Official "Man In The Sea Memorial Monuments Projects" Web Site 

Where you will get the up to date information on the "Man In The Sea Memorial Monument Project" as it develops.

Update, May 26,2008- HSPIG accomplishes the first phase of the survey at Washington Navy Yard with the help from Jeff West, Tom Hanna, Shirley Price.  This effort saved HSPIG $11,850 in expenses!  Thanks everyone for doing a great job!

Update November 1, 2007- HSPIG has sent in the check for the Subsurface Exploration And Geotechnical Engineering Services for the Man In The Sea Memorial Monument at the Washington DC Navy Yard to ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC. 

History- 

Our project began back in the fall of 2003 when we decided to create a Military divers forum, for all military divers to use for contacting one another and sharing their past diving experiences with others. After a month we decided to take up an idea that we had thought about some years ago while on a trip to Catalina Island in March of 1997. The idea of a military diver in a full hardhat configuration on the bottom of the sea, hence the "Man In The Sea Memorial Monuments" concept was created. 

Back in January of 2004, as fast as we could keep up with our site we had military divers joining, one Ex-Army Diver, Jeff West came on-board and we discussed the idea of the project with him, he was very excited and wanted to assist us in making this a reality. Mr. West took the ball and we collectively gathered supporters from all over the world, people in the military, individuals, diving groups, corporations, and others in the diving community who had a similar desire to see a diving monument erected. We later found out from Dr. Craven that as far back as 1978 and possibly earlier, various people thought of the idea of a “Jake” monument. Famous people in the diving community started sending us letters of endorsement of our project. As the year closed we had a web site design for the project and a committee to drive the project. As a non-profit 501c3 corporation it is in the public interest for us to provide these types of projects. 

We also have various other public projects we are involved with that involve military personal. In early 2005, Mr. West was able to recruit a bronze sculptor Jim Harrison Smith, to work up a small prototype of what the statue could be like. With the assistance from many people in the diving community, military and non-military we were on the way to getting these monuments being placed! 

Photos of the progress can be seen in the military divers photo albums on our home page. As additional active & retired military officers, diving associations worldwide and corporations came onboard for the project, one of the largest architectural firms in the country, HDR Architects joined the project in July 2005 and is leading the way to complete the architectural plans and working with the NAVY to get the final approvals for the monument at the Washington DC Navy yard. With co-operation from the Navy, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, Seals and various private citizens in the diving field around the world, we are pleased to provide you with this web site for honoring "All Military Divers". 

This monument from the beginning has had one sole concept, to be a monument to honor ALL Military Divers. The Memorial committee, along with feedback from the diving community, has determined that the initial project would be a Monument which will tentatively be a 10 ft tall Standing bronze MKV Diver "JAKE" on a pedestal. The committee (Architectural Committee) will decide on the sites (tentatively the Navy Yard and old Diving School, Washington DC on the Anacostia River Walk near the Kerry boat exihibit, as well as other sites of significant historical value to the diving community.) HSPIG along with HDR will submit formal plans, drawings and renderings to the facilities where these will be placed, for final approvals from government officials. There are some indications that individual donations may include bricks or small brick size markings with the donor’s names, which will surround the monuments and give recognition to Divers who trained, or have served at the monument location, as well as “Man and the Sea Memorial Monument Plaques” for ships and duty stations or individuals so designated. In the construction and placement phases of the "Monument" .

We will take into consideration and acknowledge all of those who have served their Country in the performance of their Military diving duties and memorialize historically significant Military Diving Locations or events. It is intended to allow the public to pay "Tribute" to all military divers and the deeds that have gone un-noticed for decades. Jim Smith prior Navy Submariner and renowned Bronze Sculpture Artist, has graciously donated thousands of hours to bring a real life representation of what a memorial monument would look like. He has completed numerous memorial bronze monuments for Government and local groups. 

We will be chronologically documenting this project for future publications. The photos of his progress are available on our Divers Photo Albums showing photographs of his progress on the memorial sculpture at as well as some of his works. The planning and architectural committee. If you would like to be on one of our boards, please send us a resume and we will have the board review it for approval. Your volunteering for this project supports these efforts, and if you have feedback for the group our contact is: Jeff West, at e-mail: maninthesea @hspig .org As an important part in history, this monument will help educate the public in the history of military diving that our country has participated in throughout decades of our country. This memorial will be an important educational feature for all those who pass by it and interact with its surroundings. It is expected that thousands of people each year will interact with the monument and its surroundings in the Washington Navy Yard on the Anacosta River Walk. 

Please feel free to ask questions and make suggestions about this project, we are here to be inclusive of all the people in the diving community. If you have made donations to us and do not see your name listed, please contact us immediately, or if you have made donations to some other group believing that your donation would support our efforts, please contact us. HSPIG welcomes all groups that would like to assist in this effort, may they be active or retired military, private citizens or corporations who would like to just help the project. Our other projects in formation are the the Seals project, the Army's project at Ft. Eustis VA, as well as others around the country where we can honor historical figures and sites in diving history