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Posted on 09/05/2007 5:50:54 PM PDT by AZamericonnie
The USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571) USS Nautilus is arguably the most famous submarine in the world. She was first in many respects, including being the first nuclear submarine, first submarine to navigate under the North Pole, as well as setting many endurance records for submerged operations. She also participated in many exercises that helped to rewrite Anti-Submarine Warfare doctrine.
USS NAUTILUS was laid down 14 June 1952, President Harry S. Truman officiating, at the Electric Boat Co., Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, Connecticut; launched 21 January 1954; sponsored by Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower, wife of President Eisenhower, and commissioned 30 September 1954, Comdr. E. P. Wilkinson in command.
Following commissioning NAUTILUS remained at dockside for further construction and testing until 17 January 1955. Then, at 1100, her lines were cast off and she was "underway on nuclear power." Trials followed and on 10 May NAUTILUS headed south for shakedown. She remained submerged while enroute to Puerto Rico, covering 1,381 miles in 89.8 hours, the longest submerged cruise, to that date, by a submarine, and at the highest sustained submerged speed ever recorded for a period of over one hour's duration. Throughout 1955, and into 1957, she investigated the effects of the radically increased submerged speed and endurance, such changes in submerged mobility having virtually wiped out progress in anti-submarine warfare techniques. The airplane and radar, which helped defeat submarines in the Atlantie during World War II, proved ineffective against a vessel which did not need to surface, could clear an area in record time, and swiftly change depth simultaneously.
On 4 February 1957, NAUTILUS logged her 60,000th nautical mile to bring to reality the achievements of her fictitious namesake in Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. In May she departed for the Pacific Coast to participate in coastal exercises and the fleet exercise, operation "Home run," which acquainted units of the Pacific Fleet with the capabilities of nuclear submarines.
NAUTILUS returned to New London 21 July and departed again 19 August for her first voyage, of 1,383 miles, under polar pack ice. Thence, she headed for the Eastern Atlantic to participate in NATO exercises and conduct a tour of various British and French ports where she was inspected by defense personnel of those countries. She arrived back at New London 28 October, underwent upkeep, and then conducted coastal operations until the spring.
On 25 April 1958 she was underway again for the West Coast. Stopping at San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle she began her history making Polar transit, operation "Sunshine," as she departed the latter port 9 June. On 19 June she entered the Chukchi Sea, but was turned back by deep draft ice in those shallow waters. On the 28th she arrived at Pearl Harbor to await better ice conditions. By 23 July her wait was over and she set a course northward. She submerged in the Barrow Sea Valley 1 August and on 3 August, at 2315 (EDST) she became the first ship to reach the geographic North Pole. From the North Pole, she continued on and after 96 hours and 1830 miles under the ice, she surfaced northeast of Greenland, having completed the first successful voyage across the North Pole.
Proceeding from Greenland to Portland, England, she received the Presidential Unit Citation, the first ever issued in peace time, from American Ambassador J. H. Whitney, and then set a westerly course which put her into the Thames River estuary at New London 29 October. For the remainder of the year she operated from her homeport, New London, Connecticut.
Following fleet exercises in early 1959, NAUTILUS entered the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, for her first complete overhaul (28 May 1959 - 15 August 1960). Overhaul was followed by refresher training and on 24 October she departed New London for her first deployment with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, returning to her homeport 16 December.
NAUTILUS operated in the Atlantic, conducting evaluation tests for ASW improvements, participating in NATO exercises and, during the fall of 1962, in the naval quarantine of Cuba, until she headed east again for a two month Mediterranean tour in August 1963. On her return she joined in fleet exercises until entering the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for her second overhaul 17 January 1964. On 2 May 1966, NAUTILUS returned to her homeport to resume operations with the Atlantic Fleet. For the next year and a quarter she conducted special operations for ComSubLant and then in August 1967, returned to Portsmouth, for another year's stay, following which she conducted exercises off the southeastern seaboard. She returned to New London in December 1968, and into 1970 she continued to participate in operations as a unit of the 2nd Fleet.
General Characteristics: Awarded: August 2, 1951
Keel laid: June 14, 1952
Launched: January 21, 1954
Commissioned: September 30, 1954
Decommissioned: March 3, 1980
Builder: Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation, Groton, CT.
