DIVE FLAG--One man's involvement

[kjvander]

May I be the first to say, I'm much more concerned with raising awareness among boaters of the significance of a dive flag than where it came from.

+1

 

[Thalassamania]

They are very different issues, both of importance. Informing the boating public of what the dive flag means is a safety problem, finding out where it came from is on for the historical record. If you are not interested in the history, that's fine, no one says you have to be, but that doesn't mean that those who are interested in history are any less interested in safety than you are.

 

[mike_s]

It doesn't really matter what you (or I, or Sam) think. The fact is that most of the "record" such as it is, credits Nixon with the flag. Doc's explanation makes sense to me, and I have no reason to disbelieve, but nailing it down for posterity requires some form of documentation.

1. Credit that is given can be wrong.
2. I've seen no such "credits" (documentation). (from either side to be fair)
3. Refusing to research possible leads for historical accuracy reflects poorly upon the "historian".

but nailing it down for posterity requires some form of documentation.

I agree.

 

[Lobstah Slayah]

I have to agree with Mike_s on this one. Documentation is what is needed. Hell, I could claim that my father worked with Cousteau on the original regulator but without documentation the claim is just that. A claim.

 

[Thalassamania]

1. Credit that is given can be wrong.
2. I've seen no such "credits" (documentation). (from either side to be fair)
3. Refusing to research possible leads for historical accuracy reflects poorly upon the "historian".



I agree.

I agree with all that you say.

The fact is that Nixon has been given the credit for many years. That may be deserved or undeserved, but that's the situation. There are all sorts of things that have been written, many that are preserved in Sam's files that credit Nixon with the dive flag, and I have seen many of these. With proper documentation I expect that Sam will change his conclusions, absent said same, there is no reason that he should. For me, all things being equal I tend to favor the inventor types over the marketeers ... but then y'all knew that anyway.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Mr. Sam Miller:

Mr. Sam Miller:
__________________

Had lunch with Jock Cousteau, took a deep sub to 800 ft. It don't get much better than that. Maybe retirment ?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I recall his first name was "Jacques" which is French not "Jock" which is Scotish.
Most who knew him called him "Zeek."

I agree on retirement...Never ever will I practice again..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FYI...From the Vintage thread. My relationship with Zeek:


"I first became aware of Jacques Cousteau in the 1940s via James Dugan's article describing "Cousteau divers" who used gills of compressed air via the "Cousteau diving lung." After WW 11 there were surplus stores on every corner so I went about construction a Cousteau Lung using WW11 air craft LP walk around bottles.. Needless to say a complete failure but documented for posterity in an early issue of the "Historical diving magazine."

I first met JYC in the early 1950s after he and a group of SoCal investors purchased US Divers from Rene Buzzo. At that time he was known as a ex French navy officer who was a film maker turned businessman and and certainly almost unknown out side the diving world. He gathered a very small group of local divers for a reception and brain storming session- to met him and to discuss what was needed in new diving products.

In 1963 Cousteau presented the world with his third academy award winning movie "The World with out sun" a documentary on his Conshelf experiment photographed entirely underwater. Although Cousteau was some what famous at that time he had not invaded the homes of the world via TV.

The west coast Premier was at a small theater on a side street some where in Hollywood area. About 200 attended, most who knew each other from the local beaches or via the then strong and still very prestigious LA County Underwater Instructors Association. Needless to say it was not a big hit with the general public who were fascinated with NASA and the space program.

On 3 November 1965 we once again crossed paths at social event at which time he inscribed his book the Silent World to me.."Por Samuel Miller, un fansastic du monde du Silence, tres confident, JY Cousteau, 3 Nov 65 (???) --Often wondered what that book is currently valued? .So far as can be determined one of his first inscriptions of the Silent World in the US or the world. A little over a year later he joined with David Wolper who introduced him to the world via "The undersea world of Jacques Cousteau." The rest is history....

Later on when I was a consultant to US Divers and the official US Divers company SCUBA diving instructor JYC aka "Zeek" and I crossed paths many times, in meetings in the hall ways and once in the parking lot. As his books were published he inscribed them to me.. I now have seven of his books personally inscribed to me.

