Charles Bowers Momsen was born in Flushing, Long Island, New York, on 21 June 1896. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating with the Class of 1920 in June 1919. Following initial service in battleships, he was trained as a submarine officer and commanded three submarines in 1923-27. Following those commands, Momsen was assigned to the Bureau of Construction and Repair. In 1929-32 he was actively engaged in the development of a submarine escape breathing apparatus that came to be known as the "Momsen Lung".
During the remainder of the 1930s, he held positions in submarines and surface ships and was in charge of Navy Experimental Diving. In 1939, Commander Momsen was involved in the salvage of the sunken submarine Squalus. During World War II, he led two Submarine Squadrons, including service at sea as a "wolf pack" commander, and held other important staff and training positions. Captain Momsen was commanding officer of the battleship South Dakota in December 1944 - July 1945.
During 1945-51, Rear Admiral Momsen administered the Japanese merchant marine, was Commandant of the Naval Operating Base at Guam, served on the Navy's General Board and was Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Undersea Warfare. In May 1951, he took command of the Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, holding that position until June 1953, when he became Commandant of the First Naval District. He was Commander, Joint Task Force Seven from April 1954 until September 1955, when he retired with an increased rank on the basis of combat awards. Vice Admiral Charles B. Momsen died on 25 May 1967.
The guided missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG-92), 2004-____, is named in honor of Vice Admiral Momsen.
This page features photographs of Charles B. Momsen.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 47733 Lieutenant Commander Charles B. Momsen, USN Photograph taken 1 September 1934. Collection of Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, 1967. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 39KB; 585 x 675 pixels |
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Photo #: 80-G-629532 Rear Admiral Charles B. Momsen, USN Portrait photograph, dated 15 April 1953, when he was Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 52KB; 590 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 65031 Rear Admiral Charles B. Momsen, USN On board ship, circa the later 1940s or the 1950s. Donation of Mrs. Charles B. Momsen. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 61KB; 605 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 100126 Lieutenant Carlton Shugg, USN(CC), co-designer of submarine rescue chamber and designer of the New London submarine escape training tower; Lieutenant Norman S. Ives, USN, Commanding Officer of USS S-4 (SS-109); Lieutenant Charles B. Momsen, USN, developer of the submarine escape "lung"; and Chief Gunner Clarence Tibbals, USN, co-developer of the submarine escape "lung" and of the submarine rescue chamber. Photographed at New London, Connecticut, circa the Winter of 1928-29. The four men are listed from left to right in this view. Courtesy of Mr. Wallace Shugg, 1984. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 59KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 57334 Acting Secretary of the Navy Charles Edison (center) Reads a Letter of Commendation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to members of the USS Squalus (SS-192) salvage unit, in his Navy Department offices, 16 September 1939. Looking on are Commander Allan R. McCann, USN, (left) and Commander Charles B. Momsen, USN, (right). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 123KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 57333 Acting Secretary of the Navy Charles Edison (left) Reading Letter of Commendation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to several members of the USS Squalus (SS-192) salvage unit, in his Navy Department offices, 16 September 1939. The others present are (from left to right): Commander Charles B. Momsen, USN; Chief Metalsmith J.H. McDonald, USN; Chief Torpedoman W.H. Squire, USN; Ship Fitter First Class H.H. Frye, USN; Torpedoman First Class J.W. Thompson, USN; Lieutenant Karl R. Wheland, USN; Commander Henry Hartly, USN, and Commander Allan R. McCann, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 74328 General Board of the Navy Photographed in Washington, D.C., in November 1947. This print has been autographed by those present (from left to right): Colonel Randolph M. Pate, USMC; Rear Admiral W.F. Boone, USN; Vice Admiral Charles H. McMorris, USN; Admiral John H. Towers, USN; Rear Admiral Charles B. Momsen, USN; Captain Huffman, USN; Commander Lee, USN, and Captain Arleigh A. Burke, USN. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation; Collection of Admiral Arleigh A. Burke. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 122KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
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The following photograph shows an early example of the "Momsen Lung":
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 29 September 1999
New image added 27 January 2005