This color film of the Japanese Surrender was taken on 2 September 1945 by Commander George F. Kosco, USN. In 2010, the Kosco family restored the film and kindly presented the NHHC with a copy of the film. Original film is silent.
Archive for the 'Wars' Category
1 August, 2011 -
This begins the final week of excavation on the 2011 USS Scorpion Project! The team will work together this week to continue to investigate the wreck, map the site and recover artifacts. The team was pleased to welcome 7 staff members on site from NHHC Commemorations and gave them a tour of the barges and explained the details of the archaeological operation.
A diver recovers the starboard cathead.
2 August, 2011-
Today, the archaeology team recovered two important pieces of the ship’s architecture which they believe to be ”catheads.” Wooden vessels commonly had a pair of these thick, L-shaped beams incorporated into either side of the bow (one portside, one starboardside). One arm of the “L” projected out over the water and allowed sailors to raise and lower the anchor without causing damage to the side of the ship; the catheads were also strong enough to carry the heavy anchors suspended over the water while the ship was underway. The starboard cathead recovered from the site is in quite good condition and still has the iron components intact…a rare find and an important discovery!
Archaeologists examine the iron block recovered from the wreck site.
3 August, 2011-
Another interesting find today! The team recovered an iron block from the site; the archaeologists hypothesize that it may have been used as ballast. Sailors often placed heavy material such as stone or metal into the hold of a ship to help stabilize and balance it while underway; the ballast could be moved about the hold as needed to compensate for any changes in the weight distribution of the vessel. Before excavation took place, a magnetometer survey was conducted on the wreck site; several strongly magnetic anomalies were detected…one of which may have been this block!
4 August, 2011-
Today, the UAB dive team spent most of the day near the stern of the vessel measuring and mapping the area. Unlike the bow, the stern is a bit disarticulated with no real structure. When the Chesapeake Bay Flotilla was ordered scuttled, historical accounts are unclear as to how it was actually done. Firsthand accounts from 22 August, 1814 report that the British troops marching on Bladensburg were able to see flames in the distance (presumably from scuttling the Chesapeake Bay Flotilla); this may indicate that rather than puncturing the ships’ hulls to sink the vessels, sailors burned or placed kegs of gunpowder aboard and exploded them to prevent British capture. Although archaeologists have not observed charring on the architecture of the stern, the absence of an intact stern when the bow is so solidly intact, suggests that gunpowder may have been the method used to scuttle the ship. More research will need to be conducted before a solid conclusion is determined.
- Dr. Julie Schablitsky, MSHA, holds the glass pharmaceutical bottle recovered from the wreck site.
5 August, 2011 -
An exciting artifact was recovered today: a small, cylindrical glass bottle with a slightly rounded foot and a flared lip. The bottle is pale green in color, measures approximatly four inches and likely held some type of medicinal liquid or ointment. This bottle is nearly identical to those recovered by Donald Shomette in the original investigation of the wreck in 1980. As flagship of the Chesapeake Bay Flotilla, USS Scorpion would have likely had a surgeon on board; the bottle will join other previously recovered medical artifacts such as a tooth key and surgical scissors, which are on display in the National Museum of the United States Navy on the Washington Navy Yard. The bottle has been brought back to the Underwater Archaeology & Conservation Lab at the Washington Navy Yard for further analysis and conservation.
A pair of surgical scissors recovered from the wreck site.
6 August, 2011 -
More exciting artifacts recovered today! In the morning, the team first recovered a pair of scissors. The scissors appear to be made of an iron alloy and are in remarkably good condition. Because of their small size and very fine, sharp blade, such scissors were likely part of a surgeon’s kit. This pair bears a resemblence to another recovered during the 1980 excavation, however the blades on this pair are straight. Later on in the afternoon, the team recovered a small stoneware jug. One of the most exciting details about the jug is that it was recovered with air inside; which may have been produced as the contents of the jug decomposed over time. The team managed to trap the air within the jug following recovery and may be able to chemically analyze it using a process called gas chromatography to determine the original contents of the container.
At the end of the day, the team began to backfill the parts of the wreck where they had been working throughout the project. Backfilling refers to the process of redistributing the previously removed sediment back around the wreck. It is important that the site remain covered until the next and final phase of the Scorpion Project; the thick clay and sediment help protect and preserve the ship and its contents beneath the river bed.
