The evening included a talk about the history of Combat Swimming, experience of combat swimmers from WWII by two of the actual swimmers themselves, Closed circuit life support equipment used then, and in use today,  and finally,  Combat Swimming as it applies today, post 9/11.  Some footage from archived WWII training films and a contemporary short film on current day covert maritime operations was shown.

        The origins of Combat Swimming in America can be traced to the office of the President.  Prior to WWII intelligence was gathered by the Dept. of State, and the armed services.  Important and timely information did go up the chain of command, even to the President, but no one short of the White  House tried to collate and assess all this vital information collected by different government agencies.  As another european war was looming,  Roosevelt asked for more coordination of intelligence between the various collection agencies.  When results did not materialize after his request, President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 11 July 1941 created the office of the Coordinator of Information (COI), a civilian office that was attached to the White House. He appointed William J. Donovan as the Coordinator of Information (COI)  The COI became the nation’s first peacetime,  nondepartmental intelligence organization. Shortly thereafter the successor of the COI was named the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and was given expanded functions in intelligence gathering.

    It was within the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) that the need for intelligence gathering in a maritime environment was identified,  and the value of equipment that could transport a man underwater undetected would  have in this venue. It happened that at this same time a a young medical student , Christian J. Lambertsen, published a paper,  "A diving apparatus for life saving work. JAMA 116: 1387-1389, 1941" describing a closed circuit rebreather he made and approached the military establishments for consideration of it, aware of its potential wartime application.  The "Battleship" mentality of the Armed Services then, was not interested in his device, but the OSS immediately recognized its value.  Dr. Lambertsen was recruited, and put in charge of the newly formed OSS Maritime Unit.  In this unit he further developed his oxygen rebreather. In addition, he recruited and trained "Operational Swimmers", and developed other Equipment and  the Tactics that these OSS Operational Swimmers will use in their missions.

    The recruitment of potential "operational swimmers" was influenced by a Jack Taylor, (a dentist and friend of Bill Donovan).  Jack Taylor recognized the benefit and advantage that experienced "waterman" would have in learning, developing and using  new  life support and other equipment, and employing  it  in a new and demanding way, that of actively swimming long distances.   Jack Taylor decided to recruit proven waterman, experienced life guards, as the first corps of volunteers of  Operational Swimmers for the OSS Maritime Unit.  This first group of OSS Operational Swimmers was recruited from our very own Southern California beaches, out of the ranks of  Los Angeles and San Diego County Life Guards.

    Other services had used volunteers from within their own military to form units involved in waterborne operations such as the Underwater Demolition Team. Their concept was to utilize the skills of EOD trained personnel, or other volunteers,  and teach them how to swim.   The OSS theory was to obtain the best trained swimmers and teach them intelligence gathering and other necessary combat skills as required,  because they were expected to spend extended times in the water, and it was felt that a strong watermanship background would be instrumental in the success of their missions.  This concept was proven well founded by the success of their missions.

    The first use of Dr. Lambertsens rebreather called the LARU (Lambertsens Automatic Respiratory Unit), was by John Spence at the Natatorium in Annapolis.  The initial training of Operational Swimming with the LARU, and other military training of  the first OSS group was conducted back here in Southern California at Camp Pendleton and on Catalina Island.    Southern California also contributed to these operational swimmers in other equipment needs as the Dive mask and the Churchill Swim Fin were developed here also.  These OSS Operational Swimmers were the first military unit to use swim fins of any kind.

    When WWII was over, the OSS was disbanded.  Years have passed before a follow up strategic intelligence gathering organization, the CIA was formed.  And more years have passed before our country regained its lost capability of Combat Swimming operations in the form of  Navy SEALS and other Special Forces units.  These follow up organizations owe much to the OSS and its Maritime Unit.  Our country owes much to these Operational Swimmers. Their stories are just begining to be know.      We thank them all for serving our country.

Erick Simmel, Filmmaker and Historian will talk about the rich history Southern California had in the development of Combat Swimming in America.  Erick will discuss the origins of the OSS Operational Swimmer, the equipment that made it possible, their training and some of their missions in WWII.  He will present archived film of some of  the earliest Operational Swimming training that was conducted in this country.   A unit currently used by the Navy for combat swimming, the LAR V will be on display.
 

   John Spence (l.) and Jim Long (r)

    John Spence had been trained as a Navy (Hard Hat) Diver while serving in the Merchant Marines in the years preceding WWII.  When war broke out, he was called back to active Naval service.  The in-processing placement officer noticed his training as a Diver, and issued him orders that had requested someone experienced as a "Diver".    The orders he received lead him to an interview with Dr. Lambertsen, who was in the process of developing the OSS Maritime Unit,  the rest is history.  A history that is just now becoming known.
     John Spence became the first person assigned to this OSS Maritime Unit, the first person to dive Dr. Lambertsens' closed circuit life support device, and was active in the development of  both Equipment and Tactics that the OSS Operational Swimmers would use in covert war missions.
    Mr. Spence will elaborate on how he became "Americas' First Frogman", and share some of his experiences with us.

   Jim Long was a California Life Guard who was recruited into, and assigned to one of the the first OSS Maritime Unit Teams.  His unit was transferred to the Pacific Theater of operations and became attached to the US Navy Underwater Demolition Team 10.  Jim will talk about some of his experiences while in the OSS and while attached to UDT Team 10.

Peter Readey produces a state of the art Electronic Closed Circuit Rebreathers currently being purchased by the US Navy, the PRISM Invader.  His company SMI, Inc. also produces a civilian model of this electronic closed circuit rebreather, the PRISM Topaz. Peter Readey will talk about some of the rebreathers that the US Navy have used , and are currently using.  He will also bring a couple of rebreathers for static display.
 
 
 

Dr. Bob Iannello, (sans visible horns) a Dentist, Major USMC {Ret.} and  a home builder of closed circuit rebreathers.  I will talk over a powerpoint type slide presentation about some of the rebreathers that I have built, how I "swim" with these units, and the historical connection between the testing of the units that I built and the original testing and training of the OSS Operational Swimmers back in WWII.  I will also discuss the application that rebreathers, including home built rebreathers have in connection to present day terrorist activities.  Some of my rebreathers will also be shown on static display.