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On the Bottom
Hardcover
Technology & EngineeringBoatingNaval History
ISBN13: 9781025438580
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 388
Weight: 1.58
Height: 0.88 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
On the Bottom is a gripping first-hand account of one of the most challenging and significant salvage operations in naval history. Written by Edward Ellsberg, the officer who led the mission, the work details the heroic and grueling efforts to raise the sunken submarine S-51 from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Following a tragic collision in 1925, the S-51 came to rest 132 feet below the surface, a depth that at the time pushed the absolute limits of diving technology and human endurance.
Ellsberg provides a technical yet deeply human narrative of the divers and engineers who battled freezing waters, crushing pressure, and unpredictable weather to achieve the impossible. The work meticulously documents the innovative engineering solutions-including the use of massive pontoons and underwater cutting torches-that were developed on the fly to recover the vessel. On the Bottom stands as a landmark in maritime literature, illustrating the birth of modern deep-sea salvage techniques and the immense courage of the men who worked in the perilous environment of the ocean floor. It remains an essential record of ingenuity, perseverance, and the undaunted spirit of naval exploration and recovery.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
1 different editions
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On the Bottom: The Tale of the Dangerous and Ground-Breaking Salvage of the Sunken S-51
Ellsberg, Edward
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