Boomers, Bubbleheads and the Frozen Ice Above!
Tuesday, March 18th, 2008I was reading the New York Times this morning and they had an article about the Cold War and the delicate dance between the Soviet Union and the United States submarine forces off the icy, Artic waters of the Soviet Union. The story, based on the book about the QueenFish entitled “Unknown Waters”, tells of close calls and combat and made me stop and think about the first United States nuclear powered submarine. Do you remember the name?
The Nautilus
(1)
Fully operational by January of 1955, the Nautilus immediately began making waves in her first few months under the water. Says The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships:
“…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….”
Over the next years, the Nautilus continued to serve in the fleet. Notable facts include:
Serving in the Cuban conflict
Changing ASW warfare dynamics
Part of Operation Sunshine
(2)
She was retired from the fleet in the late 1970’s and is now serving once again as a link for United States Naval history as well as a historic landmark.
Take a look at the links below if you get a chance.
Have a good day, see you tomorrow!
Links:
U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum
NavSource Online: Nautilus (non-nuclear)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
The U.S. Navy in the Cold War Era, 1945-1991
Sources:
