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| Several years back I was involved in an official salvage
effort to recover a sunken Naval aircraft in Lake Michigan. I was not as
involved as I would have liked - other commitments conflicted with many of
the search and research days. I was able to make the actual salvage
day, albeit as a general assistant (helped the divers, took photos, etc.)
The event was covered by all the major Chicago TV stations. The aircraft
salvaged was a Douglass SBD Dauntless, one of several found using records supplied by the Navy.
It was the best compromise of wreck condition and lake depth. Over 15,000 pilots trained on Lake Michigan during WWII on two training carriers (the USS Wolverine -IX64- and USS Sable -IX 81) - both converted tour boats! Unfortunately the person who headed up the salvage effort, Richard Race, passed away in early 2002, so I can't get a hold of the underwater photos or sidescan images. Although it is illegal to salvage these aircraft (unless you are working for the NAVY), some area divers have tried anyway. Others have simply left them on the bottom and gutted them. One remains on the bottom in a well known location, and is a favorite dive for local Scuba enthusiasts. You'll find it in the Rachel Carson Scuba Park. Interested in the carriers? See.... |
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| Underwater Photo From the Rachel Carson website. Visit them for details! | |
| Since the majority of these aircraft are in deeper water (100' plus) where it's cold, dark, and calm, they decay very slowly. The aircraft we salvaged had some minor deterioration on the Aluminum (it could probably be buffed out!), and a lot of crash damage. Amazingly, the prop still turned, the landing shocks worked, there was air in one tire, and the fuel was still flammable! | More on the Dauntless at THIS SITE. |
