Rene 12-54 scuba cylinder

[garyw90]

Bill, all of the tanks are convex.

The more that I think about this, the more it seems like there is a story here that needs to be told. I'm going to visit him next Saturday, and try to get more of the story from his perspective. Something along the lines of "what were you thinking putting a fire extinguisher tank on your back?" Since he worked for the Santa Monica Police Department, I was told that he dove off the Santa Monica pier for forensics, looking for weapons and other things related to crimes.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Gary et al

The smaller WKs were very popular in SoCal..They were all WW11 surplus items which were purchased for 7-8 dollars from 3 different firms, Palleys, Areomotive and DoBoys, all long gone.

The owner of Aeromotive told me that the smaller 60 Cuft were used in a Corsair and the larger ones were in B-29s. They were not used for breathing rather were filled with nitrogen and has something to do with the drop tanks on a Corsair and who know what on a B-29. Seems logical since most are dated the latter part of WW11, 1944 or 45.

All were wire bound which was some times removed other times not..very bouyant with the wiring removed about right with the wire binding in place.

After WW 11 the only reducing bushing of 1 to 1/2 inch that could be found were brass plumbers tappered pipe thread bushings with a WP of about 250 PSI which we used until Leo Burns discoved the oil industry bushings with a 10,000 PSI WP which became the standard for the OC divers.

About 1965 there was an reported "diving accident" in which a diver broke his arm diving win 38s. In those days all accidents were investigated...a diving instructor, a life guard and Dr.Tom Naguchi. Tommy Thompson was the LA Co Investigating instructor...He interviewed the victim and discovered while on the dock he picked up the twin 38s which had 250 PSI Brass bushing by the manifold --they blew out breaking the divers arm. Around tha time was when we went to the steel 10,000 PSI oil bushings.

The tanks which you display are idenitcal to the ones I owned..I recall selling them in 1960 while I was living in Anaheim..LA Co wanted all instructors to look offical, so away they went...I wonder if they could be the same tanks? Sold them to a young fellow probably 25 to 30..actually his girl friend purchased them for his birthday..FYI I was the 3d or 4th instructor in OC--long time ago.

Scratch the bushing to see if they are brass?

SDM

 

[garyw90]

Sam, thanks for the very informative history of those WKs. You did not sell them to my step-grandfather, because he would have been in his 50's in the 1960's. I checked the bushings on one of the small doubles and it appeared to be steel, it was silver once I scratched away the paint. There was a J-Valve in the bushing with a US Divers stamp on one side and a date that appeared to be 8-54 on the other. I didn't try to take the manifold off the tank to get a better look because I am sure that after all these years, it will not come easy.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Not mine!

8-54 is date of manufacture---August 1954...

I still wonder about your step dad..at 50 in 1960 he would have been one of the senior members of the OC tribe.. It was a very very small world then...we all knew each other by name or sight...and only three dive shops in all of OC, so I strongly suspect we have crossed paths-maybe once or often..

Do you have any documentation, brochures, paper of any description about him or dive operations?

SDM

 

[dead dog]

" The smaller WKs were very popular in SoCal..They were all WW11 surplus items which were purchased for 7-8 dollars from 3 different firms, Palleys, Areomotive and DoBoys, all long gone."

Sam, what memories you bring up. I spent a lot of time in the surplus stores of Orange County.
I got one my first 38 cu. ft. tanks from Palleys Surplus on Katella in Anaheim west of the RXR tracks on the north side of the street. East of the 5 freeway. The next score was from Long Beach Surplus on Garden Blvd. west of Beach Blvd., on the south side of the street. Got my second 38 tank there. These places were huge, would go on for blocks. The bands I got from the Aquatic Center on Harbor blvd. in Santa Ana. A friend Dick Spencer had an old tank rig with straps and harness to go with the tanks I acquired from Long Beach Surplus and Palleys Have two tanks now and need a valve to on it. I found a round high strength wood or plastic regulator (home made) with holes in the top can at Palleys with no hoses, but it had a tank valve on it. It was 90% finished. Bought some old hoses and mouth piece for it. Got some heavy brass plumbing equipment from a plumber I knew. He made the tank valve when I showed him what I was trying to do. I got my bushings from some rough necks in the Brea Hills oil filed where they were working on their oil rigs. Got the correct steel bushing to build my own set of doubles. We also got weight belts from Long Beach Surplus and Palleys. They were made from WW 11 Army belts which you would attach cartridge pouches to them, that you filled with lead weights from car tire shops. WOW! That's what we have today for weight belts, almost. Most of what you wanted to do you hand to make it yourself. Spear guns, floats, underwater camera housing you had to build them by your self. There were no stores to walk into like today and order what you need. I would like to go back to those days again, one more time.​

