Forgers of the Silent Service

John Holland
A school teacher born in Ireland, de-
signed the Navy s first submarine (Holland
VI), which the Navy purchased on 11 April
1900 and commissioned USS HOLLAND (SS-
1) on 12 October 1900. "The father of the
modern submarine."

Simon Lake
Competed with John Holland to
build the Navy 's first submarine. Although the
Navy did not purchase his submarine PRO-
TECTOR, it used some of Lake's inventions
in its submarines.


Emory S. Land
A naval architect, he specialized
in submarine construction and served as
vice chairman of the post WW1 U-Boat
Plans Committee and played a vital role
in designing the S-Class submarines during WW1

Allan McCann
Developed the submarine rescue
chamber or diving bell used to rescue 33
crewman/row the sunken submarine USS
SQUALUS, in 1939. McCann commanded
a submarine squadron during WWII


Charles Morris
Charles Morris, a New Jersey engi-
neer, helped John Holland design the Hol-
land VI. He served as shipyard superintend-
ing engineer during the construction of the
HOLLAND VI.

Charles B. Momsen
Inventor of the "Momsen lung "
which enables submariners to escape from
sunken submarines. More than eight used
this device to escape from the USS TANG
(SS-306) in October 1944. He commanded
two submarine squadrons during WWIL


Frank Cable
Frank Cable, a Philadelphia engi-
neer, served as test captain for the subma-
rine Holland VI during her initial sea trials.
Cable repaired the Holland V's motors after
she sank at pier side in 1897.

Lawrence York Spear
Superintendent of Construction at
the Crescent Shipyard where the Navy 's first
five submarines were built. He graduated
from the U.S. Naval Academy and served six
years before resigning his commission. He
was president of Electric Boat Company during WWII

Hyman G. Rickover
An Engineering Duty Officer, he
served as Director of Naval Reactors from
1949 to 1982. He provided the major im-
petus behind the development of nuclear-
powered submarines and surface ships.

William F. Raborn, Jr.
A Naval Aviator, he directed the
Polaris submarine ballistic missile program.

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