298 WET SUITS 



resin under vacuum. The boxes were plated with chemically deposited nickel and coated with 

 epoxy paint. They were individually pressure tested to 650 ft of sea water. 



TRAINING AND FIELD ENGINEERING 



The need for training personnel in the use of the suits and ancillary equipment was con- 

 sidered vital because of the novelty of the hardware. Field engineering was also considered 

 important, because of the experimental nature of the newly developed suits, batteries, and 

 power controls. The writer carried out this work at the Sealab II site from Aug. 24, 1965, to 

 October 3, 1965, with the cooperation of CAPT E. L. Beckman (MC) USN. 



Training 



Elaborate plans for rather thorough training were shattered by the nonavailability of the 

 Team 1 subjects for whom suits had been provided. LT R. E. Sonnenburg was the only Team 1 

 subject who received any training at all, and that was limited to less than half a day. The others 

 in Team 1 who wore the suits were CMDR M. S. Carpenter, Chief Engineman F. J. Johler, and 

 GMl W. H. Eaton. These personnel were available only to try on the suits to check fit just 

 prior to their descent. 



All personnel in Team 2 who wore the electrically heated suits were familiarized with the 

 equipment and trained in its use fairly thoroughly. The measurements of all Sealab 11 aqua- 

 nauts were studied to determine whether or not the suits could be used by personnel other than 

 those for whom they were made. Substitute subjects on Team 2 were found and displayed 

 eagerness to assist in the suit evaluations. They were: 



Suit No. Name Position 



5 Wo T. Jenkins Equipment Specialist/Diver 



7 W. H. Tolbert, Jr. Oceanographer/Diver 



8 G. B. Dowling Research Physicist/Diver 



These personnel are civilian researchers attached to the U.S. Navy Mine Defense Labora- 

 tory at Panama City, Florida. The fourth member of Team 2 to wear the suit was Chief 

 Quartermaster R. A. Barth of the same Navy organization as the civilian divers. 



The Team 2 personnel were trained at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in large out- 

 door tanks filled with ocean water. Training varied from subject to subject, but all generally 

 received the same instructions and had equal opportunity to become completely familiar with 

 the suits and equipment. All subjects (including LT Sonnenburg of Team 1) were specifically 

 asked if they would be able to reach the bypass and pop-off valve of the Mark VI while wearing 

 the electrically heated suit. The amount of lead weight required to achieve negative buoyancy 

 was evaluated individually by each of the subjects. The complete battery pack weighs 35 lb in 

 air and 16 lb in sea water. Both the battery pack and the umbilical cable were employed during 

 training sessions. For training purposes, the umbilical power cable was supplied by two 12- 

 volt lead-acid storage batteries in series. In addition to the training session at Scripps, W. H. 

 Tolbert, Jr. made a dive off one of the Naval Electronics Laboratory docks using compressed- 

 air scuba and the umbilical cable. 



Three members of Team 3 were also trained at Scripps. Two of them were fitted with 

 suits fabricated for others. They were: 



Suit No. Name Position 



3 J. J. Lyons Engineman 1st Class 



6 R. Grigg Graduate Student - Scripps 



Institution of Oceanography 



