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As literature the book is not great. Well, Andy was the captain of the USS Wahoo (SS 565)when I reported abpoard her for duty in 1953. After I left her in 1955, he was ordered to the Nautilus where he was the second commanding officer. But the story of the boat's submerged voyage under the North Pole is interesting. I had spent two weeks reserve duty on the Nautilus (which Andy helped to arrange for me)a few months before that arctic voyage.
The engineering systems and training developed by the "Nautilus" became "std equip" for following generations of "nuke" subs. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Pioneering ship and crew. They were all heros. Smooth sailing.
Having worked in Submarine Repair in the 70s and 80s I am always looking for books about the boats. This was a great narrative of gaining foothold in the Arctic, a race to establish dominance in a new sea, in a new era, that on the nuclear powered submarine.
WALDO K. We ended up in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for a badly needed OVERHAUL as well as R & R. We were tasked to conduct under ice preliminary explorations for the same DR. The book was important for me to read about the actual trials and tribulations NAUTILUS (SSN 571) went thru as they commenced transit from the Bering Sea thru the Chukchi Sea submerged until they surfaced in the Davis Straits off Greenland. LCDR.USNR (Ret). As you can see I definitely enjoyed the book and it brought back memories of thick ice formations inside the pressure hull as well as the ice floes on the surface grinding along the hull like a Giant Can Opener doing just that to our Main Ballast Tanks.
Quite a change from our viewing aboard REDFISH both in 1952 & 53.
LYON of USNEL IceLab using his initial topside fathometers to measure the thickness of the ice pack while submerged for 8 hours and 43 minutes off Point Barrow, Alaska during both the Summers of 1952 & 1953.
LT.
Reason being my own personal experience as a crew member of the USS REDFISH (SS 395) of SUBDIV 32 based in San Diego,CA.
A Good Read for sure.
We survived both REDFISH Expeditions and got as far as Banks Island on the surface thru the ice floe stackups.
DR.LYON sent me a letter about how easy it was to view the ice pinnacles at 150 feet or deeper using the NAUTILUS closed circuit TV.
JOHN R LASTOVA, Jr.
2/15/2009
(1)The Emergency Air Breathing System now known as EABs became a standard on all US Submarines. This book will provide you an exclusive look and feel into the locked enviroment of a sub and it's crew as they attempted to transit the polar route. As only a submariner will note, other important achievements were made in their attempts to travel under the ice. (2)The reinforced sail/superstructures from these mission attempts.A great book that presents to the reader the hard work, dedication, talent and life of present day crew members currently on patrol.F. SilviaTRICCSMA Test Director ret.
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