NAUI Tec Expedition Documents the USS Perry

By Lonnie Sharp, NAUI 18314 The USS Perry was hull number 3 of the line of ships to bear the name of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry who went into the history books during the War of 1812. It was Perry who said: "We have met the enemy and they are ours" after he defeated a British squadron on Lake Erie. In the course of the battle, Perry abandoned his heavily damaged flagship Lawrence and embarked on the Niagara, which he sailed into the British and took their surrender quickly. Perry's battle flag remains today at the US Naval Academy.

The USS Perry was commissioned on January 17, 1922. In 1940, she was home-ported to Pearl Harbor where she was converted to a high-speed minesweeper. In 1941, she escorted the USS Arizona from San Diego to Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, the Perry splashed one of the first attacking Japanese aircraft at Pearl Harbor.

Following Pearl Harbor, the Perry performed minesweeping and escort duties in both the North Pacific and South Pacific. In September 1944, she was sweeping the island passages of the Palau Island chain preparatory to the US invasion of the islands to take them from the Japanese. On Sept 13, she off the southernmost island of Angaur. That afternoon, a violent underwater explosion rocked the ship, and the Perry went down with six shipmates never recovered and believed to be entombed onboard. She broke in two in the area of damage and new lies quietly on a sandy bottom some 250-270 feet (76-82 meters) below the surface only 700 yards (640 meters) off an Angaur beach. USS Perry earned six battle stars during her service in World War II.

The wreck of the Perry was found in May 2000 by Navot Bornovski, owner of Fish 'n Fins in Palau, and Larry Tunks, a survivor of the Perry. Attempts to document the wreck site in the past have been only marginally successful, giving only a few still pictures and taking a life.

The Expedition

On February 26, 2005, a team of highly skilled NAUI Technical Mixed Gas Divers under the leadership of Tim O'Leary met in Koror, Palau, to document this long-lost but never forgotten shipwreck. The team consisted of three cameramen and six support divers, all using Mixed Gas Closed Circuit Rebreathers (PRISM Topaz CCRs). This team was completed by two Open Circuit Mixed Gas Safety Divers, who proved to be invaluable for the expedition.

Team Members

Steve Banks, CCR Gas Diver, Bottom Support
John Bell, CCR Gas Diver, Lead Cameraman
Bruce Belschner, CCR Gas Diver, Bottom Support
Ray Hunley, CCR Gas Diver, Cameraman
Philip Linscott, OC Gas Diver, Safety Diver
Diane O'Leary, CCR Gas Diver, Bottom Support
Tim O'Leary, Team Leader, CCR Gas Diver, Cameraman
Ron Scorese, CCR Gas diver, Bottom Support
Lonnie Sharp, CCR Gas Diver, Bottom Support
Dave Weber, CCR Gas Diver, Bottom Support
Suzanne Zarling, OC Gas Diver, Safety Diver

The team came from all three coasts of the US to one coast i Palau with travel times from 20 to 30 hours. Once there, Tim call a pre-brief in the hotel, and then we visited Fish 'n fins Dive charter Service in Koror. Initially, the team worked with co-owner Tova Bornovski, whose husband Navot would be our captain, and crewman Orin. Orin proved to be a great asset in obtaining the necessary equipment for an expedition of this magnitude, as the charter operation was not prepared for such a major trip. Fish 'n Fins were not exactly a Technical Dive Center, but if you want a great dive trip charter in Palau, you can find them at www.fishnfins, com or www.oceanhunter.com. Tim and the teammates worked supplies with Orin while Bruce displayed his expert line splicing skills. We needed to prepare the M/V Ocean Hunter II live-aboard for both heavy seas and swift currents in order to safely support the dive team on our demanding dives. The rest of the team spent the time preparing the mother ship for CCR support, gas bottle rigging, and gear storage. John's focus of course was on the camera gear, the reason we were there.

Finally on the 2nd of March, the M/V Ocean Hunter II, two chase boats, crew, and dive team were ready for the five-hour transit through the magnificent island chain to Angaur Island and the deep watery grave of the Perry. The scenery along the trip was fantastic. Beautiful islands, clear blue water and skies.

Once on the site, Captain Navot along with Captain Kenneth expertly maneuvered our mother ship to an area of water that was marked by only a simple fix of two visual ranges off the island. Before long, we could see the wreck marked by the depth finder. The line team was ready with a marker-buoy line weighted by two small anchors and chain. Navot yelled, "Nov!" and Orin dropped the anchors on what we later found to be the port side screw guard of the Perry. Call it a day, we were hooked in . The evening was devoted to site survey and water conditions/currents; dive planning and briefing would be tomorrow.

