Johnson Sea Link
Encyclopedia
Submersible
A submersible is a small vehicle designed to operate underwater. The term submersible is often used to differentiate from other underwater vehicles known as submarines, in that a submarine is a fully autonomous craft, capable of renewing its own power and breathing air, whereas a submersible is...
built by Edwin Albert Link
Edwin Albert Link
Edwin Albert Link was a pioneer in aviation, underwater archaeology, and ocean engineering. He is most remembered for inventing the flight simulator, commercialized in 1929, called the "Blue Box" or "Link Trainer", which started the now multi-billion dollar flight simulation industry...
in 1971. Link built the submersible at the request of his friend Seward Johnson
John Seward Johnson I
John Seward Johnson I was one of the sons of Robert Wood Johnson I . He was also known as J. Seward Johnson, Sr. and Seward Johnson...
, founder of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution.
In 1973 the craft was trapped for over 24 hours in the wreckage of the sunken destroyer . Whilst the craft was eventually recovered by the rescue vessel A. B. Wood, two of the four occupants perished: 31-year-old Edwin Clayton Link, the son of Edwin Link, and 51-year-old diver Albert Dennison Stover. The submersible's pilot, Archibald "Jock" Menzies, and ichthyologist Robert Meek survived.
In 1975, a second Johnson Sea Link was constructed by the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution.
In 1977, the JSLs were used to examine the wreckage of the ironclad Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
, .
The submersible and its research program were featured in a Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
story in 2005.