Robert Carlton Sheats (September 30, 1915 – March 9, 1995) was an American
Master Diver in the
United States Navy. He enlisted in the Navy in 1935 and retired in July 1966.[2]
Career
World War II
In 1941, while Sheats was serving as a First Class Diver aboard the submarine tender
USS Canopus in the
Philippines, the ship was severely damaged by Japanese planes during the
Battle of Bataan. After the ship was scuttled,[3] to prevent its capture by enemy forces, Sheats joined the ground forces defending
Bataan and
Corregidor. On May 6, 1942, Sheats and his men were captured and taken as
prisoners of war.[1][2][4]
During his imprisonment at Bataan, Sheats and several members of his team were pressed into service as salvage divers by the Japanese to recover silver coins worth over $8 million (in 1942) that had been dumped by a U.S. Navy vessel between Manila Bay and the island of
Corregidor when capture of the vessel by the Japanese was inevitable. He ensured that as few coins as possible were actually recovered, both to prevent them from falling into enemy hands and to prolong the project for as long as possible.[2][5]
Sheats and his men were prisoners of the Japanese for three years and four months in the Philippines and
Japan. They survived the
Bataan death march and transport to Japan aboard the Noto Maru, one of the infamous Japanese
Hell ships. After the
Japanese surrender, Sheats and his men were released on September 13, 1945.[2]
SEALAB
As a
Master Diver, Sheats was assigned to the
SEALAB I project, during which he ran the divers' topside support system.[6]
Sheats served as team leader of
SEALAB II's Team 3, living and working on the ocean floor for fifteen days.[6][7] Sheats celebrated his fiftieth birthday aboard SEALAB II. During decompression at the end of the project, Sheats experienced a mild case of
decompression sickness.[6] He received the
Legion of Merit for his SEALAB II service.[1][2]
Due to concerns about safety and the new management structure, Sheats declined to participate in the
SEALAB III project, during which civilian aquanaut
Berry L. Cannon was killed.[8] He later worked as a consultant in
Washington state until his death in 1995.[2]
Publications
Sheats, Robert (1998). One Man's War: Diving as a Guest of the Emperor 1942. Best Publishing Company.
ISBN0941332608.
Robert Carlton Sheats (September 30, 1915 – March 9, 1995) was an American
Master Diver in the
United States Navy. He enlisted in the Navy in 1935 and retired in July 1966.[2]
Career
World War II
In 1941, while Sheats was serving as a First Class Diver aboard the submarine tender
USS Canopus in the
Philippines, the ship was severely damaged by Japanese planes during the
Battle of Bataan. After the ship was scuttled,[3] to prevent its capture by enemy forces, Sheats joined the ground forces defending
Bataan and
Corregidor. On May 6, 1942, Sheats and his men were captured and taken as
prisoners of war.[1][2][4]
During his imprisonment at Bataan, Sheats and several members of his team were pressed into service as salvage divers by the Japanese to recover silver coins worth over $8 million (in 1942) that had been dumped by a U.S. Navy vessel between Manila Bay and the island of
Corregidor when capture of the vessel by the Japanese was inevitable. He ensured that as few coins as possible were actually recovered, both to prevent them from falling into enemy hands and to prolong the project for as long as possible.[2][5]
Sheats and his men were prisoners of the Japanese for three years and four months in the Philippines and
Japan. They survived the
Bataan death march and transport to Japan aboard the Noto Maru, one of the infamous Japanese
Hell ships. After the
Japanese surrender, Sheats and his men were released on September 13, 1945.[2]
SEALAB
As a
Master Diver, Sheats was assigned to the
SEALAB I project, during which he ran the divers' topside support system.[6]
Sheats served as team leader of
SEALAB II's Team 3, living and working on the ocean floor for fifteen days.[6][7] Sheats celebrated his fiftieth birthday aboard SEALAB II. During decompression at the end of the project, Sheats experienced a mild case of
decompression sickness.[6] He received the
Legion of Merit for his SEALAB II service.[1][2]
Due to concerns about safety and the new management structure, Sheats declined to participate in the
SEALAB III project, during which civilian aquanaut
Berry L. Cannon was killed.[8] He later worked as a consultant in
Washington state until his death in 1995.[2]
Publications
Sheats, Robert (1998). One Man's War: Diving as a Guest of the Emperor 1942. Best Publishing Company.
ISBN0941332608.