 ["Pomp and Circumstance"] The diver is alone under the water. He has only his common sense, his technical knowledge, and his diver's dress to help him. And his common sense will quickly teach him that his dress is his only weapon against the danger he may meet. Against pressure, against fall, against fouling. That his dress is the only thing outside of the knowledge he carries inside his head that will make safe and sure his work at the ocean's bottom. And so his common sense will go on. He must know his dress, know its construction and how to get in and out of it, that it may hold no mysteries for him, that he may know when it is in perfect order and when he is properly and safely dressed. The standard navy diving dress consists of eight separate items, each of which is designed to give the maximum protection to the diver. The dress, the helmet, the breastplate cushion, the breastplate, the breastplate clamps and wing nuts, the weighted belt with knife attached, the jock strap, and the shoes. The dress itself is made of sheet India rubber, backed and faced with cotton twill fabric. It is reinforced at all points of wear. It has a rubber collar in which holes have been punched to receive the breastplate. Inside the dress is a bib which traps any water that may seep through the breastplate and so prevents leakage into the lower part of the dress. The legs are made with lacing flaps in order to decrease the volume inside the suit, thus stabilizing the diver's buoyancy by keeping the legs from blowing up with air. For cold water work, gloves are cemented on the sleeve. The spun copper helmet is provided with four ports, the top plate, the right and left side plate, and the faceplate to give maximum vision to the diver. The lenses are protected by metal guard. Only the faceplate is movable. It seats on a rubber gasket, swings on a hinge pin, and is secured by a wing nut. In the rear of the helmet is the locking device by which it is locked to the breastplate. In addition to the standard catch, a device to ensure absolute safety is provided. In this case, a gate held by a cotter key. Also in the rear of the helmet are the gooseneck fittings which are the ports of entry for the air hose and the telephone. The telephone connection is on the diver's left, the air inlet valve to which the air hose is screwed on his right. This valve is of the non-return type. It consists of a spring-loaded valve which seats against a special leather washer. Air coming through the hose easily lifts the valve, overcoming the spring pressure, and enters the helmet. But none can pass back from the helmet to the air hose because the pressure within the helmet seats the valve. Should his air hose be severed or severely damaged, the diver is protected from being squeezed by water pressure in this manner. Since the pressure within his suit is retained, no air being permitted to escape. In the front of the helmet on the right side is the regulating exhaust valve of the non-blow type, with the actual exhaust away from the diver's vision. This valve can be operated in two ways, either by turning the adjusting hand wheel on the outside of the helmet or by manipulating a chin button on the inside. When dismantled, the valve shows these parts. The primary valve spring which is mounted on the valve stem and keeps the valve on its seat with a quarter pound pressure. The secondary valve spring resting on a disc which withstands up to two pounds pressure. The normal operating pressure inside the dress is slightly more than a quarter pound at the exhaust level than is the water pressure outside. This condition is achieved and maintained regardless of the setting of the hand wheel by the primary valve spring. Should for any reason the pressure within the suit build to two pounds more than that exerted by the surrounding water, the force exerted by the secondary valve spring is counteracted and the air released. Pressure above two pounds would cause the diver's suit to blow up like a balloon. It would be impossible for him with his stiff arms to reach his hand wheel and he might be blown to the surface, doing himself serious injury if he came from great depth by the sudden change of pressure. Bend would be the best he could hope for. This valve is not a cure all but it does help eliminate the possibility of blowing up. On the left side of the helmet is an auxiliary relief valve or a spit cut which is open when the valve handle is in the horizontal position and closed in the vertical. This is an added safety factor. Its chief use occurs when the diver is working on his right side and so is not obtaining maximum benefits from his regulating exhaust valve. It also permits minor changes of buoyancy without changing the setting of the main exhaust valve. In addition, should the lenses of the port fog, it is possible to take water into the mouth through the spit cock and use it to wash the lenses. The helmet when worn rests on the breastplate which in turn sits on the breastplate cushion or shoulder pad which goes around the neck of the diver. The breastplate studs fit into the holes of the dress's collar. Before the clamps are placed in position, the copper washers or shims are put on at the clamp joint to provide an effective seal and protect the rubber collar from crimping. Then to seal the breastplate, the