USS Milwaukee (CL-5) While steaming north of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico on 14 February 1939, "Milwaukee" discovered the deepest place in the Atlantic Ocean. The spot—which has a depth of —is now known as the "Milwaukee Deep". By January 1941, the ship had returned to Cruiser Division 2 which was now assigned to the Caribbean Patrol, commanded by Rear Admiral Jonas H. Ingram, part of the Neutrality Patrol established after the war began. Cruiser Division 2 was ordered to patrol the Atlantic between Trinidad, the Cape Verde Islands and the eastern bulge of Brazil in April, although "Milwaukee" was not immediately available. The
Deep ocean water Deep ocean water Deep ocean water (DOW) is the name for cold, salty water found deep below the surface of Earth's oceans. Ocean water differs in temperature and salinity. Warm surface water is generally saltier than the cooler deep or polar waters; in polar regions, the upper layers of ocean water are cold and fresh. Deep ocean water makes up about 90% of the volume of the oceans. Deep ocean water has a very uniform temperature, around 0-3°C, and a salinity of about 3.5% or as oceanographers state as 35 ppt (parts per thousand). In specialized locations such as the