WHOI_logo Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
A Guide to the David M. Owen Papers, 1942-1991

Manuscript Collection MC-17
11 boxes (7 lin. ft.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Biographical Information

Scope and Content Note

Administrative Information

Arrangement

Folder List


Biographical Information

Dave Owen was born and brought up in Saco, Maine. He became interested in oceanography through a family friend who was a member of the scientific staff of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He joined the organization in 1946 after attending Bates College and serving as a radar operator with the U.S. Navy. Although he had no previous scientific training, he became a scientific observer on board the Atlantis. In the winter of 1947-48, Owen took part in a six month expedition on board the Atlantis to the Mediterranean Sea. Always interested in photography, he was the logical choice to operate the newly developed deep sea camera designed by Dr. Maurice Ewing. During subsequent years, Owen made many improvements in deep sea underwater photographic equipment, including the development of stereoscopic equipment. His photographs are among the most widely published underwater photographs in the world. It was only logical that Owen would become interested in shallow water diving techniques with self-contained equipment. Having taken courses required by the U.S. Navy, Owen became the chief underwater diver at WHOI and trained many other members of the staff. In 1955, David published A Manual for Free-Divers Using Compressed Air, one of the nations first scuba diving manuals and considered to be a classic today.

[Biographical information taken from the advertisement for Owen’s A Manual for Free-Divers written by Jan Hahn.]

Back to TOC


Scope and Content Note

This collection includes Owen’s articles, instructions, notes, correspondence, lectures, cruise files, manuals and catalogs dealing with his interests and activities in underwater photography, camera equipment, and diving.

Back to TOC


Administrative Information

Custodial History

Dave Owen's papers were originally housed in several file cabinet drawers. In the summer of 2000 the papers were boxed and put with other manuscript collections. Material from accessions 2009-38 and 2010-07 were stored in the Dive Office or Dive Locker until their transfer to the Archives.

Preferred Citation

David M. Owen Papers, 1942-1991. MC-17, "Folder Name." Data Library and Archives, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Acquisitions Information

The David M. Owen Papers were received in several accessions, the first on March 22, 1978, and the remainder as accessions 1991-2, 2009-38, and 2010-07. Terry Rioux transferred the material in acc. 2009-38 and 2010-07 from the Dive Locker and Dive Office.

Processing Information

Boxes 1 through 8 processed in 2003. First level processing of the material in accessions 2009-38 and 2010-07 was completed by David Sherman in March 2010.

Access

Open: materials are available for research.

Use

Copyright: Permission to publish material from the collection must be authorized by the Institution Archivist.

Separated Material

A large number of Owen's photographs can be found in Ibase, WHOI’s image management system.

Back to TOC


Arrangement

Arranged in a single series:

