A pressurized gas cooled high speed motor includes a wound stator and rotor assembly disposed within a pressure vessel such that the stator and rotor assembly can be removed without disconnecting the high pressure lines to the pressure vessel. The stator has a spring loaded axial retention mechanism that cooperates with a concentric groove in the pressure vessel for maintaining the stator and rotor assembly fixedly in place in the pressure vessel during transport and operation of the motor. A shoulder formed in the pressure vessel is used to axially position the stator assembly within the pressure vessel. A key if provided for angularly and fixedly positioning the stator within the pressure vessel.