Charles Momsen
A relentless Navy innovator who invented the Momsen lung to save trapped submariners and then personally led a daring deep-sea rescue.
1896–1967 (age 71)·US Navy admiral, submarine rescue·Birthday: June 21·The Lost Generation
Biography
Charles 'Swede' Momsen was a submarine officer haunted by the silent, helpless deaths of sailors in sunken boats. After the S-51 disaster in 1925, where he could only watch as men died, he dedicated his career to defying the ocean's depths. His relentless tinkering in workshops and test tanks produced the Momsen lung, a rebreather bag that allowed crew to ascend slowly from a wreck. But he didn't stop at hardware. He pioneered the use of a diving bell, the McCann Rescue Chamber, and developed the entire doctrine for its use. In 1939, his theories faced the ultimate test when the USS Squalus sank off New Hampshire. Momsen took personal charge of the harrowing, days-long operation, using his chamber in perilous conditions to successfully bring 33 men to the surface from 240 feet down—a first in naval history. A problem-solver of boundless tenacity, he later contributed to deep diving with helium-oxygen mixtures, forever changing underwater salvage and rescue.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Charles was born in 1896, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1896
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1896Born
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1901Started school
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Became a teenager
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1912Could drive
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1914Could vote
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Turned 21
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 30
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 40
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 50
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 60
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 70
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1967Died at 71
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
Key Achievements
- Invented the Momsen lung, a submarine escape device that saved numerous lives.
- Personally directed the historic rescue of 33 crewmen from the sunken USS Squalus in 1939.
- Pioneered the operational use of the McCann Rescue Chamber for deep-sea submarine rescues.
- Was a leading advocate for and experimenter with helium-oxygen mixtures for deep diving.
- Awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal twice for his contributions to submarine safety and rescue.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Swede' came from his blond hair and Scandinavian appearance, though he had no Swedish ancestry.
He performed the first-ever test of the Momsen lung by escaping from a purposely sunk submarine at a depth of 100 feet.
Momsen also helped develop the 'Momsen March,' a stealthy underwater walking technique for divers.
He served as commander of the submarine squadron that included the USS Cuttlefish, one of the first modern U.S. fleet boats.
After WWII, he commanded the battleship USS South Dakota.
“The Navy doesn't want ideas; it wants results. I had to prove my idea would work.”