As the 2011 field season draws to a close, UAB sincerely thanks the Naval History & Heritage Command for its continued support of the USS Scorpion Project, and partners Maryland Historical Trust and Maryland State Highways Administration for their hard work and cooperation. UAB also thanks nautical archaeologists Heather Brown and Bradley Krueger, who joined the UAB team for the project, and also our fantastic summer interns who worked on site: Sarah Cahlan, Melissa Campbell, Ryan Frazier, Maria Grenchik, Chris Kelly, John Rees and Marcus Schweinfurth. Thanks to all who came to visit us on site and followed our progress on the blog. Stay tuned for the next phase of the project and to see the artifacts as they progress through the conservation process!
Posted by Underwater Archaeology in Archaeological Conservation, Navy, Ships, UAB, USS Scorpion, Uncategorized, Underwater Archaeology, War of 1812 | 1 comment
A deep water diving helmet equipped with lights. Photo: Alexis Catsambis
After more than two weeks in the North Sea aboard USNS Grasp, amid cold winds, unpredictable weather and swells of nearly 16 feet, the NHHC Underwater Archaeology Branch (UAB), along with partners from Ocean Technology Foundation, Naval Oceanographic Office, SUPSALV, Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 and the US Naval Academy, continues to comb the ocean floor for the remains of John Paul Jones’ Revolutionary War flagship Bonhomme Richard.
An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in its cradle prior to launch. Photo: Alexis Catsambis
The search zone encompasses several hundred nautical miles, so to locate Bonhomme Richard, which may lie several hundred feet beneath the frigid waters of the North Sea, the team utilizes remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). ROVs are tethered to the research vessel via electrical cable and towed, whereas AUVs are programmed to survey specific coordinates and then allowed to collect data as they navigate independently through the water. The ROVs and AUVs are equipped with sidescan sonars, multibeam echosounders and magnetometers which scan the sea floor and deliver data to the archaeologists aboard the command vessel. The combined data collected from this equipment helps archaeologists to clearly differentiate between debris items and potential archaeological sites or “targets”. So far, the expedition has conducted 3 remote-sensing surveys and 13 AUV missions.
Divers preparing for a deep water descent. Photo: Alexis Catsambis
The Bonhomme Richard survey expedition is also an important training opportunity for Navy divers. To date, there have been 14 diver investigations launched, many of which have focused on targets resting at more than 200 feet deep. Such depths exert enormous pressure on the human body, so instead of regular compressed air, divers must use a specially-formulated mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, and/or helium. The ratio of the gasses is essential to the safety of the diver; if the mix is off by even a little, it can be very hazardous, so it is important that divers be well-trained when undertaking mixed-gas diving. To further protect themselves from the extreme pressure and cold, the divers wear a full deep water diving helmet which locks into place, and several warm layers beneath a dive suit designed to keep them dry while working underwater.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Posted by Underwater Archaeology in Archaeological Conservation, Bonhomme Richard, Navy, Revolutionary War, UAB, Uncategorized, Underwater Archaeology | 2 comments
Dr. Robert Neyland, UAB, records measurements and observations from his dive.
Monday, 18 July 2011-
Today, we were back in the Patuxent trenches continuing our efforts to delineate the boundaries of the suspected USS Scorpion wreck. So far, the team has been successful in uncovering ship timbers in test units placed on the upstream and downstream extremities of the site. These test units allow archaeologists to assess the vessel’s degree of preservation, articulation, and orientation within the river. One of the vessel’s features that we are still trying to determine is which end of the wreck is the bow and which end is the stern. Since Scorpion and the rest of the Chesapeake Flotilla were possibly burned when scuttled in 1814 to prevent British capture, this may have severely damaged the ends of the structure making it difficult to delineate bow from stern. More excavation and analysis is needed before a positive identification can be made.
Tuesday, 19 July, 2011-
An exciting discovery! Archaeologists working at the north end of the wreck site have determined that it is likely the bow of the ship. One main reason for this hypothesis is the discovery of a “breasthook,” a thick, curved piece of wood that is typically placed across the stem (the very foremost part of a ship) to strengthen it and unite the bows on each side. So far, all of the planking and architectural structure of the ship uncovered by the divers appear to be very strong and solid; after nearly 200 years sealed beneath the thick sediment of the Patuxent, the majority of the vessel appears to be quite sound and very well-preserved.
