TMCM(MDV) Robert (Bob) Sheats | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1915-09-30)September 30, 1915 |
| Died | March 9, 1995(1995-03-09) (aged 79) |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1935–1966 |
| Rank | TMCM(MDV) |
| Awards | Legion of Merit,Prisoner of War Medal[1] |
Robert Carlton Sheats (September 30, 1915 – March 9, 1995) was an AmericanMaster Diver in theUnited States Navy. He enlisted in the Navy in 1935 and retired in July 1966.[2]
In 1941, while Sheats was serving as a First Class Diver aboard the submarine tenderUSSCanopus in thePhilippines, the ship was severely damaged by Japanese planes during theBattle of Bataan. After the ship was scuttled,[3] to prevent its capture by enemy forces, Sheats joined the ground forces defendingBataan andCorregidor. On May 6, 1942, Sheats and his men were captured and taken asprisoners of war.[1][2][4]
During his imprisonment at Bataan, Sheats and several members of his team were pressed into service as salvage divers by the Japanese to recover silver coins worth over $8 million (in 1942) that had been dumped by a U.S. Navy vessel between Manila Bay and the island ofCorregidor when capture of the vessel by the Japanese was inevitable. He ensured that as few coins as possible were actually recovered, both to prevent them from falling into enemy hands and to prolong the project for as long as possible.[2][5]
Sheats and his men were prisoners of the Japanese for three years and four months in the Philippines andJapan. They survived theBataan death march and transport to Japan aboard the Noto Maru, one of the infamous JapaneseHell ships. After theJapanese surrender, Sheats and his men were released on September 13, 1945.[2]
As aMaster Diver, Sheats was assigned to theSEALAB I project, during which he ran the divers' topside support system.[6]
Sheats served as team leader ofSEALAB II's Team 3, living and working on the ocean floor for fifteen days.[6][7] Sheats celebrated his fiftieth birthday aboard SEALAB II. During decompression at the end of the project, Sheats experienced a mild case ofdecompression sickness.[6] He received theLegion of Merit for his SEALAB II service.[1][2]
Due to concerns about safety and the new management structure, Sheats declined to participate in theSEALAB III project, during which civilian aquanautBerry L. Cannon was killed.[8] He later worked as a consultant inWashington state until his death in 1995.[2]
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