USS Nautilus SSN 571

The USS Nautilus SSN 571 was a Balao-class submarine that was launched on January 21^st, 1954 from the Electric Boat Co. out of Groton, Connecticut and was sponsored by Mamie Eisenhower who was the wife of Truman’s successor Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Nautilus was commissioned on September 30^th, 1954 under the leadership of Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson. Following her initial shakedown cruise and operational and mechanical training there off the eastern seaboard she was ready for active service and set sail heading out into the open ocean moving south from New London, Connecticut and driving towards San Juan, Puerto Rico. From 1955 until 1957 the Nautilus remained there within the Caribbean Sea conducting numerous antisubmarine warfare exercises and radar training.

The USS Nautilus departed from New London on August 19^th, 1957 embarking on her first arctic voyage where she traveled over twelve hundred nautical miles underneath polar pack ice. Following her completion of that particular mission she was ordered back to the eastern seaboard of the United States where she began duties and operations along with her newly designated submarine unit together with NATO command. With the North Atlantic Treaty Organization she set sail heading for British and French ports all along the European coastline where she was inspected carefully by the defense engineers and various personnel of those nations. She returned back to the east coast at New London, Connecticut on October 28th where she proceeded to provide Fleer assistance and local operations until the spring of the following year.

During the time from April 25^th, 1958 until October 29^th she sailed under the orders of Operation Sunshine which was an extensive mission across the North Pole. She was the first submarine of any type to successfully cross the entire North Pole submerged and without any conflicting interest of problematic issues. Many scientists had carefully planned out the entire expedition at the Naval Electronics Laboratory. She returned to U. S. soil by way of the Bering Strait. For the remainder of her naval career she served with the Atlantic Fleet under NATO command. The USS Nautilus SSN 571 was decommissioned on March 3^rd, 1980 and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for her scientific work in the North Pole. She was designated as a national historic landmark on May 20^th, 1982 and rests at the United States Naval Museum in Groton, Connecticut.

The crewmembers of the USS Nautilus SSN 571 were constantly in perilous danger during their tours of duty, but with much regret, the men who worked aboard the Nautilus were exposed to a danger they knew nothing about. The submarine was constructed, like many others of its time, with asbestos used for insulation around piping and duct systems. Crewmembers who served aboard the submarine are at risk for severe lung conditions including a type of asbestos cancer called mesothelioma. Anyone with concerns about possible exposure to asbestos on the USS Nautilus should consult with a medical physician for an evaluation and take the steps to begin treatment.

Last modified: December 09 2009.