four breastplate clamps are used. These gun metal strips are not interchangeable. Those for the front are clearly so marked. Those in the back are not specifically marked. They are fixed to the studs by means of wing nuts. On the front of the breastplate are two pad eyes to which is not a small stuff made of Italian hemp or signal halion. This small stuff is used to secure the two lines to the breastplate pad eye. The lifeline is bent to the right pad eye. Before securing the airline to the left pad eye, the wing nut on the lower left stud must be removed. The connecting link of the air control valve is placed on the stud and the wing nut replaced. The airline can then be tied off by the halion. The air control valve is a needle valve. Turning it to the right opens it. Turning it to the left closes it. The weighted belt stabilizes the diver in the water, gives him a better regulated buoyancy. It is held in position by the jock straps and the two together keep breastplate and helmet on the shoulders, overcoming the lift of the air inside the dress. The shoes have lead soles, leather uppers and a brass toe cap provided with means for both lacing and buckling. The various items of the diver's outfit weigh as follows. Helmet with breastplate, 54 pounds. Shoes, 35 pounds. Belts with jock straps, 83 pounds. Dress, 18 and a half pounds. The total weight of the gear is 190 pounds. Before the diver is dressed, the dress itself must be checked to see that it is in good condition. The man assigned to this duty first checks the non-return valve for air tightness by inverting the valve in a low pressure air line. He then holds the end and water in this manner. He examines the exhaust valve for cleanliness. It springs for proper tension. The valve seat should be clean so that the valve will seat tightly. He checks the helmet port to see that the lenses are not cracked and are firmly in place and examines the faceplate for a proper fit. He moves the spitcock back and forth to find out whether it is stiff enough so that it won't accidentally open. He checks the helmet locking device for any defects, making sure that the lock fits into the slot and that the safety gate is properly secured by the cutter key. Then he treats the leather helmet gasket with neat foot oil to keep the leather pliable, thereby affecting a better seat. He checks the breastplate stud for proper fit. Then he tries out the wing nuts to see that they turn freely on the stud. And he notes that the number engraved on the breastplate clamp corresponds with that on the helmet, so identifying the equipment as belonging to one outfit. And that the clamps themselves fit properly. He tests the signal hatchet for its condition. Finally, he inspects the control valve to see that it is working with enough stiffness so that it won't be turned by accident. The dress is now ready to put on. To get the diver in it requires two tenders, men who must know every essential move and must work as a team so that no time is lost. These tenders are responsible for the diver's safety. If his dress is not properly adjusted, he will not be able to perform his assigned duties. It consequently behooves the diver as well to know every step in his dressing that he may be certain that all has been correctly done. First, he has prepared himself to be dressed. He wears his ordinary uniformed trousers and shirt to prevent chafing of his skin. In order to protect his feet, he puts on heavy woolen diving socks. And should he be going into cold water, he will don sick woolen underwear. In the meanwhile, the diver in charge of the diving operation takes his position to observe the dressing. The tenders assist the diver whenever possible in pulling on the dress. If the dress has cuffs, the diver should dip his hands in soap sud before placing his arms in the sleeve so that his hands will slide into the cuffs. The diver now holds the crotch of the dress up as far as possible while each tender laces one of the legs. Under no circumstances should lacing be avoided as has occasionally been practiced since it is an important factor in making the diver stable by preventing the legs from inflating. Lacing should be carefully tucked behind the flap, and each tender puts on a shoe, seeing that the buckles are outboard, so establishing that the shoe is on the correct foot. The shoes are laced tightly and then are buckled over the lacing to give a double protection, while the loss of a shoe at the bottom of the ocean can have serious consequences by shifting the center of the diver's buoyancy. One tender now places the breastplate cushion on the shoulders and pulls the bib up over it. For the greater comfort of the diver who by now is feeling none too comfortable anyway, only one tender should do this work. The other tender in the meanwhile has readied the breastplate. Once the cushion is in place, the tender slips the breastplate over the diver's head. The rubber collar is pulled over it from the front. The holes are slipped onto the stud, each tender working aside. Care must be taken to achieve a smooth fit, and so helps water tightness. To clear the breastplate for putting on the clamp, the hallowed ends are tucked in over the breastplate rim. Now the copper washer is placed over the studs at the breastplate clamp joint. These not only work for a