Reveille came at 04:30, time to prep the dive teams and get a look at the currents, known to be two to five knots in this area. At first light, we saw our main buoy standing on end, meaning the current was flowing. First dive team was Tim and Lonnie, and the plan was to get down, secure the tie-in, and survey the wreck site. First splash gave us a test of fin power against current power, and we lost-missing the buoy by only inches. Second splash, and we were on the down-line. Descent was hand over hand in a tornado of current, which we now estimate to have been two to two and a half knots or better. Looking back at the pictures, we see the big white buoy still standing on end. Water temperature was a balmy 85 F (29 C). At 225 feet (80 meters), the current suddenly slowed dramatically to a snail's pace and the water temperature cooled off to 79 F (24 C). The cool water and lack of raging current were welcomed.

With the tie-in now secured, we were able to swim the entire wreck site with ease. We found the aft paravane davits still standing up at the ready, aft gun intact, amidships gun still pointing to the surface and the heavens above. The boiler area where six American sailors are probably still lying was sealed like the grave it is. Reflecting on my fallen shipmates and their sacrifice, I saluted them as I swam by their resting place. The reverence on the quiet ocean floor was true here. Our survey continued up to the bow, where we found the bow gun also still at the ready, pointing as if toward some target off the bow.

Making our way back to the up-line, we found a memorial plaque placed there by a previous local diver. At the up-line, we gave a last check to the tie-in chain and started our ascent. Just before entering the current again at 225 feet (80 meters), I stopped one more time to quietly reflect on the death and devastation of the site and once more salute my fallen shipmates. Then we entered the still-raging tornado of current. On the ascent, I noticed my diluent gas was low. Apparently the high current had opened my overpressure valve, and I was losing gas. At about 120 fee (37 meters) during decompression, I was at 300 psi and dropping. I went to my bailout cylinder, signaled Tim, and then sent the orange lift bag up, telling the safety divers to come and visit with us. I had ample gas to make it to the oxygen stop, but why push it. Suzanne and Philip, our safety divers were wanting to get wet too. While sending up the bag, Tim's jon line came loose and he was now drifting in the current. I unhooked to join him. Now we were traveling at the same speed as the current and all went quiet. No more need to hang like a flag in a hurricane wind; we could relax our tired muscles. After a two hour dive we arrived on the surface to find ourselves in six foot (2 meter) seas. The RHIB chase boat became our taxi back to the Ocean Hunter II. We had surfaced some three miles (five km) from the buoy on which we had descended. Dive one: 268 feet (82 meters) for 30 minutes on the bottom on 10-50 diluent gas and 16-40 bailout mix. No more dives today.

After an evening of planning and briefs, we again set the alarm for 0430, and the team was coming alive by 0500. Preps were made, and the buoys, which were 1000 yards (900 + meters) out from our safe anchorage, were checked through the binoculars. It looked like a good dive day; the big buoy was lying down, meaning a lighter current.

This day we managed to get all three camera teams into the water on staggered times. The first two teams made it down in mild current, and the plan was to drift during decompression and not even try to hang on the line again. Tim and I were each in a chase boat with a safety diver and planning to drift near the lift bags for immediate pick up of the divers or to provide assistance if needed. Right on time, the first of the two yellow lift bags popped up on the surface, very near the main line. This bag said "Weber," meaning if was Ray and Dave who were drifting as planned for their decompression time. One chase boat went on station. Shortly after, the expected second yellow lift bag surfaced, this one with no name, which meant John and Ron. Second chase boat moved on top. Both safety divers started preparing for a splash to check on the divers. The the radio cracked: "This is Ocean Hunter II, we have an orange lift bag on the surface down current." Tim and I looked at each other and wondered: "Who is on the orange bag? We have two teams in and two yellow bags up." We immediately raced over and put both safety divers in the water while the mother ship maneuvered over towards the yellow bags. We could see John and Ron from the surface, about 100 feet (30 meters) down and with John on open circuit. Safety divers once again delivered more gas, and a yellow bag was sent up signaling all was well. Tim's boat stayed on station over John Andron, and I moved the RHIB over to the first two yellow bags to try and figure this one out. Once there. we saw one bag's down-line leading into the abyss. Below the second surface marker, we saw Ray and Dave, safe and sound and signaling up they were fine. As we later found out, John had lost diluent gas while in the current, just as I had the day before. With proper team diving protocol execution, all again was well, and we had two teams completing decompression and safely on the surface.

After debriefing the first set of dives, Tim, diane, Bruce, Steve, and I all splashed. Camera team three was now on the wreck. The decompression ascent was uneventful.

Three camera teams totaling nine CCR divers had reached depths from 250-268 feet (76-82 meters) with 30-45 minutes of bottom time and captured the first ever HD Video footage of the Perry. It was a good day.

