Erik and I have both mentioned the run-up to the deep dive attempt on the USS Cooper. According to the technical divers who planned the dive, the intent of the dive was to commemorate the men who died when the ship sank, not to set a world’s record. (Am I a cynic if I’m dubious? What do you think motivated the divers?)
In any event, the divers achieved both of these goals this morning at 8:22. Lead diver Rob Lalumiere reached the deck of the USS Cooper – at a depth of 633 feet – seven minutes after starting his descent. He placed a memorial plaque on the shipwreck to honor the officers and crew who perished when the Japanese torpedoed the USS Cooper during the Battle of Ormoc Bay (in the Philippines) in 1944. It took Lalumiere over 5 hours to complete all of his required safety stops and break the surface.
