In 1958 the Nautilus was on the cutting edge of Arctic Ocean exploration. Despite decades of surface exploration, the ocean underneath the ice cap remained a mystery. Almost nothing was known of the seabed topography, ice cap circulation patterns, or even how ice thickness varied during the year. The sub's ability to stay submerged for weeks at a time and the sophisticated instruments she carried made Nautilus the ideal research vehicle to determine the region's military potential.
She was also the ideal vehicle for a serious nose-thumbing to the Soviet Union in President Eisenhower's eyes, and he personally ordered Anderson to attempt the polar transit. The expedition was dubbed Operation Sunshine to mislead the curious, and each time the submarine left port naval officers let word slip that she was bound for Panama or Guam. As soon as the Nautilus was at sea, her crew painted out the sub's identifying hull numbers and insignia in case she was sighted by Soviet vessels.
Caption: The Nautilus traveled almost exclusively underwater on her trip over the Pole between Pearl Harbor and Iceland, operated from the cramped control room beneath the conning tower. Undated photo, Submarine Force Museum.
No comments:
Post a Comment