Immediately following each dive, the team records notes, measurements and observations while underwater. They also produce a detailed sketch of the submerged wreck site based upon the new areas exposed during the dredging. Updated sketches are a necessity to the project as more and more of the wreck is uncovered. The UAB team is currently working to further expose and analyze the southern end of the wreck which, after the discovery this morning, is most likely the stern of the vessel.
Iron strop with wood fragment (presumably part of a deadeye) recovered from the wreck site. Image courtesy of MSHA.
Friday, 22 July, 2011-
A very interesting artifact was recovered today! Archaeologists working near the north end of the wreck (now believed to be the bow) recovered a double-looped iron ”strop” which typicaly holds a circular wooden piece called a “deadeye,” an essential part of the rigging of a sailing vessel. The deadeye was so called by sailors because of the way it’s three holes resemble the eyes and nose of a skull. The strop was transported back to the NHHC Underwater Archaeology & Conservation Lab and, after further analysis, appears to contain a small wood fragment of the deadeye it once held.
Despite the extreme heat, the team managed to conduct several dives and continue to delineate the extent of the vessel. In the afternoon, underwater visibility improved enough for Dr. Neyland to take down the underwater video camera and film near the southern end of the wreck.
Anthracite, a high-luster, clean-burning coal commonly used aboard ships. This piece was recovered from the Scorpion project wreck site.
Saturday, 23 July, 2011-
Another interesting artifact was recovered today: a piece of anthracite. Anthracite is a very hard, compact variety of coal that is very lustrous. Although difficult to ignite, anthracite was the preferred coal for use aboard ships as it burned cleanly and produced little smoke. With their considerable expertise, archaeologists are able to sift through several meters of sediment and distinguish very small, seemingly insignificant artifacts like this as potentially important parts of the wreck site. The team continued to excavate key points on the wreck site and sketch the architecture of the ship as more and more of the vessel is revealed. Stay tuned for updates next week!
Posted by Underwater Archaeology in Archaeological Conservation, Artifacts, Navy, UAB, USS Scorpion, Uncategorized, Underwater Archaeology, War of 1812 | 1 comment
A UAB archaeologist enters the water in a specialized suit designed to keep him dry while diving.
Monday, 11 July -
Today was a very exciting day for the project as archaeologists from UAB, MHT and MSHA began active excavation of the wreck believed to be War of 1812 block sloop Scorpion, captained by the US Navy hero Joshua Barney. While the river bottom in this stretch of the Patuxent is only between 6-8 feet deep, the strong current makes excavation quite difficult for the divers. To help combat this, and to conduct a systematic excavation, the team moved the aluminum shoring boxes assembled last week by US Navy divers into place on specific points of the wreck. Once placed, the divers swim inside these boxes and use a suction system or “dredge” to carefully remove debris over the wreck until they reach the deck of the vessel. Before archaeologists can analyze the wreck, they must dredge an additional 6-8 feet of organic debris or “overburden” from on top of the wreck.
- A UAB diver holds the stadia rod in place for the MSHA surveyor on shore.
Tuesday, 12 July -
Today, a very important part of the project took place. A representative from Maryland State Highway Administration came on site to help us survey specific points on the wreck. While the surveyer positioned himself on shore with a device called a total station, a diver on the wreck site swam a long pole or “stadia rod” equipped with a prism at one end to specific points on the wreck. The diver holds the stadia rod in place while the total station emits a lazer which bounces off the prism and sends back readings in three dimensions. By analyzing this data collected from strategic points along the wreck, the surveyer can accurately geoposition the wreck in the real world. This data is extremely important because in 2012 for the bi-centennial commemoration of the War of 1812, we are planning to build a coffer dam around the wreck site. We must know precisely where the extremeties of the wreck lie so the coffer dam does not damage any part of the wreck.
