ITEM No. 27 
FILE No. X—28 
COPY No 14.... 
GERMAN RESCUE BREATHING APPARATUS 
COMBINED INTELLIGENCE OBJECTIVES 
SUB-COMMITTEE GERMAN RESCUE BREATHING APPARATUS 
11 November I9M+ 
Reported lay 
Lieut, (jg) E.D.BUIE 
U.S.N.H. 
CIOS Black List Item -* 27 
Instruments & Equipment 
COMBINED INTELLIGENCE OBJECTIVES 
SUB-COMMITTEE 
G-2 DIVISION. SHAEP (Rear) APO-lfl3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Subject Page No. 
Summary 3 
Description of Equipment 3 
PERSQITiiSL OE INSPECTION TEAM 
Lieutenant (jg) E.D. BUIE, USER,Technical Section 
* i ALSOS-26 
ALSOS INTELLIGENCE MISSION 
UNITED STATES NAVY 
Paris, Prance 
German Rescue Breathing Apparatus. 
Summary* 
This report covers information of field inspection of two 
types of German rescue breathing qDparatua. This report will 
he of interest to the Bureau of Ships, the Experimental Diving 
Unit and to the Mine Disposal School, Navy Yard, Washington,D,C. 
These sets were recovered part in the Paris area and part 
in the submarine pens at Brest. There are seven sets complete 
with canisters and mask being shipped. Two of the larger and 
three of the smaller types are being forwarded to the Bureau of 
Ships, one large and one small type to the Mine Disposal 
School, Navy Yard, Washington, D*C* 
Description of Equipment* 
The larger and more elaborate type is equipped with a 
wooden storage box and the apparatus is further housed in a 
metal container which when opened exposes the too cross 
section of the apparatus. The set is used however, while in the 
metal case and is worn with an adjustable strap harness on the 
operators back. A gauge registering in atmospheres is mounted 
on an extension hose to the operators left side. The main 
oxygen and by-pass valves are to his right rear. This apparatus 
is equipped with a loud melodixis whirtl e which sounds when the 
oxygen drops below the safe figure. It requires an oxygen 
bottle and is equipped with a factory sealed alkali canister of 
one hour's duration. The operator uses the standard German mask 
in operation. This mask appears to be universal in its applica- 
tion, it being also a gas mask. For this mask to be used in the 
re-hreather the following modifications to the mask are necessary. 
Unscrew the screen covering to the exhaust outlet on the inside 
of the mask, then cap this opening by screwing into it the 
blank plug used to cap the breathing tubes while inside the wooden 
storage case. After th« remove the rubber disc valve from the 
inlet opening of the mask. This operation converts the mask to 
rebreather operation. It is interesting to note that none of 
the rescue breathing outfits found have been equipped with mask. nor are there any storage facilities for them inside the con- 
tainers. No reason for this is known other than requiring 
the operator to use his own gas mask for this purpose thereby 
assuring him of the correct size. This rescue breathing 
appar tus is stamped with the Drager insignia# 
The smaller type apparatus is less elaborate but more com- 
pact in its design. It is ruggedly built and is believed to be 
more adaptable for ship board use. It requires an oxygen bot- 
tle and is equipped with a factory sealed alkali canister of 
one hours duration. This canister is of slightly different 
design than the type for the larger set. This apparatus differs 
from most sets of this type in that in addition to the usual 
method of oxygen supply it is equipoed with a lever which by its 
movement the oxygen flow can apparently be increased from one 
to one point seven liters per minute. It takes the standard 
mask and the modifications for its use are the same as described 
above. The manufacturer of this apparatus is believed to be 
Drager. 
llth November 19*+U 
E.D. BUIS 
Lieut.(jg), U.S.NiR. 
Technical Section 
ComNavEu.