DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 



NAVAL SHIP SYSTEMS COMMAND 



WASHINGTON, D C. 20360 



FOREWORD 



The recovery of the Deep Research Vehicle ALVIN from a water 

 depth of over 5,000 feet has several extremely significant aspects. First, 

 and foremost, is that no recovery of an object of ALVIN's size from 

 such a great depth had ever been achieved, although the operation was 

 conceivably within the state-of-the-art. Second, the development of lift 

 line data played a key role in the recovery operations. Undeveloped un- 

 til this time, this data is expected to play a vital role in enabling the 

 Navy to understand the relationship of dynamic loading to total loading 

 in the recovery of heavy objects from great depths. A third important 

 aspect of this operation was the use for the first time of a single piece 

 of very long nylon line, the behavior of which was not easily predictable, 

 to lift a heavy object. 



The ALVIN recovery operations again emphasized that no task in 

 which work in the deep ocean is performed should be considered rou- 

 tine. The success of this operation is attributed to the technical exper- 

 tise and initiative shown by the recovery force personnel, composed of 

 representatives of the Naval Research Laboratory, Office of Naval Re- 

 search, Submarine Development Group One, Supervisor of Salvage, 

 Military Sea Transportation Service > Woods Hole Oceanographic Insti- 

 tution, Naval Underwater Weapons Research and Engineering Station 

 (Newport), and Ocean Systems, Incorporated. Of particular note is the 

 cooperation, initiative, and excellence of seamanship displayed by the 

 crew of USNS MIZAR, and the work performed by the crew of the 

 Deep Research Vehicle ALUMINAUT. The ALUMINAUT crew's ulti- 

 mate success in the arduous task of affixing a toggle to ALVIN for the 

 lift was a key factor in enabling the On-Scene Commander to carry out 

 the recovery plan. Recognition must also be given to those personnel 



HI 