- Artifact Recovered from USS SCORPION
Friday, 15 July -
Today, archaeologists at the north end of the site recovered an interesting artifact! A slightly curved piece of wood, notched at either end and measuring approximately 23 inches long, 4 inches wide and 1 inch thick, was tentatively identified as a barrel stave (i.e. the vertical wooden slats that make up a barrel). Barrels and casks of this type were used commonly during this period to transport both dry and liquid goods. The convex side of the stave (i.e. what would have been the interior side of the barrel) is darker than the outside, which could suggest, among other things, that the barrel was sealed with a material to help prevent its contents from leaking. The artifact was brought back to the Underwater Archaeology and Conservation Laboratory at the Washington Navy Yard for treatment. What role this particular piece played onboard the naval vessel is not yet clear, but hopefully further analysis will be able to reveal its former contents.
Modern material recovered from the wreck site helps archaeologists understand the depositional history of the wreck site.
Saturday, 16 July -
Another busy day on site as archaeologists continued to actively dredge the overburden on top of the wreck. As sediment and overburden is cleared from the site, we have encountered quite a bit of contemporary cultural material (i.e. modern trash). Some of the items discovered thus far include several beer cans, a fluorescent light bulb, coffee can, golf ball, and a clay pigeon. While these items are not associated with the shipwreck, they are useful tools archaeologists use to see how the riverbed has changed over time. For example, the particular design on the coffee can likely dates from the late 1960s – early 1970s; since the can was found several feet beneath the current river floor, this means that at the time the can was tossed into the Patuxent, the river floor was likely much deeper than it is today and possibly certain parts of the wreck may have been exposed.
Posted by Underwater Archaeology in Artifacts, Navy, USS Scorpion, Uncategorized, War of 1812 | no comments
July 21st is the 188th anniversary of a victory over Cuban pirates at Cape Cruz by two schooners in Commo. David Porter’s squadron and a landing force commanding by Lt. David G. Farragut. Although unfamiliarity with the difficult terrain prevented Farragut’s party from capturing the pirates, they did take and destroy the pirate’s stronghold and their cache of loot.
The destruction of the pirate stronghold at Cape Cruz was one in a series of triumphs by Porter’s squadron against the buccaneers. These operations crippled the pirates, who had menaced shipping and trade in the area for years, but in the end it was Porter’s successor, Capt. Lewis Warrington, who ended the threat by securing cooperation from Spanish governing authorities and with their assistance eradicating the pirates. Thus, success at arms was only secured by diplomatic success.
On July 17th, the NHHC Underwater Archaeology Branch (UAB) along with partners from Ocean Technology Foundation, Naval Oceanographic Office, SUPSALV, Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MSDU) 2 and the US Naval Academy, set out to continue the search for one of the Navy’s first fighting vessels, Bonhomme Richard. Captained by the father of our Navy, John Paul Jones, the ship was lost in 1779 after engaging in combat with HMS Serapis off the Yorkshire coast of England. Although Jones emerged victorious, Bonhomme Richard was irreparably damaged. After transferring all men and supplies safely to the captured Serapis, Jones set the beleaguered U.S. frigate adrift to sink into the North Sea. Its final resting place has remained unknown ever since.
USNS Grasp as seen from one of its tenders while conducting AUV operations over four neighboring targets. Photo courtesy of Alexis Catsambis.
Over the next three weeks, the expedition will be conducted aboard Safeguard-class USNS Grasp. The team on deck will use survey data collected from remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped with side-scan sonar and multibeam echosounder equipment to investigate targets of interest gathered from previous surveys. The side-scan sonar and multibeam echosounder relay data to create an image of the sea floor using sound waves; if a particular target looks promising, archaeologists will investigate it more closely and, if possible, deploy divers to take an even closer look.
Officer-in-Charge Ray Miller and midshipman Joseph Walter discuss the Swordfish AUV that is being prepared for the first launch of the mission. Photo courtesy of Alexis Catsambis.
Stay tuned for more updates from the field!