 

[Sam Miller III]

Knew and haunted the same stores...LB war surplus was owned by Do-boys..they went out of business in LB moved to OC and changed name. Recall the Surplus store on GG blvd..Spent a lot of time and $$$ there

Dick Spencer and I were room mates at one of the first DEMAs in LV-- every morning he had a slight cough and a open eruption on his back which I changed the bandage every morning-- I encouraged him to consult with his Doc..I feared CA..He had it and passed on about 6 months later..The Post script...Dick had a gold USD reg in box which he treasured. After he passed away a local diver contacted his daughter and said he had loaned Dick his gold reg and would like it back--she opened the shop and gave it to him!
The diver moved to Central America where he passed on a few years later at a very young age..something about Karma!

I use to do a dog & pony show to many of the SoCal clubs "The way it was." One item I displayed was my old cartridge weight belt which I had modified with a pin for a "Quick Release." A gentleman came up after the meeting and examined the belt as if he was looking at a fine watch. He wanted to purchase it on the spot-- which I refused. He then asked do you know what you have? of course a WW 11 cartridge belt--wrong! a pre-WW1 calvary belt, and proceeded to show me the slight differences and the Pre WW1 very fadded date==Still have it! Junk to some-- treasures to others

sdm

 

[captain]

Knew and haunted the same stores...LB war surplus was owned by Do-boys..they went out of business in LB moved to OC and changed name. Recall the Surplus store on GG blvd..Spent a lot of time and $$$ there

Dick Spencer and I were room mates at one of the first DEMAs in LV-- every morning he had a slight cough and a open eruption on his back which I changed the bandage every morning-- I encouraged him to consult with his Doc..I feared CA..He had it and passed on about 6 months later..The Post script...Dick had a gold USD reg in box which he treasured. After he passed away a local diver contacted his daughter and said he had loaned Dick his gold reg and would like it back--she opened the shop and gave it to him!
The diver moved to Central America where he passed on a few years later at a very young age..something about Karma!

I use to do a dog & pony show to many of the SoCal clubs "The way it was." One item I displayed was my old cartridge weight belt which I had modified with a pin for a "Quick Release." A gentleman came up after the meeting and examined the belt as if he was looking at a fine watch. He wanted to purchase it on the spot-- which I refused. He then asked do you know what you have? of course a WW 11 cartridge belt--wrong! a pre-WW1 calvary belt, and proceeded to show me the slight differences and the Pre WW1 very fadded date==Still have it! Junk to some-- treasures to others

sdm

Like this.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Mine has been packed way for years...As I recall from memory it was light colored like the middle center or maybe the top left. To me the untrained and disinterested they all look about the same to me..All I know was that mine was considered rare..I guess? Especially now since it is approaching or over 90 years old.

I was unaware you had only two interests diving & LSU football--opps a third interest your dear southern wife..Now I learn of the interest in cartridge belts !

sdm

 

[captain]

Roland Reviere's store in New Orleans that sold US Divers gear also was a army/navy surplus store. I used a cartridge belt I bought there as a weight belt also, just not a rare one. I found the picture on a military memorabilia web site.

 

[Sam Miller III]

My admiration of you dropped a notch ..
I thought you were an expert in US cartridge belts.

They were very popular on the left coast during the first Bill Barada dry suit (never dry suit) era & during the initial introduction of the wet suit in the mid 1950s.

We made a number of modifications to make the belt a quick release type - generally a mod to the protrubance for a pin to be pulled...Then a local diver/surplus dealer Garry Huth discovered the over center cam release and the suddenly became the standard of the tribe.

I recall that Gary advertised this belt which was blue (USN?) in SDM can't recall year.

(Did I ever mention that Sam IV and Bill Barada's grand daughter dated in college?) In So Cal we keep it in the tribe)

sdm