List of Series:
Subject Files

Back to TOC


Folder List

Subject Files 1942-1991 11 boxes (7 lin. ft.)
Scope and Content Note
The series includes Owen’s articles, instructions, notes, reports, clippings, curricula, annual reports, correspondence, lectures, cruise files, manuals and catalogs dealing with his interests and activities in underwater photography, camera equipment, and diving. Material after box 8 is from acc. 2009-38 and 2010-07.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged in the order in which they were received.
1 1 Owen, David M - Bibliography on Underwater Photography & Photogrammetry 1978
2 Owen, David M - Underwater Navigation Systems 1952-1991
3 Owen, David M - Owen Cruises, Chronological Order of Bottom Photography undated
4 Owen, David M - Cameras - Shallow Water Articles 1950-1966
5 Owen, David M - Commercial Diving Articles - Notes 1968-1979
6 Owen, David M - Dive Voice Communication 1953-1975
7 Diver Training, Instructions & Notes 1963-1977
8 Diver Training Underwater Technicians 1967-1980
9 Diving Suits 1971
10 Diving - Shallow Water, Articles 1953-1975
11 Diver Held Sonar 1961-1964
12 Diver hand-held sonar 1960-1971
13 Owen, David M - Face Mask angles in water 1956
14 Owen, David M - Goreau, Thomas - Correspondence 1958-1962
15 Owen, David M - Interesting New Products & Developments 1969-1977
2 1 Owen, David M - Man-In-The-Projects Articles 1962-1978
2 Owen, David M - Miscellaneous 1946-1978
3 Owen, David M - Correspondence Re: Manual for Free Diving by D. Owen 1955
4 Owen, David M - Navy Electronics Laboratory, R.F. Dill 1956-1959
5 Owen, David M - Correspondence (1 of 2) 1953-1977
6 Owen, David M - Correspondence (2 of 2) 1953-1977
7 Classified Materials Receipts 1955-1956
8 Owen, David M - Owen's Publications, Lectures & Papers 1950-1964
9 Owen, David M - Scuba Committee 1958-1961
10 Owen, David M - Diving Status 1953
11 Owen, David M - Optics-Wide angle Lens for Diving Camera 1954-1967
12 Owen, David M - Pinger – EG&G Notes & Standards 1960-1967
3 1 Perspective Grid Cameras - Seafloor Area undated
2 Pickling of Camera Cases, Equipment 1957-1971
3 Recompression Chambers 1953-1977
4 Recompression Chambers Correspondence 1961-1979
5 Recompression Chambers Information 1962-1978
6 "The Shark" & other articles on Sharks (1 of 2) 1952-1956
7 Sharks and articles on sharks & unknown monsters 1952-1956
8 School Underwater Training 1969-1978
9 Tape Recorder - Diving 1955-1977
10 Training Tank USN, New London Training 1956
11 Underwater Cutting & Welding 1968-1974
12 Underwater Photography 1954-1964
13 Asterias - Narragansett Bay - 2nd Cruise on Breslan Reflectivity July 11-12, 1963
14 Underwater Photography by J. Lamar Worzel undated
15 Photography of the Ocean Bottom and other articles 1946-1951
16 Hydrofoil Camera developed by WHOI 1942
17 Geological Information from Underwater Photographs 1943-1946
4 1 The Underwater Camera - Robot II Camera Case Drawing 1946
2 Explosive Camera - 30,000 F.P.S. WHOI Built 1949
3 Harvey Underwater Camera, Modified - WHOI Built 1951 1951-1952
4 Lloyd D. Hoadley - Edergton Time lapse Camera WHOI Built 1952 1955-1970
5 Rolliedoscope Stereo Camera. WHOI Built 1952 1952-1957
6 Thorndike 70-MM Camera (A0304E & 353) WHOI Built 1954
7 Camera/Transducer Fish Pictures - Suspedo WHOI Built 1955
8 Shallow Robot I Stereo Cameras, WHOI Built 1957
9 Old Camera Circuits, WHOI Built 1958-1959
10 Deep Robot-Star Camera, WHOI Built 1959
11 Robot Star Stereo Camera (A0301E & 350) WHOI Built 1960 1959-1963
12 Protection for Underwater Instruments 1960
13 Precisely Timed Pinger & Camera - Breslau: WHOI Built 1961
14 Accipiter Deep Sea Camera - Thresher - WHOI Built 1963
15 Campbell Grab W/Camera - Emery - WHOI Built 1963 1962-1963
16 "Big Jenny Deep Sea Camera - Thresher Search - WHOI Built 1963
