HEADQUARTERS FOURTH AIR FORCE  ( X:wkn )
Office of the Special Service Officer
San. Francisce, California

August 25, 1942

_ PHYSICAL TRAINING)
BULLETIN _ )
‘NUMBER 6)

“SWIMMING IN THE OPEN SEA

1. -Hundreds ef casualties have already been suffered by Air Force per-
sonell in this war through lack of swimming ability and through lack of know-
ledge concerning safety methods under adverse gwimming conditions. |

2, All personnel of all units, particularly those about to go overseas
and those combat units now operating over water, shoultl be instructed in the
material contained in this. Bulletin, |

3, Where swimming facilities exist on or near the base, unit commanders
should insure that all non-swimmers be given elemerttary swimming instruction.
All personnel should have actual practice and instruction, or least verbal in-

struction, in open sea swimming methods and precautions, :

4, The following material was extracted from a Memorandum issued by the
United States Naval Training Station, Great Lake, Illinois, and was written by
Roger C. Larson, Sp l/c, after a comprehensive study of the subject?

‘THE DANGEROUS SEA ANIMALS

In tropical waters there are sharks, barracuda and physalia ('Port-
Ugese Man-of-War' ) that are a danger to a man forcad to take to the open sea.
to save his life. :

. Of the many types of sharks only on? is recognized as voracious (a man-
eater)... That is the tiger or leopard shark, His method. of attack depends upon
his degree of hinger and the amount of visible blood, if any.

If a ship is torpedoed, tho commotion of the explosion will attract shark
in the vicinity and thus increase the danger.

A man's first aim woon being forced to abandon ship or being thrown dnto
the water shouldbe to get at least 50 yards away from the ship to make certain
he will not be drawn down by suction as the ship makes its final plunge, After
this he must determine: (1) how long he is going to have to remain afloat;

(2) what sea animals are around; (3) how close his shipmates are; and (4) what
is floating nearby that can be used to hang on to, ae

" SHARKS

Because the action of the shark and barracuda are alike, this menace can
be taken up first. Swim quietly and slowly to avoid being spotted by these

fe ae