Foreign Relations of the United States, The Soviet Union, 1933–1939

711.00111 Armament Control/Military Secrets/2053

The Chargé of the Soviet Union (Chuvakhin) to the Secretary of State

The Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Union of: Soviet Socialist Republics presents his compliments to the Secretary of State and has the honor to inform him that the authorities of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, impressed by the effectiveness of the rescue equipment developed by the United States Navy for use in saving the personnel of sunken submarines,⁴ which may be looked upon as a humanitarian rather than a military development, are desirous of obtaining as much information as is available from the appropriate authorities of the United States concerning the following equipment:

a) The construction, operation and means of attaching the “Rescue Bell.”

b) The construction and operation of the “Momsen Lung.”

c) The apparatus necessary for the proper training of the personnel in the use of the above equipment.

The Chargé d’Affaires has the honor further to state that should the authorities of the United States find it possible to make available this information the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics would expect to purchase in the United States some or all of the items listed.⁵

Washington , August 24, 1939.

4. The United States submarine Squalus had sunk on May 23, 1939, off the Portsmouth, N. H., harbor. During the following days, by the use of new rescue equipment, 33 members of the crew had been saved.
5. On October 26, 1939, the Secretary of State transmitted to the Soviet Chargé a copy of the pamphlet entitled Submarine Safety—Respiration and Rescue Devices, which the Navy Department stated contained the information requested.