Day three, we woke again early to prep the rebreathers and brief. At first light, Captain Navot came down and told us that the current was too high, he watched our ship buoy, which probably had 600 pounds (270 kg) of lift, being pulled underwater by the current. We took the RHIB and went for a look. Once onsite, the buoy line was nowhere to be seen, even underwater with 100 foot (30 meters) visibility from the surface. The surface was littered with small eddies and whirlpools of current, and we estimated at least five knots of current. No dives today. Instead we decided to visit the Island of Angaur. One chase boat continued to patrol in case the buoy line surfaced again.

The Island of Angaur is a beautiful island with a single small village of approximately 150 inhabitants. Captain Navot managed to find us two vehicles and tour guides from the village. John and Mark (a local photographer) with the sound crew (played by Diane and Bruce), set up cameras in a picturesque area for Tim and me to shoot an interview on the first days of diving the Perry, while most of the team scouted the island. It was a journey back in time to World War II relics and present day memorials. There is still an abandoned US Coast Guard station there and the remains of various aircraft on the airfield that was built in 1944. the people were very friendly and happy to share their history with us. The island is also inhabited by a small monkey population that was imported after the war and used as a "mineshaft canary" while the locals mined phosphates form the island.

Once back on the M/V Ocean Hunter II, we discussed the next day's operation and dropping a second tie in line if necessary. John did various film spots around our small ship of the divers and crew preparations with some interviews.

Last dive day on the Perry. We woke up the crew at 0430, started our daily preparations, and turned on the coffee pot. Soloman, our cook, was also prepared with morning snakes to hold us till breakfast. Neither Captain Navot nor any of us could see any buoys on the surface. Our line never surfaced, at least not where we left it. At first light, we moved the vessel over and evaluated the currents as mild. Then we put down a new down line. This time it would be up to Ron and Dave to fight their way down and secure the chain tie in. Once they splashed, we waited. Currents seemed mild, and Ron and Dave apparently were able to deco back up the down line. This was a good sign.

Once on the surface and debriefed, we quickly manned up two camera teams - John and Ray on camera with our two open circuit gas divers and me as support. Yes, the currents of the day allowed us to get the OC divers down for a dive on the wreck. Tim, Bruce, Diane, and Steve all remained on deck taking a turn as safety divers for us. Ron and Dave relaxed from their dive. The dive was uneventful and actually was a nice dive. Two more cameras had been on the wreck, one forward and one aft. All met again on the up line and completed a safe decompression. Once on deck, John made a quick review of the footage and reported that we had goo "High Def" video. Tim called a meeting and a decision was made to conduct one more dive.

This time there would be a memorial taken to the wreck. I had contacted the US Navy Memorial in Washington, DC, and received a National Ensign (flag) and certificate stating the flag had been flown over the Memorial in DC in honor of the USS Perry. John had the flag and certificate mounted in Plexiglas to be placed on the wreck. I managed a quick ceremony on deck, quoting Admiral Nimitz on the day of surrender by the Japanese and reading the names of the Perry crew that remain on the wreck today - a very solemn moment for the team and me. I passed the flag to Tim, Bruce, and Diane to carry it to the wreck. This was special for her as her father served on the same class of ship. Once on the wreck, Diane and Bruce affixed the memorial to the amidships gun, and Tim slowly backed the camera off. Great footage that will get you to reflect on the sacrifices made there some 60 years before. The team performed a quick last survey of the Perry as she lies silently on the bottom at some 250 feet (76 meters) in the swift currents off Angaur Island near Palau. That was the last dive on the Perry for our expedition.

On deck, dives complete, the mission a success,, and all safe, we let out a sigh of relief, toasted the Perry crew, and began to really relax for the first time in a week. "Now we can play," Tim said. Captain Navot's face is filled with relief at our success, and he had a very big smile, as we all did.

Two days of fantastic reef diving in various locations followed on our trip back to Koror. Palau has a lot to offer, beautiful corals and so many species of fish that even our resident expert, Suzanne, had to look up a couple for identification. On our last night at anchor the crew showed us how to call up black tip sharks to the boat with baited lines of caught fish. Cameras were out both on the surface and in the water for this sight of schooling sharks. No hooks used or wanted - the sharks even like frozen fish! Just crunchy fish bits tied to a line and slapped on the surface. Bruce quickly became the expert that night.

On our way into port I asked Captains Navot and Kenneth if I could follow a little Naval tradition. On a complete mission success, we call it a "Clean Sweep" and will fly a broom from the yardarm/mast to signify to all the success. Both captains quickly granted permission, and we proceeded up to the mast with a deck push broom. That broom was still flying proudly when we left the island two day later.

Back in port, we managed a day and a half of resort style relaxation and fun. Koror has a beautiful spot, the Palau Resort with a beautiful beach and pool. Great "fresh" yellowtail sashimi was our favorite. We left at midnight the second day - back to our nine to five jobs and for me, once again back to sea.

Sources - Second Quarter 2005 copyright NAUI. All rights reserved.

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