17 T-Bird Deep Sea Stereo Camera, WHOI Built 1965
18 New Movie Corehead Camera, WHOI Built 1965 1965-1970
19 Deep Sea Corehead Camera, WHOI Built 1967 1969-1970
20 Pogo Camera. Tucholke - Hollister, WHOI Built 1971 1970-1973
21 Modified T-Bird EG&G Camera - (A-0300E & 349) WHOI Built 1971
22 Equipment Camera - Various Cameras (Photo only) 1952
23 Kodak Medalist II Camera 1946
24 Heiland Stronbonar I Camera 1950
25 Underwater Camera & Electronic Light Source - Manual - EG&G 1959
26 Traid 16 MM Pulse & Cine Data Recording Camera 1959-1968
27 U.S. Navy Diving Manual September 1, 1958
5 1 EG&G Underwater Camera & Light Source, Sonar Pinger - Manual July 1, 1960
2 EG&G Preliminary Instruction Manual - Sonar Pingers 1957
3 Underwater Television Camera - OEC 1963
4 EG&G Sonar Pinger Model 220 - Instruction Manual May 1, 1962
5 Owen, David M. - Atlantis 151 0 Mediterranean-Aegean-Atlantic December 1947-June 1948
6 Atlantis #155, East Coast - U.S., Bahamas May 1, 1949
7 Albatross III, cruises 23, 24 - Georges, Brown, Stellwagen Banks, So. Channel June-July 1949
8 Asterias, Stellwagen, Plum Isle, Cape Ann, SE., Brant Rock W., SE of Scituate /with Posgay August 1, 1949
9 Caryn #11 - Scattering Layer August 1, 1949
10 Caryn #14 – Schroeder Cruise, Georges Bank September 1, 1949
11 Albatross III, Cruise 35- Schroeder in Charge - So New England May 1, 1950
12 Asterias - Cape Cod Bay, (Barnstable - Scituate) November 17-19, 1950
13 Atlantis 169 - Gulf of Mexico 1951
14 Atlantis #170 - Gulf of Mexico 1951
15 Asterias - Wellfleet, observers - Owen & Posgay April 1, 1951
16 Alaska - (Hydro Charter?) - Eleuthera; Observers Hammond & Spencer September 26-29, 1951
17 R/V Gill - Eleuthera; Observers Owen & Hammond December 1, 1951
18 Caryn #28 - Off Nantucket, Scallop ground; for Posgay & Turner February 1, 1952
19 Hazel III - Boston; Owen & Hammond March-May 1952
20 Asterias "B" - Maine Coast, Penobscot Bay May 19-26, 1952
21 Asterias - Near Quissett Harbor, Time Lapse December 8-21, 1953
22 Asterias - Middle Ground-Vineyard Sound, Time Lapse #2 August 10-16, 1954
23 Asterias - Line So, Martha's Vineyard August 1, 1954
24 Caryn #89 - Caribbean Area February 24-27, 1955
25 Asterias - Sandy Neck, Barnstable, Cape Cod Bay: Time Lapse #3 November 10-13, 1955
26 Caryn (#105?) Nat. Lead 1956
27 Atlantis #240 - Cariaco Trench 1957
28 Bear #191 - Line So., Martha's Vineyard July 18-24, 1958
29 Bear #196 - N.Y. Bight (Nat. Lead Co.) September 16-17, 1958
30 Bear #220 - Off Nauset Beach, Wellfleet Firing Range August 5-6, 1959
31 Atlantis #251 - Blake Plateau 1959
32 Bear #241, 247 - Torpedo Range, Cape Cod May-June 1960
33 Bear #258 - Tonque of the Ocean, Bahamas December 1, 1960
34 Asterias - Buzzards Bay April 6, 1961
35 Atlantis #264 - Cape Cod - Bermuda (H. Sanders) May 20-25, 1961
36 Bear #266 - Off Chesapeake Bay, Cape Henny, etc. August 17-28, 1961
37 Atlantis #273 - Cape Cod - Bermuda (H. Sanders) September-October 1961
38 Atlantis # 277 - Woods Hole - Bermuda May 23-27, 1962
39 Asterias - Narragansett Bay, lst Cruise on Project - Reflectivity (Breslau) July 23-26, 1962
40 Bear #281 - Narragansett Bay, R.I., Breslau Reflectivity Studies August 7-10, 1962
41 Atlantis #283 - w/Sanders, Shelf South of Cape Cods August 27-31, 1962
42 Bear # 290 - South Cape Cod w/Breslau Reflectivity October 1-3, 1962
43 Bear # 291 Narragansett Bay entrance w/Nalwalk October 4-11, 1962
6 1 Bottom Contact Indicator, Edgerton-Cousteau 1954-1959
2 Owen, David M. - Rebifoff Torpedo Camera 1955-1967
3 Owen, David M. - Rolleidoscope Diving Camera - Rolliflex 1956-1958
4 Owen, David M. - Underwater Still Camera - Fenjohn 1957
5 Polaroid Camera Underwater Case - Benthos 1962
6 Bell & Howell - 16 MM Movie Camera 1963
7 Realist Stereo Camera - Realist Inc. 1963
8 Cine - Kodak - 100 Movie Camera 1964