Posted by Underwater Archaeology in Archaeological Conservation, Bonhomme Richard, Commemorations, Museum, Navy, Revolutionary War, Ships, UAB, Uncategorized, Underwater Archaeology | 3 comments
Today, the Naval History and Heritage’s Command’s Underwater Archaeology Branch (UAB) began mobilization for Phase II of the USS Scorpion Project. This collaborative project brings together the UAB, the Maryland Historic Trust (MHT), and the Maryland State Highways Administration (MSHA) for the purposes of archaeologically investigating the remains of the War of 1812 block sloop Scorpion. Under the direction of Drs. Robert Neyland (UAB), Susan Langley (MHT), and Julie Schablitsky (MSHA), field work was initiated in the summer of 2010, which included a remote sensing survey and hydro-probe testing to locate the shipwreck, followed by limited test excavation to expose portions of the ship itself. The team returns to the upper Patuxent River to expand on the work completed the previous year and continue exploring this important piece of US maritime history.
The first step of mobilization included assembling and transporting the operations platform up the river to the project area. Given that site has no direct land access, a floating work station adjacent to the wreck is necessary to allow researchers a place to coordinate and execute diving operations; research personnel will be transported to and from the site each day by boat. The floating platform will also serve as an in-field conservation lab in the event small artifacts are recovered during excavations. The research team was aided in this endeavor by the U.S. Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), who assembled the barges together and lifted them into the water. Once floating and docked, SUPSALV outfitted the platform with supplies needed for the excavation.
Moving the Barge Upstream to the Scorpion Site
Thursday- 7 July 2011
Day two of mobilization began with transporting the operations platform to the wreck site. With the help of a large tow boat, courtesy of SUPSALV, and the assistance of U.S. Navy Divers, the crew pushed the immense structure upriver to the wreck site. Upon reaching the site, which took approximately two hours, SUPSALV secured the barges to the riverbed using barbed metal poles, or “spuds”, and large Danforth anchors.
Over a meter’s worth of alluvial overburden and debris cover the Scorpion wreck site. This layer of organic material must be properly removed in order to access the historical layers of deposition deep within the river. Instead of exhausting the dredged material straight downriver, which could have a potentially significant environmental impact, it will be pumped into a sediment curtain placed just downstream of the site. A sediment curtain is an in-water containment unit that consists of flotation devices that sit on top of the water with long curtains on each of its sides extending down to the riverbed. Navy Divers assembled the curtain and moved it to its desired location downstream of the wreck site with the help of their dive vessel. Once in place, the divers secured the curtain to the riverbed using a combination of heavy anchors and rods, and made sure all points were thoroughly fixed to the bottom.
Navy Divers Working to Place the Sediment Curtain
Friday- 8 July 2011
Today had a very lively start as the USS Scorpion Project’s principal investigators were interviewed by a film crew from PBS Maryland. Drs. Robert Neyland (UAB), Susan Langley (MHT), and Julie Schblitsky (MSHA) answered questions for a forthcoming documentary highlighting the archaeological investigations of the shipwreck. The project heads were asked a variety of question relating to the identity of the wreck, the proposed method of excavation, and future plans for the site.
While filming took place, the Navy Divers assembled large square aluminum shoring boxes near the dock at Wayson’s Corner. These boxes are meant to protect divers from the constantly shifting river bottom and prevent excavation units from refilling with sediment once dredging operations begin. Before the shoring boxes can be placed, a footprint must be cleared in the overburden layer so that the box has a solid foundation to sit on. From there, divers will slowly investigate the contents contained within the box as they excavate deeper and deeper into riverbed toward the wreck.
Saturday- 9 July 2011
Archaeologists determined primary objectves for the day included laying a site baseline and removing overburden. The baseline, which runs longitudinally over the centerline of the shipwreck and is graduated in imperial units, serves as a reference point for researchers throughout the course of excavations. The ends of the baseline will be marked with GPS and geo-referenced into the surrounding environment, so that the crew knows exactly where they are in the river. The team chose the location of the baseline after reviewing extensive remote sensing and hyrdo-probe data collected in the weeks preceding the project.
While the baseline was being set, the Navy Divers investigated a magnetic anomaly to the northeast of the wreck that appeared on the remote sensing survey. Using a hand-held magnetometer and a probe, divers encountered a hard contact several feet beneath the river bottom. Tentatively identified as either metal or stone, this unknown target may prove to be part of the flagship Scorpion.
With excavation planned for next week, the upcoming days are sure to be busy and exciting… stay tuned!
Posted by Underwater Archaeology in Navy, UAB, USS Scorpion, Uncategorized, Underwater Archaeology, War of 1812 | 2 comments
