The Navy’s diving govt steering committee, comprised of officers and senior enlisted leaders throughout warfare communities who’ve a vested curiosity in Navy diving and undersea operations, labored intently with Naval Historical past and Heritage Command, the Naval Undersea Museum, Navy Diving and Salvage Coaching Heart, and the Man within the Sea Museum, a navy diving museum, to analysis the origins of the U.S. Navy diving inception date.
“Recognizing the birthday of Navy diving provides the whole diving group a possibility to not solely honor our proud lineage but additionally take a second to replicate on the monumental contributions of courageous pioneers akin to William Badders and Robert Barth, together with trailblazers {of professional} achievement akin to Carl Brashear and Mary Bonnin, who’ve contributed considerably to the place we’re right now,” mentioned Grasp Chief Navy Diver Will Wittman, Navy Expeditionary Fight Command pressure grasp diver. “Understanding the arc of our evolution from a single class of six college students on the Newport Torpedo Faculty in 1882 to the innovation and functionality I’ve recognized via the course of my profession is actually humbling for me to replicate upon.”
Throughout their analysis, the committee realized Gunner’s Mates served as among the Navy’s first divers. The introduction of the torpedo revolutionized naval warfare and prompted the necessity for added undersea coaching to help testing and restoration of the ordnance. In flip, the Navy established a brand new course of instruction in Newport to supply probably the most related coaching for the rising undersea know-how on the time.
Historians from the Navy’s museums corroborated this data with studies from the Secretary of the Navy’s archives from 1882-1883. An excerpt from the report described the brand new course of instruction in “submarine diving.” In line with the paperwork, six gunners reported on August 1, 1882 for a three-day course directed by the Bureau of Ordnance.
Rear Adm. Brad Andros, commander, Navy Expeditionary Fight Command, mentioned recognizing the inception date for the Navy Diving group not solely marks a momentous event in naval historical past but additionally will increase diving group connectedness.
“I’m honored to affix Navy divers throughout the service in commemorating our group, previous and current,” mentioned Andros. “Navy divers are tasked with among the most tough and harmful missions on this planet and should be capable to function in excessive environments, beneath intense strain, and with a excessive diploma of precision. Our teammates have routinely embraced this problem all through our 141-year historical past, and I anticipate the whole pressure will proceed to rise to the event and adapt to new threats, challenges, and adversaries for years to return.”
In line with Naval Historical past and Heritage Command, since their inception, Navy divers have been concerned in practically each main battle all through historical past and have been a forerunner for advancing the diving and underwater operations business via know-how and ways. In peacetime or in fight, U.S. Navy divers have rose to the event, together with seven divers who’ve been awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest navy award.
For Grasp Chief Navy Diver Jeremy Sylvest of the Navy’s Recruiting Command, August 1 now presents a possibility to tell the following technology of Navy Sailors what a profession in diving provides.
“The Navy is all the time on the lookout for motivated, inventive, disciplined, problem-solving candidates to function Navy Divers and contribute to the superb tradition we proceed to construct,” mentioned Sylvest. “A profession in Navy diving provides alternatives for journey and journey, a novel working surroundings, specialised coaching, and the prospect to steer and construct groups. Navy diving is one of the best stored secret within the Navy.”
Diving capabilities will not be solely restricted to the Navy Diver ranking as many different scores obtain specialised dive coaching to finish their missions together with Seabees, particular operators, explosive ordnance disposal technicians, engineers, medical personnel, and mass communication specialists.
Navy divers help numerous missions within the Navy together with cellular diving and salvage, ship husbandry, analysis and improvement, submarine operations and undersea rescue missions, particular warfare, expeditionary mine countermeasures, anti-terrorism and pressure safety, and underwater images and videography.
Whereas this 12 months’s commemorative occasions can be celebrated domestically at particular person instructions, the diving group is concentrated on planning a world occasion for 2024 that can embody Navy diver participation from the world over.
“I’m honored to be part of this group and stay up for advancing {our capability} with all service and worldwide companions, together with welcoming new leaders of tomorrow into our fold as we honor our historic roots annually,” mentioned Wittman.
For extra details about turning into a Navy Diver, go to https://www.navy.com/careers/navy-diver.
Study extra about NECC and Navy expeditionary divers by visiting our web site.
