| Themes > Science > Earth Sciences > Oceanography > Research Vessels > Submersibles > Trieste > November 16, 1959 |
Guam, Marianas, November 15--The Navy set a new world depth record today when two scientists descended 18,600 feet into the Marianas Trench in the bathyscaph Trieste. The 70-ton blimp-shaped vessel broke the world record of 13,400 feet on its first deep dive in a series of explorations to gather scientific data in regions never before entered by man. The tests are jointly sponsored by the Naval Electronics Laboratory, San Diego, and the Office of Naval Research, Washington, as a part of the Navy's long-term global program of oceanographic and marine research. Dr. A.B. Rechnitzer and Mr. Jacques Piccard manned the Trieste in today's dive. Dr. Rechnitzer, an oceanographer on the staff of the Navy Electronics Laboratory, is in charge of the Navy's bathyscaph research program. Mr. Piccard, who with his father, Auguste Piccard, designed and built Trieste, is a consultant to the Office of Naval Research. Assisting the Trieste in making its historic dive were the ships USS Lewis (DE-535), commanded by Commander D.E. Packard, USN, and USS Wandank (ATAA-204), commanded by Lieutenant A.W. Cooley, USN. Both ships are under the operational control of the Commander Naval Forces, Marianas. |
|
|