The Historic Submarine Documentary and Training Films collection features dozens of rare films made by and for the U.S. Navy. Found in forgotten archives and private collections, and painstakingly restored using digital technology, the films present a view of the U.S. submarine force as recruits, submariners and the public saw it during WWII and the Cold War era. Many of these films have never been seen before by the public and have only recently been declassified!

The U.S. Navy’s deep sea divers and frogmen are some of the most highly trained and specialized personnel in the armed forces. Featured on this DVD are five rare films showing the history of the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) — predecessors to the modern SEALs — and some of the regimens developed to train them and the Navy’s deep sea divers. Special attention is given to the physical effects of diving and the potential hazards that lurk below the surface. Learn about the development of underwater photography techniques, and see early footage of the use of the aqualung by Cousteau. See how UDTs operated during WWII, and see them deploy for combat from a submerged submarine. Watch a film made by the Navy’s diving school showing salvage techniques utilized by hard-hat divers. Witness the exploits and accomplishments of those men who braved the fathoms deep. Approx 120 minutes.