The loss of many soldiers due to shark attacks during World War II caused the U.S. Navy to develop a shark
repellent. However, the development process for the repellent was hastened because of the navy's urgent need for the
substance. The "shark chaser" repellent that was produced in 1943 proved ineffective.
The death of over 200 shark-attacked soldiers on the U.S.S. Indianapolis in 1945 decreased the morale of the nation,
while it also increased the need for some anti-shark substance. Scientists again attempted to discover a repellent. Sadly,
1940's scientists did not have the time, the knowledge, or the resources to produce the effective repellent.
My site explores the people, the research projects, and the experiences that were invovled in this frenzied search for
the "shark chaser."
HELPFUL BOOK REFERENCES
HELPFUL WEBSITES
This site provides an overview of the development of shark repellent in World War II.
This site reveals the reactions to shark attacks during World War II.
This site gives a first-person perspective of what shark attacks were like for World War II soldiers on the USS Indianapolis.
This site follows the life of one of the many scientists who aided in the search for shark repellent.
