History Channel documentary remembers diver’s contribution

The July 18 episode of the History Channel's "Deep Sea Detectives" delves into the fate of the USS Perry, the World War II minesweeper that struck a mine and sank off of Palau in 1942.

The program, which is produced by Lone Wolf Production Group (LWPG), airs at 10 p.m. Eastern Time.

The History Channel's "Deep Sea Detectives" is an ongoing series featuring deep dives to treacherous wrecks.

Michael Norwood, one of the former hosts for the program, died in a diving accident during an attempted dive on the wreck of the USS Perry in December 2003. In the spring of 2005, the documentary crew returned to Palau off the coast in Micronesia to finish the story about the USS Perry.

Mika Lentz, a LWDG producer, said the production company returned to Palau to finish the documentary and to pay tribute to all who died on the USS Perry and to recognize Norwood's accomplishments. "We went back to Palau to finish what Michael had started and to put a memorial plaque near the wreck to honor all who died on the USS Perry," Lentz said. "Basically, the tribute is meant to address Michael's death, and in a small way, pay tribute to the man he was. His widow, Diana, came with us and appears on camera to talk a bit about Michael and his love of diving and the sea."

During the tribute, documentary producers will also tell viewers how to contribute to the Michael Norwood Memorial Research Fund through the Divers Alert Network (DAN) website. The Norwood family created the fund to advance the research initiatives conducted by DAN.

Norwood, with his co-host and mentor, John Chatterton, combined his skills as a diver and educator; he developed these during years of work and training in England, where he was a homicide detective with Scotland Yard.

In his spare time he started diving and eventually established a technical diving school with his dive partner and friend, Richard Stevenson. That school, Deep Blue Diving, is still operational and is currently headquartered in Plymouth, England under Stevenson's leadership.

Source: www.diversalertnetwork.org