The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-12
STERN OF SUB IS LIFTED OFF OCEAN BOTTOM Salvage Operations on Squalus Proceed Rapid= ly Today
 FOUR AFT PONTOONS
 BOB TO SURFACE Vessel to Be Raised 90
 Feet Then TOwed to Shallow Water

Aboard the Yacht Mary Chiffon, off Portsmouth, N. H., August 12. - (Via Ra- diophone to the United Press). - The stern of the sunken submarine Squalus was lifted off the ocean floor at 9:45 a. m. (EDT) today as salvage operations proceeded at high speed under ideal weather conditions. Blown free of water in surprisingly fast time, four aft pontoons bobbed to the surface in swift succession, signifying that the stern of the $5,0OO,00 submersible, 40 fathoms down, had been raised.
 Over the spot where the Squalus lay with its 26 dead men, the glass smooth sea suddenly became @ boil ing cauldron as the huge pontoons broke water.
 Pont00ns Appear
 An expanse of ocean 250 feet square was churned into white foam which boiled for several minutes after the pontoons appeared.
 Scores of men watched anxiously from the decks of the salvage fleet, mindful of the near-disaster of a month ago when the bow of the 'Squalus knifed the surface during the first lift attempt.
 When the waters had calmed, sal- wage workers aboard two small coast guard boats went to the pontoons and inspected them.
 It is the greatest salvage job ever undertaken by the Navy, one that almost cost 21 lives a month ago when the great submersi- ble suddenly broke water and barely missed kniflng two whale boats filled with salvage workers.
 Except for those few minutes on July 13 when the $5 5,000,000 Squalus, dislodged by air-filled pontoonS, shot to the surface, sent her bow 25 feet into the air in 8 surge of boiling froth, then broke from the pontoon lines and sank again, she has not budged from her resting place off the Isle of Shoals where she went down during diving practice.
 Weather Ideal
 The sea was glassy smooth and the weather ideal as salvage work CTS began at TAO a. m. (EDT) pumping air into the six stern pom toons. It was estimated that the blowing process would not be com pleted before noon and possibly not until 2 p. m. Bubbles appeared on the surface as the water was dis lodged from the pontoons. At 8:55 @. m. 1t was announced that five aft pontoons had been blown.
 Today,s plan was not to bring her to the surface, but to hoist her 90 feet from the ocean floor and tow her to shallow water, where diving | operations will be 1ess arduous and | dangerous. Il
 Use 10 Pontoons
 Ten pontoons, instead of seven used in the previous attempt, were submerged about the submarine, and work started at dawn, when Admiral Cyrus w. Cole, director of operations, and his staff arrived from Portsmouth navy yard.
 The plan was to blow 1ess air into each pontoon than was used in the previous attempt, and to force 1t in so that the Squalus would rise slowly.
 Air Pumps On Falcon
 The air pumps were manned from tA,e U. s. s. Falcon, the salvage ship. When the Squalus had risen 90 feet from its 240-feet depth, the tug Wandank was to take the lines In tow and proceed four miles toward Portsmouth. The Squalus' sister submarine Sculpin will lead the way, guarding against obstruc- tions.
 At White Island Whistle buoy,