Diver (454) Enlisted Personnel

Performs underwater salvage, construction, and demolition work in harbors, rivers, and ports.
Inspects gear before diving, checking valves, lines, connections, and suit. Patches own suit and maintains own equipment. Puts on suit and helmet with aid of helper. Enters water using ladder or platform and regulates air in suit by means of valves. Maintains contact with surface by lines and phone. Surfaces by increasing air in suit. Prepares vessels for raising by welding stanchions to hull and deck, cutting metal from vessel, jetting and excavating for lines, rigging, connecting pipes, and sealing compartments. Assists in constructing wharves and piers by bracing, sawing, and rigging heavy timber and by welding, cutting, bolting, and rigging structural steel. Demolishes vessels, wharves, and debris by drilling holes, using air tools, and placing and firing charges.
Must have knowledge of tides, currents, water pressure and diving safety rules. Must know fundamentals of ship construction and compartmentation of vessels. Must be able to give a good description of underwater conditions and to search for objects on the bottom.

Alternate nomenclatures:

  • Diver, First Class
  • Diver, Second Class
  • Master Diver
  • Salvage Diver
  • Salvage Master