I also own and have read all of the books written about JYC ; Axel Madsen, Cousteau,an unauthorized Biography, Richard Munson; The Captain ans his world, the very rare James Dugan book, Undersea Explorer and the most recent Brad Madsen book Jacques Cousteau; The Sea King.

Over thirty years ago my son who at 12 years old was large for his age completed the week long US Divers Equipment repair course. As the youngest person to complete the course he was recognized by JYC & the then president of US Divers, John Cronin with a set of US Divers equipment several US Divers shirts and an a inscribed copy of JYC's latest book. I don't think JYC had much influence on him but he did become a ER/Hyperbaric Doctor

At the time of his death I was living in Orange County, California and was interviewed by the OC register news paper which resulted in a quarter page article about my then forty year association with Cousteau. Most recently, just last week, I was interviewed by the local TV and news paper about JYC and his environmental impact upon the oceans and the tragedy now occurring in Louisiana.

Yes I have been on the Calypso on several occasions when it was in California.

In 1963 I was involved in DDS Beaver program and was invited as a participant and observer of the US sea trials of the Cousteau's DDS the "Denise" when it was exploring the La Jolla canyon for SIO.

I met and was seated next to his son Philippe and his wife at an LA County banquet- It was an interesting evening..We chatted about children and the problems associated with raising children. I was later to learn that Tommy Thompson, a neighbor and fellow LA County UW instructor had restated the meeting and arranged the seating. Sadly the Friend ship never blossomed since Phillip tragegicly lost his life a few months later.

I met his brother J. M. on several occasions but never really connected with him as I did the rest of the family.

I met his first wife on two occasions. In the current vernacular " She was a kick!" The title of the current french book about her says it all "

In the past 40 or so years I have also collected editions of the Silent World from all over the world which has been printed in 23 flanges...So far I have the English (UK), the German, the Russian and several I have not identified as to the county or language...I am still collecting so if you have a unique edition and would like to trade or sell, please PM me.

The collection is not for sale... Some day it will become the property of son Dr. Sam IV, who is a veteran diver "

About all I have to say about that...

Now, how about your 800 foot sub ride with JOCK?

sdm

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Mr. Sam Miller:
__________________

Had lunch with Jock Cousteau, took a deep sub to 800 ft. It don't get much better than that. Maybe retirment ?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I recall his first name was "Jacques" which is French not "Jock" which is Scotish.
Most who knew him called him "Zeek."

I agree on retirement...Never ever will I practice again..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FYI...From the Vintage thread. My relationship with Zeek:


"I first became aware of Jacques Cousteau in the 1940s via James Dugan's article describing "Cousteau divers" who used gills of compressed air via the "Cousteau diving lung." After WW 11 there were surplus stores on every corner so I went about construction a Cousteau Lung using WW11 air craft LP walk around bottles.. Needless to say a complete failure but documented for posterity in an early issue of the "Historical diving magazine."

I first met JYC in the early 1950s after he and a group of SoCal investors purchased US Divers from Rene Buzzo. At that time he was known as a ex French navy officer who was a film maker turned businessman and and certainly almost unknown out side the diving world. He gathered a very small group of local divers for a reception and brain storming session- to met him and to discuss what was needed in new diving products.

In 1963 Cousteau presented the world with his third academy award winning movie "The World with out sun" a documentary on his Conshelf experiment photographed entirely underwater. Although Cousteau was some what famous at that time he had not invaded the homes of the world via TV.

The west coast Premier was at a small theater on a side street some where in Hollywood area. About 200 attended, most who knew each other from the local beaches or via the then strong and still very prestigious LA County Underwater Instructors Association. Needless to say it was not a big hit with the general public who were fascinated with NASA and the space program.

On 3 November 1965 we once again crossed paths at social event at which time he inscribed his book the Silent World to me.."Por Samuel Miller, un fansastic du monde du Silence, tres confident, JY Cousteau, 3 Nov 65 (???) --Often wondered what that book is currently valued? .So far as can be determined one of his first inscriptions of the Silent World in the US or the world. A little over a year later he joined with David Wolper who introduced him to the world via "The undersea world of Jacques Cousteau." The rest is history....

