Imperial Valley press., 1939-05-24

brought 240 feet to the surface IN.
two trips of a specially construct
ed diving bell used in disaster
for the first time in the history of
the u S. navy.
The l8 other survivors remained
in the submerged craft waiting to
be rescued. 1t was believed the
bodies of the dead would be brought
up last.
Gn Washington, navy department
officials still maintained slight
hope that some of the 26 might
be saved. The department confirm
ed officially that 33 were "alive
and well.')
7 The mighty rescue forces of the
navy were brought into play, ready
to work all night if necessary, un-
der orders from the navy depart
ment in Washington bring up the
living first
First word of the fate of the 26
victims was brought up by the first
seven rescued at 1:26 pm, almost
28 hours after the Squalus, the
newest undersea craft in the fleet,
went out for a trial dive yesterday
and settled to the ocean floor when
high speed induction valve failed
to close.
A rush of water into several COM
partmentS of the submarine ap-
parently was responsible for the 26
fatalities.
A United Press reporter flew over
the scene while the diving bell was
rising with the first seven rescued
and again when it brought up eight
more. The sea was calm with
long swell and the sky was streaked
with clouds.
Seven large navy and coast guard
ships and numerous small craft
were in a circle about the Falcon.
Flying at 200 feet the reporter
first sighted the rescue bell when.
it was 20 to 30 feet below the sur
face, rising very slowly. From the
air it appeared tinged with greer.
The bell first rose above surface
about 10 feet from the side OF
the Falcon guided by sailors with
pOdJ HUNS anu IOpeS.
The men pulled it close and raised
it to within four feet of the
deck, leaving threequarters of the
bell submerged.
Then the men rescued from the
depths were lifted through the
hatch in the top of the bell
During these operations, the bell
bobbed lightly against blankets
spread over the side of the Falcon.
Officers aboard the 10000 ton
cruiser Brooklyn, in general charge
of the rescue, said the work would
continue night and day until the
SqualuS has been raised to the sur
face.
More searchlightS on vessels sur
rounding the scene were set in
place for night work on the OIL
coated water
The diving bell, part of the
equipment of the crack rescue ship
Falcon, was expected to be in cor
slant operation until all those
aboard had been removed.
1t completed the first trip at l:26
pm. and went down for the second
time at 3;45 pm, coming up again
at 4:50 pm.
The first seven men brought I'D
were placed Immediately in decom-
pressers, but officers of the Falcon
reported they were in good con-
dition, Among them was Lieut..
John G. Nichols of Chicago. fourth
in command aboard the Squalus.
who Immediately went to his su>
perior officers and reported on
the cause of the accident, the num-
Der of dead the number of sur
vivorS and general conditions in
the stricken submarine.
The first survivors were brought
to the surface in little less than
two hours after the Falcon had
established line contact with the
stricken submarine. If progress of
the rescue should continue at the
present rate, officials said the COM
Continued on Page 8, Col. 81