In early September 1920, a life and death race against time was taking place in the Atlantic, about 50 miles southeast of Barnegat Light.

On Aug. 30, the submarine S-5 had left New England on her maiden voyage, bound for Baltimore on a recruiting mission under the command of Charles M. Cooke. During a practice crash dive, the sub flooded and sank. Cooke was able to raise the stern of the submarine so that, with the sub standing on its nose, about 15 feet protruded above the surface of the water.

With the few tools at hand, the crew began to cut a hole through the steel plate above the waterline to get air, but as…