Mud, Muscle, and Miracles is neither a technical history nor a detailed account of the salvage work undertaken by the U.S. Navy. Rather, it is intended to add to the general knowledge of the sea and to document one portion of the history of the U.S. Navy. It explains how salvage and the Navy salvage organization have developed and contributed to the overall objectives of the Navy and the nation. The specific salvage operations described illustrate unique aspects of naval salvage, particular problems or techniques, and trends or progress. The omission of a particular salvage operation in no way denigrates the importance of that operation. There is simply not enough room here to review all Navy salvage operations.