Later on when I was a consultant to US Divers and the official US Divers company SCUBA diving instructor JYC aka "Zeek" and I crossed paths many times, in meetings in the hall ways and once in the parking lot. As his books were published he inscribed them to me.. I now have seven of his books personally inscribed to me.

I also own and have read all of the books written about JYC ; Axel Madsen, Cousteau,an unauthorized Biography, Richard Munson; The Captain ans his world, the very rare James Dugan book, Undersea Explorer and the most recent Brad Madsen book Jacques Cousteau; The Sea King.

Over thirty years ago my son who at 12 years old was large for his age completed the week long US Divers Equipment repair course. As the youngest person to complete the course he was recognized by JYC & the then president of US Divers, John Cronin with a set of US Divers equipment several US Divers shirts and an a inscribed copy of JYC's latest book. I don't think JYC had much influence on him but he did become a ER/Hyperbaric Doctor

At the time of his death I was living in Orange County, California and was interviewed by the OC register news paper which resulted in a quarter page article about my then forty year association with Cousteau. Most recently, just last week, I was interviewed by the local TV and news paper about JYC and his environmental impact upon the oceans and the tragedy now occurring in Louisiana.

Yes I have been on the Calypso on several occasions when it was in California.

In 1963 I was involved in DDS Beaver program and was invited as a participant and observer of the US sea trials of the Cousteau's DDS the "Denise" when it was exploring the La Jolla canyon for SIO.

I met and was seated next to his son Philippe and his wife at an LA County banquet- It was an interesting evening..We chatted about children and the problems associated with raising children. I was later to learn that Tommy Thompson, a neighbor and fellow LA County UW instructor had restated the meeting and arranged the seating. Sadly the Friend ship never blossomed since Phillip tragegicly lost his life a few months later.

I met his brother J. M. on several occasions but never really connected with him as I did the rest of the family.

I met his first wife on two occasions. In the current vernacular " She was a kick!" The title of the current french book about her says it all "

In the past 40 or so years I have also collected editions of the Silent World from all over the world which has been printed in 23 flanges...So far I have the English (UK), the German, the Russian and several I have not identified as to the county or language...I am still collecting so if you have a unique edition and would like to trade or sell, please PM me.

The collection is not for sale... Some day it will become the property of son Dr. Sam IV, who is a veteran diver "

About all I have to say about that...

Now, how about your 800 foot sub ride with JOCK?

sdm

Does anyone know what brought all this out

Tragedy in Lousiana How about the rest of the region that is home to the Gulf of Mexico. Seems to me Texas, Missippi, Alabama and Florida are kinda left out.

Cool story but not sure what it has to do the the dive flag.

 

[mike_s]

Does anyone know what brought all this out

just Sam trying to "fluff his resume" and discredit Dockery ..... his "competition" in the inaccuracy of his story.

Sam has done some cool things in his life. I will give him credit for that.

Cool story but not sure what it has to do the the dive flag.

Exactly....

 

[Sam Miller III]

Read Dockery's frist post & second post---He made the statement ...

" Mr. Sam Miller:
__________________

Had lunch with Jock Cousteau, took a deep sub to 800 ft. It don't get much better than that. Maybe retirment ?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I only replied to his statement and incorrect spelling of Jacques and advised him of my relationship..Suggest that you read it....Nothing more -- nothing less..

SDM

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Read Dockery's frist post & second post---He made the statement ...

" Mr. Sam Miller:
__________________

Had lunch with Jock Cousteau, took a deep sub to 800 ft. It don't get much better than that. Maybe retirment ?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I only replied to his statement and incorrect spelling of Jacques and advised him of my relationship..Suggest that you read it....Nothing more -- nothing less..

SDM

I think that's just his signature line Sam. That's how I saw it anyway. I also saw the spelling but He is 80 and openly admits he has problems posting here. I thought he hit the send button before he actually typed his message.