later, and Crilley worked with them
until the boat was finally picked up by the
pontoons and carried within the shallow waters
of the harbor and placed in dry dock
After a report had been made of the mer-
torious work of Crilley. Congress duly recog-
nzed his act and President Wilson made a
personal presentation of the Congressional
Medal of Honor to him.
The letter of presentation said:
"Crilley's descent was undertaken in the face
of threatening weather and accomplished at
depth between 225 and $50 feet in old type
of diving suit that was not adapted to diving
at such depths; when heavy swell was run
ming in from seward; and without any foot
ing whatsoever so that any mechanical failure
Of his apparatus or a false move on his part
would have caused instant DEATH
"Crley deliberately, knowingly and willingly
staked his life in his successful response to the
desperate need of his companion diver who had
reached the last extremity"
The Medal Of Honor Book contains the