9 MK-1 Survey Camera – EG&G Built 1964
10 Publications by Authors " B " 1962-1973
11 Publications by Authors " E " 1943-1960
12 Publications by Authors " F " 1972
13 Publications by Authors " G " 1954
14 Publications by Authors " H " 1948-1964
15 Publications by Authors " M " 1969-1973
16 Publications by Authors " O " 1950-1960
17 Publications by Authors " P " 1962-1975
18 Publications by Authors " S " 1946-1965
19 Publications by Authors " T " 1950-1962
20 Publications by Authors " U " 1962
21 Publications by Authors " V - W " 1951-1954
7 1 Catalogs - Alpine Pioneer 1964-1974
2 Catalogs - ANSCO 1962
3 Catalogs - Benthos 1974-1976
4 Catalogs – EG&G 1961-1969
5 Catalogs - Hasselblad 1972
6 Catalogs - Hydro Products 1967-1974
7 Catalogs - The Seahorse 1964-1974
8 Catalogs - Misc. Catalogs for Undersea Product 1953-1980
9 Catalogs - ORE undated
10 Catalogs - Rebikoff Underwater Products 1971
11 Catalogs - Subsea Products, Inc. 1970
12 Suggestions & Comments on Aqua-Lung Procedures for Oceanographic Diving 1953
13 U. S. Navy Diving Manuals July 1, 1963
8 1 EG&G Instruction Manual - Model 204 Underwater Camera and Model 214 Light Source September 1, 1963
2 EG&G Instruction Manual - Model 205 camera & Model 206 Light Source December 1, 1966
3 EG&G Instruction Manual - 207A Underwater Camera August 1, 1966
4 EG&G Instruction Manual - 280A & 281 A Underwater Battery Packs 1972
5 EG&G Instruction Manual - Model 208A Xenon Underwater Light Source 1972
6 U. S. Navy Diving Manual - Vol. - 2 January 1, 1977
9 1 Scripps Institution of Oceanography: Letters, Regulations, Forms, Training Outlines 1952-1988
2 Divers' Hearing, Ear Anatomy, Industry Standards 1957-1980
3 Evolution of the U.S. Coast Guard Commercial Diving Standard and its Relation to the OSHA Standard 1977-1979
4 History of Attempts to Obtain Air Compressor Facility for WHOI Diving Locker 1971-1977
5 Articles, Miscellaneous 1950-1987
6 Memoranda 1955-1982
7 Diving Accidents: Correspondence and Clippings 1955-1975
8 Selected Bibliography on Underwater Photography: Eastman Kodak Co. undated
10 1 Annual Summaries of Diving Activity 1971-2003
2 Barton, Otis: Letters to Dave Owen August, October 1979
3 Cousteau, Jacques: Letters and Form re: Jean-Michel Cousteau July-August 1956
4 Dive Logs and Proficiency Tests 1953-1958
5 Research Diving Methods in Higher Education: Survey of American Universities, Proposal, Scott L. Holman 1954, 1964
6 SCUBA Diving Course, Originals for Duplication 1965, 1971, undated
7 Requests for Information on WHOI Diving Program 1961-1977
8 WHOI Diving Regulator Repair Logs (Set Pertaining to ALVIN DSE&O Sect.) undated
9 Diving Gear, Miscellaneous undated
10 Contaminated Air, Results of Breathing: Reports, Articles, Case Histories 1956-1975
11 Automatic Decompression Diffusion Model Meters: User Reports, Correspondence, Technical Data 1961-1964
12 Diving Standards: Psychological Aspects 1958-1978
13 Cave Diving 1953-1980
14 Hannes Keller Deep Diving 1961-1966
15 Air Consumption [1953], undated
16 Precautions of Diving: Diving Physiology, Swimming, Diving Regulations 1953
17 Medical Problems Confronting Divers, Miscellaneous 1954-1979
18 Swimming: Survival in the Water 1955-1977
19 Cold Water Diving, Immersion, Hypothermia 1945-1979
20 Compressed Gas Association 1959-1964
21 Biological Diving Techniques 1973-1975
22 WHOI Diving Cards, Blank undated
23 Exposure Suits 1960-1968
24 Diving Tank Serial Numbers and Pertinent Information 1958-1964
25 State Regulations and Other Standards for Air Purity, Lab Procedures for Analyses 1959-1977
26 Memoranda and Letters re: WHOI Diving 1960-1986
27 Brief for the NSF Advisory Panel for Oceanographic Facilities re: WHOI Waterfront Facilities November 1963
28 Report for AINA Subcontract for SCUBA Apparatus on Drifting Station Alpha, Project Iceskate November 1958