Propulsion system: one nuclear reactor
Propellers: two
Length: 324 feet (98.75 meters)
Beam: 27.8 feet (8.47 meters)
Draft: 22 feet (6.7 meters)
Displacement: Surfaced: approx. 3,530 tons Submerged: approx. 4,090 tons
Speed: Surfaced: approx. 22 knots Submerged: approx. +20 knots
Armament: six 533 mm torpedo tubes
Crew: 13 Officers, 92 Enlisted
In the spring of 1979, NAUTILUS set out from Groton, Connecticut on her final voyage. She reached Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California on May 26, 1979 - her last day underway. She was decommissioned on March 3, 1980 after a career spanning 25 years and over half a million miles steamed.
In recognition of her pioneering role in the practical use of nuclear power, NAUTILUS was designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior on May 20, 1982. Following an extensive historic ship conversion at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, NAUTILUS was towed to Groton, Connecticut arriving on July 6, 1985.
On April 11, 1986, eighty-six years to the day after the birth of the Submarine Force, Historic Ship NAUTILUS, joined by the Submarine Force Museum, opened to the public as the first and finest exhibit of its kind in the world, providing an exciting, visible link between yesterday's Submarine Force and the Submarine Force of tomorrow.
Letter From Home
Dear Son,
I’m writing this letter slow because I know you can’t read fast.
We don’t live where we did when you left home. Your dad read in the
Newspaper that most accidents happen within 20 miles from your home,
So we moved. I won’t be able to send you the address because the last
Arkansas family that lived here took the house numbers when they
Moved so that they would not have to change their address.
This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I’m not sure
It works so well though. Last week I put a load in and pulled the chain
And haven’t seen them since.
The weather isn’t bad here. It only rained twice last week; the first time
For three days and the second time for four days.
About the coat you wanted me to send you, your Uncle Stanley said it
Would be to heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut
Them off and put them in the pockets.
John locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried
Because it took him two hours to get me and your father out.
Your sister had a baby this morning; but I haven’t found out what it
Is yet so I don’t know if you’re an aunt or an uncle. The baby looks
Just like your brother?.
Uncle Ted fell in a whiskey vat last week. Some men tried to pull
Him out, but he fought them off playfully and drowned. We had him
Cremated and he burned for three days.
Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pick-up truck.
Ralph was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety
Your other two friends were in the back. They drowned because
They couldn’t get the tailgate down.
There isn’t much more news at this time. Nothing much has happened
Love, Mom
P.S. I was going to send you some money but
The envelope was already sealed .
I'm done.
I love cheeseburgers and I will try the heart smart Biquick one...I stray off my low cholesterol diet..and this will help!
Oh My Goodness! Look at all those carbs! LOL!
WHOA breaking news off Hareetz wire report source claim that Syria rocket almost nail Israeli airliner DAMNNNNN
LOL
That’s exactly what I thought when I looked the contents.
I was also told there is zero carbs if you close your eyes while eating something. Is this true?
Yeah, I’ve done Bisquick’s cheeseburger pie before, but haven’t heard of the heart smart yet.
Good afternoon Sonora :)
Thanks!
Good afternoon, Sonora...is your area having any of the weather issues? No rain? Too much rain?
Too funny WooHoos lately.
h!!beachy....#350!!
Dats my chickie! LOL
LOL
Oh Yeah!
How smart is Your Right Foot? Just try this. It is from an orthopedic Surgeon...........
This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot, but you can’t. It’s preprogrammed in your brain!
1. WITHOUT anyone watching you (they will think you Are GOOFY......) and while sitting where you are at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
2 Now, while doing this, draw the number “6” in the air with your right hand
Your foot will change direction.
I told you so!!! And there’s nothing you can do about it!
You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done you are going to try it again, if you’ve not already done so.
OH TOMKOW guess what guess your playing Cubs on WGN Superstation well I am seeing on Fox sport 2
Dodgers LOL!
Breaking news off Fox news alert report of massive earthquake hit the Taipi Taiwan capitol 6.6 quake
Godzilla waking up from his hangover with Looter guy????
Carolyn
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