James F. Cahill
Encyclopedia
James F. Cahill was one of the pioneers of scuba diving, in essence helping to create the sport and industry.
He was the first man to scuba dive
in New England
waters, one of the first Navy SEALs and a co-founder of National Association of Underwater Instructors
(NAUI) according to published accounts.
One account stated, "Cousteau invented (scuba diving), but Cahill introduced it to the United States."
in the United States Navy
in both World War II
and the Korean War
, and joined one of the first classes of the U.S. Underwater Demolition Team
, code-named the "Amphibious Rogers", which preceded the formation of the Navy SEALs. He served as head of Boston Harbor
security for the U.S. Navy. At the end of his active naval career, Cahill transferred to the Virgin Islands
to participate in the filming of the motion picture "Frogmen" and took an active lead in developing the commercial and recreational scuba diving industry. Cahill is widely credited as being the first person to scuba dive in New England waters, and possibly on the entire US Eastern seaboard.
In the 1950s, Cahill founded the Hui Kai scuba training camp on Children's Island
in Salem, MA along with his business partner Buster Crabbe
, the then well-known original Tarzan
actor. He also served as a consultant to the actor Lloyd Bridges
during the popular television series of the late 1950s "Sea Hunt
." Cahill then founded and served as the president of New England Divers, Inc., headquartered in Beverly, MA which became the nation's first and largest chain of commercial scuba diving stores and training centers
. Cahill expanded New England Divers' operations to locations throughout the United States.
As a pioneer of scuba diving, he assisted many state and local police departments, as well as the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Air Force
in early underwater investigations, rescue missions and training sessions, many of which received broad media coverage. One case that received headlines at the time, was the Clark murder case, where Cahill recovered the murder weapon that had been discarded in the Merrimack river
. The Navy also hired Cahill to photograph the Texas Towers
100 miles (160.9 km) off the Atlantic Coast
—and he was placed in charge of the recovery mission for the Texas Tower 4 collapse, 200 feet (61 m) below sea level, coordinating both Navy and New England Divers personnel in the mission. Cahill and his team made more than 25 dives to 200 feet for the mission.
Cahill was also active in promoting scuba diving, serving as a member of the founding Board of Directors of the National Association of Underwater Instructors
(NAUI) along with Jacques Cousteau. He also served as Chairman of the Massachusetts Governor's Committee to study scuba diving; served as a member of the Massachusetts Governors Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission; and as a member of the Massachusetts Governors Civil Defense Advisory Commission. In 2003, the industry acknowledged Cahill's early leadership when the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences presented him with the distinguished NOGI award for Science. This elite diving award, which was first presented in 1960, is voted on solely by the surviving prior recipients. It was presented to Cahill for his reputation as a leader and innovator within the scuba industry.
Cahill was also Harbormaster for the City of Salem
from 1981 to 1991, and the main subject of the book, Diary of the Depths.
He was the first man to scuba dive
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
waters, one of the first Navy SEALs and a co-founder of National Association of Underwater Instructors
National Association of Underwater Instructors
The National Association of Underwater Instructors is a non-profit 501 association of SCUBA instructors. It was officially CE and ISO certified in May 2007 in all three diver levels and both instructor levels.-History:...
(NAUI) according to published accounts.
One account stated, "Cousteau invented (scuba diving), but Cahill introduced it to the United States."
Career
Cahill served as a LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in both World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and joined one of the first classes of the U.S. Underwater Demolition Team
Underwater Demolition Team
The Underwater Demolition Teams were an elite special-purpose force established by the United States Navy during World War II. They also served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War...
, code-named the "Amphibious Rogers", which preceded the formation of the Navy SEALs. He served as head of Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
security for the U.S. Navy. At the end of his active naval career, Cahill transferred to the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
to participate in the filming of the motion picture "Frogmen" and took an active lead in developing the commercial and recreational scuba diving industry. Cahill is widely credited as being the first person to scuba dive in New England waters, and possibly on the entire US Eastern seaboard.
In the 1950s, Cahill founded the Hui Kai scuba training camp on Children's Island
Children's Island
Children's Island, known as "Cat Island" prior to 1996, is an island off Marblehead, Massachusetts and is part of the City of Salem, Massachusetts. The YMCA of the North Shore has owned and operated a children's day camp on it since 1955. The first written record of the island was in 1655 when it...
in Salem, MA along with his business partner Buster Crabbe
Buster Crabbe
Clarence Linden "Buster" Crabbe was an American athlete and actor, who starred in a number of popular serials in the 1930s and 1940s.-Birth:...
, the then well-known original Tarzan
Tarzan
Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...
actor. He also served as a consultant to the actor Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Vernet Bridges, Jr. was an American actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. Bridges is best known for his role of Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt, the most-popular syndicated American TV series in 1958...
during the popular television series of the late 1950s "Sea Hunt
Sea Hunt
Sea Hunt was an American adventure television series that was aired in syndication by Ziv Television Programs from 1958 to 1961 and was popular in syndication for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced...
." Cahill then founded and served as the president of New England Divers, Inc., headquartered in Beverly, MA which became the nation's first and largest chain of commercial scuba diving stores and training centers
Dive center
A dive center is the base location where sports divers usually start scuba diving. Divers commonly refer to dive centers as dive shops. It is normally a shop selling diving equipment equipped with a gas compressor to fill the cylinders. Classrooms are sometimes available...
. Cahill expanded New England Divers' operations to locations throughout the United States.
As a pioneer of scuba diving, he assisted many state and local police departments, as well as the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in early underwater investigations, rescue missions and training sessions, many of which received broad media coverage. One case that received headlines at the time, was the Clark murder case, where Cahill recovered the murder weapon that had been discarded in the Merrimack river
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
. The Navy also hired Cahill to photograph the Texas Towers
Texas Towers
The Texas Towers were a set of off-shore radar facilities used by the United States Air Force during the Cold War that were modeled on the offshore oil drilling platforms first employed off the Texas coast...
100 miles (160.9 km) off the Atlantic Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
—and he was placed in charge of the recovery mission for the Texas Tower 4 collapse, 200 feet (61 m) below sea level, coordinating both Navy and New England Divers personnel in the mission. Cahill and his team made more than 25 dives to 200 feet for the mission.
Cahill was also active in promoting scuba diving, serving as a member of the founding Board of Directors of the National Association of Underwater Instructors
National Association of Underwater Instructors
The National Association of Underwater Instructors is a non-profit 501 association of SCUBA instructors. It was officially CE and ISO certified in May 2007 in all three diver levels and both instructor levels.-History:...
(NAUI) along with Jacques Cousteau. He also served as Chairman of the Massachusetts Governor's Committee to study scuba diving; served as a member of the Massachusetts Governors Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission; and as a member of the Massachusetts Governors Civil Defense Advisory Commission. In 2003, the industry acknowledged Cahill's early leadership when the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences presented him with the distinguished NOGI award for Science. This elite diving award, which was first presented in 1960, is voted on solely by the surviving prior recipients. It was presented to Cahill for his reputation as a leader and innovator within the scuba industry.
Cahill was also Harbormaster for the City of Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
from 1981 to 1991, and the main subject of the book, Diary of the Depths.