Salvage Operations - now and then

Salvaging of the Costa Concordia


reminded me of pictures of salvaging of the battleships sunk in Pearl Harbor
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My CO in the Navy, Captain Eric Swensen was an engineer in the Pearl Harbor operations told me something of these operations. Admiral Nimitz put Captain (later Vice Admiral) Homer N.Wallin in charge of what many feel was the greatest salvage job of all time. Pearl Harbor was a complete mess, with oil and bodies everywhere, but everything needed for salvage was in short supply. Among its accomplishments were the refloating of the battleships Nevada in February 1942, California in March, and West Virginia in June, plus the minelayer Oglala during April-July 1942. After extensive shipyard repairs, these four ships were placed back in the active fleet in time to help defeat Japan. A complicating factor (which limited their speed) was that California and West Virginia used electrical propulsion, and all the wiring, motors, and contacts had to be dried out and cleaned of salt water corrosion.Of course, the battleships sailed to fight again, while I believe the Costa Concordia will be scrapped.

Five other great salvage operations:
Gallery - Up she rises: Five monstrous moments of wreck salvage - Image 6 - New Scientist

The closest for extent was the salvage of the German High Seas Fleet:
Eclectica: Salvaging the German High Seas Fleet wrecks of Scapa Flow