'Underway On Nuclear Power'

The Day ^ | 1/16/2005 | ROBERT A. HAMILTON

[Willie Green]

With That Message 50 Years Ago, The USS Nautilus Changed The World

Groton — In submarine circles, it is probably the most famous message in the world.

A half-century ago Monday morning, USS Nautilus backed away from its pier at Electric Boat and sent four words to its support ship by blinking light signals: "Underway on nuclear power" and naval warfare changed forever.

The message is enshrined on a plaque at the U.S. Naval Academy, and is a bit of a cliché among modern-day submariners.

But few people know the message was very nearly much longer than that.

[ProudVet77]

If anyone gets a chance the Nautilus is now on display in Groton CT. You can go aboard and visit history. It's a good outing for people that are visitng Mystic CT or the Aquarium there, it's right up the road, and it's free :)

[rlmorel]

I agree. A GREAT take in, the museum is pretty impressive also.

[Lazamataz]

If anyone gets a chance the Nautilus is now on display in Groton CT. You can go aboard and visit history. It's a good outing for people that are visitng Mystic CT or the Aquarium there, it's right up the road, and it's free :)

Too pricey for my budget.

I only go to exhibits where they pay me.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[CDHart]

My family is in CT, and my husband was in the Navy when we met in 1963. He was not stationed on the Nautilus, but was onboard it several times. I've been down in it at the Nautilus museum at the sub base in Groton. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with claustrophobia, however. The thought of going underwater in that (or anything else, IMO) is horrifying.

Carolyn

[Doohickey]

Steely-Eyed Killers of the Deep PING!

If you want on or off, FReepmail me.

[ProudVet77]

I have to admit it made me feel really old seeing it, even though I was about 39 at the time. While touring the Nautilus, I recognized the WLR-1 that I used to operate on the ship I was on. I always thought of the Nautilus as almost ancient history, but it carried equipment I worked on and used. :(

[trumandogz]

I wonder if the Jimmy Carter's old bunk has a sign saying the Jimmy Carter Slept Here?

[deaconjim]

I've been there, and done some repair work on it. I had a friend who was on the commissioning crew. Great boat!

[ProudVet77]

She looks great! And it was really good to have active USN manning the brow. :)

[Quix]

I thought he was on the

Naughty-lus.

Or was that Billdo.

No, Billdo was a chicken.

So, Pea-Nut may have been on the Naughty-lus . . . when he wasn't chasing a rabbit

being chased by a rabbit.

Of course, I suppose it COULD have been Scuba-Teddy aboard the Naughty-lus.

More probably, it was SKERRY Fud Rucker aboard the Naughty-lus--IN CAMBODIA, of course--substituting for Santa at Winter Solstice Time; while shopping for

new house-boys

new house-girls.

--------------------------------

Treasonous idiots, all.

[Redleg Duke]

What an inspiring article! I remember when she was launched!

[Severa]

We made our first visit to the Nautilus and submarine museum in early December, as we were making the trek northward from VA Beach to our new home of Brunswick, ME. Our sons (ages 5 and 7) always loved it when my husband was on submarines and they got to go onboard, so the visit to the museum was a big hit.

[ProudVet77]

You folks moved from VA Beach to Brunswick ME?
I can only guess what your husband does for a living. :)
Drop me a note and I can give you some suggestions on places to visit up in ME. (I spend a lot of time up there)

[SmithL]

Click the picture for a link to the Museum site:

When I was going through school at New London, I used to love going down to visit the USS Croaker (SS 246) at the waterfront. They let us active duty types in free. It was amazing how much smaller it was than the USS Ohio which was being built within sight of the Croaker. The Croaker wasn't that well cared for (compared to the USS Pampanito), but it was still a fascinating place to visit. I understand that it's been moved to Buffalo.

[Doohickey]

Yeah, they moved it sometime between '86 (when I finished "C" school) and '93 (when I reported for my instructor tour).

[ProudVet77]

Chief, As a bubblehead you may have heard this story about Rickover, but for others.....
When Rickover was a sub skipper on a diesel sub he was involved in an excercise in the area south of Groton. Just to mess with the surface ships he had his sub at slow astern. As they closed in he rang up full astern! (Not a very stable thing to do.) So the surface ships are closing in on the sub, figure they have him nailed. At just the right time, Rickover reverses and goes all ahead flank. So with that the detroyers passed right overhead and lost him.
Of course this was before SQS-26 and ASROC, but it shows the mind of Rickover. Thinking out of the box.

[SmithL]

In the picture above, just in front of the Polaris missile, is the sail from my Qual-boat, the USS George Washington (SSBN 598) which also revolutionized submarining.

[SmithL]

My very favorite Rickover story, stolen from the Golden Rivet site:

I heard a story about Hymie and I have no direct proof that it's true, but it sounds plausible, so here goes...... Rickover was going to do an un-announced tour of one of "his" nukes, and walked abroad in civvies. The top side watch asked him for some ID and he refused and told the kid his name and headed for the hatch. The watch asked him again for ID, and Rickover replied he had already told him his name and what more did he want. Now the kid on watch was starting to sweat, and as Hymie was about to go below, so he pulled his .45, jammed a clip and jacked a round into the chamber. At this point he had Rickover's attention. Rickover waited topside while the watch announced Rickover to the DO. Well the DO called the Capt. and they both raced topside to find Rickover being held at gun point. The skipper promptly relieved the watch, and busted him for the way he treated Rickover. As the story goes, the skipper got chewed and the kid on watch got not only his stripe back, but Rickover gave him a promotion for having the guts to face him down. From all I have heard about Rickover I can believe that story as being true.........

****As a followup to the above story, this was received from the topside watch himself: "Was reading your humor posting about Rickover stories and wanted to send a note. The story of the topside watch stopping Rickover- I can personally attest that the basics are in fact true as I was the topside watch in question aboard the USS Flying Fish(SSN-673) in this incident. A few minor details- the clip was kept in the left hand and ready to lock&load never actually in the 45 per say(?), I was wrote up but never brought to mast, I was not promoted but did recieve a letter of commendation from Hymie for diligence in duty. As a non-nuc I had no idea who this person was and not a clue as to what he (HR) looked like. Naturally the evening of the incident there wasn't a nuke who would come topside when requested until the shit hit the fan. At the time it seemed somewhat less than humerous(as a topside watch I was still a nonqual) but it did earn this nonnuke some respect with the after boys in latter ops.