29 WHOI Diving Regulations of 1971: Background 1960-1971
30 Institution Safety and Training Regulations for Diving 1955-1978
31 Course Outlines 1965, undated
32 WHOI Habitat Diving 1971
33 Diving Physiology - Submarine Escapes 1954, 1957
34 Diving Physiology - Nitrogen Narcosis, Miscellaneous Aspects of Diving 1953-1961
35 Liquid Breathing, Artificial Gills 1962-1967
36 Diving Physiology - Treatment of "Bends", Air Embolism and Clinical Cases 1953
37 Scripps Institution and N.E.L. Correspondence 1951-1955
38 Search and Recovery Diving 1962-1979
39 Office of Naval Research, London, Technical Report ONRL-55-55: Recent Developments in SCUBA Diving in Europe June 30, 1955
40 Diving During Capricorn Expedition: Technical Report May 29, 1959
41 Physical Examinations in Diving Certification 1954-1963
42 WHOI Diving Regulations, Training Applications, Physical Exam Form and Log Sheets 1971-1977
43 Texas Research Institute: Instructions for Air Sampling, Draft April 1977
44 Mixed Gas SCUBA and Oxygen Rebreathers 1963-1969
45 Aseptic Bone Necrosis (Dysbaric Osteonecrosis) 1973-1976
46 Drager Detectors undated
47 Diving Board and Diving Committee (Including History) 1970-1980
48 Proposal for Oceanographic Instrumentation: URI Graduate School of Oceanography [1984]
49 Cordy, R.N.: Diver Work Systems, Technical Note N-1358 October 1974
50 Submersibles (1 of 2) 1950-1978
51 Submersibles (2 of 2) 1950-1978
11 1 U.S. Navy Aqualung Training for WHOI Personnel: Correspondence 1952-1955
2 U.S. Naval Submarine Base, New London, CT 1955-1971
3 Owen, Dave: Correspondence (folder 2) 1962-1979
4 Calls to OSHA re: Interpretations of the OSHA Commercial Diving Standard 1977-1979
5 Diving Physiology (originals for copying) 1956-1980
6 Compressor Log September 1968-June 1978
7 Exercise or Stress EKGs 1970-1979
8 Report for Diving Board 1971
9 Report for Diving Board 1978
10 Report for Diving Board 1979
11 OSHA Medical Requirements 1976-1978
12 Coronary Artery Disease: Articles 1972-1979
13 Completed Basic Training Records, 1970 1970
14 Completed Basic Training Records, 1971 1971
15 Completed Basic Training Records, 1972 1971-1972
16 Completed Basic Training Records, 1973 1972-1976
17 Completed Basic Training Records, 1974 1971-1978
18 Completed Basic Training Records, 1975 1974-1976
19 Completed Basic Training Records, 1976 1975-1976
20 Completed Basic Training Records, 1977 1973-1977
21 Visitors Log 1957-1979
22 Diving Candidates Applications (prior to 1971) 1966-1979
23 MIT Graduate Students (Joint Program and Woods Hole Program) 1975-1977
24 WHOI Diving Problems/Jobs 1968
25 Diving Candidates: Background Information 1963-1970
26 Non-Employee Diving 1964-1977
27 Diving Statistics - WHOI 1952-1980
28 Divers' Cards 1965-1980
29 Geology and Geophysics Department Business, Reports, Resume 1972-1978
30 Diving Plans Filed 1973-1979
31 Diving on WHOI Cruises 1977-1979
32 Visiting Investigator Diving Documents 1976-1978
33 Harbison Cruise 1978-1979
34 Extra-Hazardous Insurance 1965-1977
35 Individual Divers Training Records 1965-1971
36 Visiting Divers: Queries 1973-1975
37 Insurance and Liability in the Diving Industry 1972-1977
38 Divers Physical Exam Standards, WHOI Exam Procedures 1953-1979
39 Progress in Diving Exam 1965-1971
40 Permissions for Diving at Otis A.F.B. Pool, Duck Pond, Wellfleet, Juniper Point, and Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1953-1978
41 Diving Physiology Articles 1953-1976
42 Diving Correspondence and Literature Received 1971-1977
43 Legal Aspects of WHOI SCUBA Diving: Releases, Extra-Hazardous Insurance 1954-1973
44 Chest X-Ray and Lung Problems Causing Obstructions 1961-1979
45 WHOI Diving Regulator Repair Logs (Diving Locker Set) 1971-1982
46 Miscellaneous Material to File 1958-1987