Honolulu in Honolulu County, Hawaii — Hawaiian Island Archipelago (Pacific Ocean)

Submarine Rescue Chamber (SRC)

Part of the greatest undersea rescue of all time

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, November 26, 2025

1. Submarine Rescue Chamber (SRC) Marker

Inscription. On 23 May 1939, USS Squalus (SS-192) flooded and sank 240 feet to the floor of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New Hampshire. Twenty-six men drowned, but 33 took refuge in the forward compartment and banged out Morse code on the ship's hull.

Submarine rescue vessel USS Falcon (ASR-2) sailed to the calculated location of Squalus with an SRC on board. Its inventors, Lieutenant Commander Charles Momsen and Commander Allan McCann, boarded Falcon to help. It was the first and only time an SRC was used in a rescue operation.

The nine-ton chamber slowly submerged to the disabled submarine. Battling time and extreme depth, a diver connected a cable from the SRC to Squalus's hatch. Four trips and 40 hours after Squalus sank, 33 grateful sailors were safely ashore in New England.

This SRC is from USS Florikan (ASR-9).

Photo caption: Trapped sailors aboard Squalus entered the diving bell that brought them safely to the surface where they were taken aboard rescue ship Falcon. Squalus sank off the New Hampshire coast.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 21° 22.144′ N,

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157° 56.315′ W. Marker is in Honolulu, Hawaii, in Honolulu County. It can be reached from Arizona Memorial Road, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11 Arizona Memorial Road, Aiea HI 96701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor and Historic West Oahu.

Globally, it is in North America,

Polynesia,

the Pacific Ocean,

North Pacific,

the Pacific Rim,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bofors 40MM Quad Gun (here, next to this marker); A Desperate Measure (a few steps from this marker); Inside a Kaiten (a few steps from this marker); Top Secret Kaiten: Suicide Weapon (a few steps from this marker); Battle Stations Surface! 31 July 1944 (a few steps from this marker); USS Parche (a few steps from this marker); Mark 27 Torpedo (a few steps from this marker); Mark 37 Electric Torpedo (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Honolulu.

Also see . . . USS Sailfish (SS-192).

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, November 26, 2025

2. Submarine Rescue Chamber (SRC) Marker

Overview:

USS Sailfish (SS-192), was a Sargo-class submarine of the United States Navy, originally named Squalus. As Squalus, the submarine sank off the coast of New Hampshire during test dives on 23 May 1939. The sinking drowned 26 crew members, but an ensuing rescue operation, using the McCann Rescue Chamber for the first time, saved the lives of the remaining 33 aboard. Squalus was salvaged in late 1939 and recommissioned as Sailfish in May 1940.

(Submitted on January 26, 2026.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 23, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 52 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 23, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.