DIVE FLAG--One man's involvement

[Thalassamania]

The absence of evidence is not evidence. What actual information is there that Nixon was the designer and the promoter? What actual evidence is there that Dockery was the designer?

While I do not find Dockery's account to make an air tight case it does raise serious questions; and, since it predates Sam's excellent file, if true it takes precedence.

 

[docdockery]

To Mr. Sam Miller:
This is Doc Dockery. I must admit I read Scuba Board only about one time per year and I do not know how to respond to the various departments there are. Your account of Mr. Ted Nixon being the "father" of the dive flag may by now be an accepted story of its existence, however, Mr Nixon did not create the flag. My wife and I created the flag for the very purpose it is being used for today. I needed a marker to designate my exact location while diving. I was using the Navy "baker" flag as my marker as we had done in the Navy. The baker flag simply implies "danger" and was not exactly what I wanted it to mean. The first change we made to the flag was to put the white strip across the exact middle of the flag. We later learned it was the flag of Austria and we changed the stripe to run diagonally from the top left to the bottom right. As I have said, Ted worked for us in our Diving business and later for U. S. Divers as a Rep. He sold flags for us over most of the North eastern states for a commission. I am now 80 years old and it does bother me a little when I read an authority, such as yourself, get the facts wrong. Respectfully, Doc Dockery

 

[Thalassamania]

Doc's claim is on the table ... it would appear to me to be as reasonable a claim as Sam's concerning Nixon. Is the no piece of remaining physical evidence to settle the issue once and for all?

 

[cwhitten]

This discussion (and the one from 2007, pointed out by Mike S.) has been fascinating! I am so glad that Doc Dockery himself is contributing.

Mr. Dockery, I know this is really a long shot, but would you happen to have any paperwork -- contracts, receipts, cashed checks -- showing that Ted Nixon was selling flags for you on commission?

Or maybe any records or advertisements that would show you were manufacturing the dive flag before February 1958? This would refute the timeline that Mr. Miller offers in his article "The Diver's Flag - The Genesis" at portagequarry.com/legendarticles/miller_072005.htm

 

[cwhitten]

Mr. Miller, would you consider scanning or photographing the page from the September 1957 issue of Skin Diver that mentions the flag?

In your history of the flag (portagequarry.com/legendarticles/miller_072005.htm) you write that "Ted B. Nixon announced that he was designing a flag ... and requested suggestions for designs that could be accepted nationally."

This is a little different than the account at skin-diver.com/departments/timecapsules/NuggetsofYesteryear.asp?theID=633 which says "The September 1957 editorial mentions a diver from Michigan whose club newspaper included articles on 'a divers flag that would...indicate the location of the underwater man....' Skin Diver asked for suggestions on the design of a national flag and created a raging debate."

Did Ted Nixon himself announce that he was designing a flag and request suggestions, or did the editors of the magazine mention the Dockery/Nixon flag and request suggestions?

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

This come up over a year ago. When Doc got involved Sam Miller vanished. I know from visiting Doc's old place of business Vortex there was a magazine cover and I believe a newspaper story hung on the walls of the place that stated that Doc Doccery was the inventor.

 

[inventor]

I have a problem with anyone putting 'Dr.' before their name and then consistently using 'in bedded' instead of embedded.

 

[mike_s]

I have a problem with anyone putting 'Dr.' before their name and then consistently using 'in bedded' instead of embedded.

It's ok... he even copywrighted "in bedded"

see (from post #1 of this thread)

copywright 2010, Dr Samuel Miller

 

[Thalassamania]

I really don't see where malapropism, grammar, or spelling discussions shed any light on the issue that is on the table.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

I really don't see where malapropism, grammar, or spelling discussions shed any light on the issue that is on the table.

No but its still funny.