Chief Warrant Officer 3 and Army Master Diver

Julius Green

Click the image below to meet Mr. Green

                                                                                                                                  
  

2010

  USADA Board of 

   Directors

  Terry Bryant

  President

  Gordon Alberti

  President Elect

  Jim Heimbach

  Secretary

  Adam Brill

  Treasurer

  Jim (Frenchy) Leveille

  Historian

  Ray Ramirez

  Army Laison

  David Farber

  Membership         

 

 

Association By-laws

Click on the picture to see a copy of the By-laws

  

DIVING MANUALS FROM THE PAST

 

 

 

1943 Army Dive Manual

 

1953 Army Dive Manuall

 

1970 Army Dive Manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          

 

THE DIVING ENGINEERS

 

      During the very early days of World War II, the Military recognized the need for specialized Engineer outfits that could repair damaged harbors so that large ships could dock and unload their much needed supplies.  So in the spring of 1943 the U.S. Army Port Construction and Repair Groups were formed.  Each group consisted of 255 enlisted men and 17 officers.  Most of the men were already professionals in their line of work, but there was also a need for Salvage Divers and there was not many of these to be found.  The Divers would have to be trained.

      The first Army Divers were trained by the U.S. Navy at Pier 88, on the North River in New York City beside the berth where the former liner “Normandy” was laying on her side after burning and sinking.  The school later moved to the New York Naval Shipyard in Bayonne, New Jersey.

      The strenuous training took 14 weeks and consisted of underwater welding and burning, rigging, the use of pneumatic tools, and various other skills that would be invaluable to them in the months to come.

      Upon graduation from the Navy School of Diving and Salvage as Navy certified Second Class Divers, these Army Divers were sent to Fort Screven, Ga. in 1943 where they established and operated the U.S. Army Engineers Diving and Salvage School under the command of A.L. Mercer, Capt. C.E.

      The curriculum at this school was patterned after the Navy school but stressed underwater welding, burning, rigging, and added the underwater use of explosives for demolition.

There were 16 Divers assigned to each of the following units:

1051 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1052 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1053 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1054 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1055 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1056 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1057 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1058 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1059 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1060 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group

1061 Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group