more effective seal, but also prevents the breastplate clamp from tearing the collar. The breastplate clamps are put in place, attention being paid to the marking front, and are secured hand tight by the wing nuts. Then the wing nuts are tightened by the T-ring, one tender working from the front bottom to top, the other from the back, also from bottom to top. This guarantees a secure fit, keeping the collar from wrinkling. Care must be taken not to use too much force or the stud may be pulled out. The flange wing nuts at the joint are now set up. First the front, then the back, then the two sides, each tender taking the appropriate one. One tender tests all nuts with the wrench, and finally removes the nut for the control valve link so that the stud will be free to receive the link. It is always necessary to put this nut in place, however, in affixing the breastplate clamp to make certain the position and securing of the clamp. A tender now slips the jock strap onto the weighted belt to which a knife has already been attached. Together they cross the belt's shoulder straps, and each takes one into the belt in the middle of the shoulder strap. They place the belt against the diver's abdomen and lead the shoulder straps over his shoulder. The shoulder straps cross above the lower front stud of the breastplate. Pass outside of the top stud on each shoulder. Cross again above the lowest stud in the back, and buckle to the belt in the rear. This position of the shoulder straps is most important since only in this way can the belt be held firmly in place. And should the belt slip, the diver's center of buoyancy would change and he would be in grave danger. The belt is buckled and the loop in the jock strap is slipped into place. As the diver stands, he places his left hand over the control link stud to protect the tender who buckled the jock strap to the belt in front. This position is assumed so that when the diver stands, the jock strap is tight enough so that the breastplate exerts considerable pressure on the shoulder. The diver's lack of comfort is almost complete. If there are gloves, wrist straps are provided to keep the gloves from over-inflating. If the dress has cups, rubber tubing snappers are put on. The diver is now ready for his helmet. To prevent his falling overboard, one tender places a lifeline about the diver's body under the arm and believes it securely. The other tender grasps the breastplate under the diver's chin to protect it and assists him to the ladder. The diver climbs down the ladder until his head is in a convenient position for putting on the helmet. If this is to be diving from hand pumps, the pump should be started now to be in readiness when needed. If from a power pump, compressors will have been started at least 15 minutes prior to the dive to make sure they are properly warmed up. Before picking up the helmet, a tender leaves the lifeline over the left port to the front of the helmet and places the air hose over the right port. He lifts the helmet by the side port, holding the lifeline and air hose in place. The tender slips the helmet over the diver's head from the front and screws the helmet tight. As soon as the helmet is in place, the faceplate is open. And then both tenders secure the helmet in the back, dropping the regular helmet lock and putting the safety lock in place, making sure that the locking device is secure. One tender dips the lifeline under the diver's right arm and fastens it by the signal hatchet to the right front of the breastplate. At the same time, the other tender slips the control valve link bracket over the left floor stud and bolts it on tight, with the bracket extending in such a way as to put the control valve in position for the diver. He then fastens the hose to the left pad eye with the signal hatchet. As soon as the air control valve is in place, the diver tests his air supply and the tender sets the exhaust valve. The diver checks his telephone. Yellow diver testing, okay. How's it sound? Okay, yellow diver. Okay, button them up. When everything has been completed, the diver indicates that he is ready. The faceplate is closed tight. Ready to send them down? Okay, put him down. The safety line is removed and he's given the signal to enter the water by two taps on the top of the helmet. And now he is comfortable again as the buoyancy of the water takes the weight from his shoulders and feet. When his work is finished and he has ascended the ladder a convenient distance, the tenders put a safety line around him and secure it. They open the faceplate, cast loose the telephone and lifeline cable, dipping it out from under his arms. Unfasten the air hose and control valve from the breastplate, slipping them under his arms. They remove the helmet. Once the diver is seated, they remove the safety line. Take off the belt. Then the wrist strap or snappers if used. Remove the shoes. Unbolt the breastplate. Pull the collar over the studs in front and then off the other studs working each to a side toward the back. One tender lifts off the breastplate. Together they unlace the legs. The pad is removed and the dress pulled off. One tender stows the dress properly and the diver goes about his business to cure in his knowledge of his dress and its use. A man who feels safe in the darkness of the lower water.