Underway on Nuclear Power
NSP
Posts: 322 ✭✭✭✭✭
For the first time ever, the newest addition to my collection is not a coin, but a medal. This medal was designed by the Medallic Art Company and issued by the General Dynamics Electric Boat Division to commemorate the launching of the USS Nautilus. The Nautilus is famous for being the very first nuclear powered vessel of any kind, and represented the first significant development with nuclear power since the atomic bomb. The obverse shows the Nautilus superimposed on a uranium atom, and the reverse shows a nautilus shell superimposed on the Nautilus and the General Dynamics logo. This particular medal was given out to Electric Boat employees who helped to design and build the Nautilus. This medal was issued for an “H. Ford.”
Decades before the advent of nuclear power, submarines had diesel-electric propulsion systems that required oxygen to function. Submarines would use their diesel engines to charge their batteries while on the surface (where oxygen was available to be burned), and once the batteries were charged, the submarine could submerge and run its propellers on the batteries. Unfortunately, the batteries would run out eventually, forcing the submarine to surface. All in all, a diesel-electric submarine could only stay submerged for a few hours and travel a couple dozen miles underwater before needing to surface. Some quipped that these were best described as surface ships that could periodically submerge rather than true submarines.
Nuclear power represented an alternative to traditional combustion engines. The basis of nuclear power involves the splitting of the atom. Usually this is achieved by firing a neutron at a uranium atom, causing the uranium atom to become unstable and subsequently split. When the uranium atom splits, it releases smaller atoms, neutrons, and energy. The neutrons will go on to strike other uranium atoms, causing them to split, and so on. If enough uranium atoms are present, a sustained chain reaction can take place. Without any control, this chain reaction can release huge amounts of energy very quickly. This was the basis of the atomic bomb. If the chain reaction is moderated, however, the heat from the reaction can be used to boil water, which can in turn be used to spin a turbine and generate electricity. Unlike traditional combustion reactions, a nuclear reaction requires no oxygen, and a nuclear powered submarine would therefore never need to surface.
Since a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor would never have to surface to recharge batteries, such a vessel could stay submerged as long as food supplies held out. Since the Cold War was beginning to ramp up in the early 1950s, the US Navy was particularly interested in a submarine that never had to surface. To achieve this goal, two companies were commissioned to come up with two different reactor designs: Westinghouse and General Electric. Westinghouse developed a pressurized water reactor called the “Submarine Thermal Reactor,” which used pressurized water to cool the nuclear fuel. General Electric developed a liquid metal fast reactor called the “Submarine Intermediate Reactor,” which used liquid sodium to cool the nuclear fuel. The water-cooled reactor was used to power the USS Nautilus (SSN-571) and the sodium-cooled reactor was used to power the USS Seawolf (SSN-575). The Nautilus was launched first on January 21, 1954 and came under her own power on January 17, 1955. On that day, Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson, the commanding officer of the Nautilus, signaled the historic message, “UNDERWAY ON NUCLEAR POWER...”
Nautilus (right) and Seawolf (left).
Early on in development, it became apparent that the water-cooled reactor was preferable to the sodium-cooled reactor. While the Seawolf’s sodium-cooled reactor was more efficient, the Nautilus’s water-cooled reactor was safer, more forgiving, and more easily fixed if the reactor started to go haywire. The Seawolf’s reactor was replaced with the Nautilus’s spare reactor a couple of years after the Seawolf was launched, and the Seawolf’s sodium-cooled reactor was dumped off the coast of Maryland. All future nuclear powered US Navy vessels would have water-cooled reactors based on the plant installed in the Nautilus.
One of the most significant missions the Nautilus took part in was traveling to the North Pole. Completing this mission would serve two purposes: bringing a sense of national pride after the Soviets launched Sputnik, and the possibility of opening a new Northern front on the doorstep of the Soviet Union that was previously unreachable by conventional methods. Since the Nautilus did not need to surface, it could travel beneath the ice the entire way, making the mission possible. Since the Arctic Ocean was mostly uncharted at the time, the crew of the Nautilus ran into some difficulties navigating through the ice pack, but were eventually successful on August 3, 1958. After successfully traversing the North Pole, the Nautilus continued on to New York City, where the crew was greeted with a ticker tape parade.
USS Nautilus triumphantly approaching New York City after traveling beneath the ice at the North Pole.
Lessons learned with the Nautilus were quickly incorporated into new classes of nuclear powered submarines. Today, the US Navy fields nuclear powered attack submarines (intended to eliminate smaller targets like ships or military installations) and ballistic missile submarines (intended to eliminate larger targets like cities or countries). All modern nuclear submarines “descend” from the Nautilus, so there is quite a lot of history packed into this medal. I find this medal particularly satisfying to own because the company I work for actually advertises that it made some parts for the Nautilus, so I guess it gives this piece extra meaning for me!
The Nautilus is currently a museum ship at the Submarine Force Museum near Groton, Connecticut, close to where she was constructed and launched by Electric Boat.
Ex-USS Nautilus being towed home after conversion to a museum ship.
If you want to learn more about the Nautilus and have 45 minutes to kill, I recommend this documentary: 
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bbhUsJEIyTg&feature=emb_title
Comments
Great write up and a very cool medal
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
The fact that it comes with the original presentation folder is a big plus. I wonder how many of those still exist?
There is quite an array of U.S. naval vessel launching medals, ribbons and related items, often issued by the builder. I've seen the OP medal before but never in the holder of issue -- very nice.
I toured the Nautilus many years while in New London. I was amazed the most at how well they designed everything inside to make a cramped space reasonably livable.
That’s a very good question. I’m not sure what the mintage for this medal is, though I’m guessing it’s less than 10,000. I may try to contact the successor of the Medallic Art Company to see if they have records of the medal’s mintage.
I have thought about buying the medals for the launching/commissioning/christening of some of the other nuclear powered ships issued by Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding Corporation (the other contractor that builds submarines and the only contractor that builds carriers). I know there’s a USS Enterprise medal that is similar to the Nautilus medal that NNSC issued that I may try to get. There are also large Enterprise medals with different a different reverse design and they come in bronze and silver.
Cool medal and a great history lesson. Sorry if i missed this but what composition is it ? Copper, antiqued ?
Good question. I believe it is bronze, and it is ~38 mm in diameter (silver eagle size, roughly).
Very nice!
As a kid a friend of Dad's, Jim Prater, was a chief petty officer and plank owner (member of the first crew) on the Nautilus for it's historic voyage under the north pole. He took my young brothers and I for a tour of the boat while docked at Charleston Naval Base. Only thing I remember is helping ourselves to a freezer full of ice cream.
Ironically many years later I found myself employed as a nuclear inspector at Charleston Naval Shipyard where I spent my shifts on submarines undergoing overhaul or nuclear refueling. Met the "father of the nuclear navy," Adm. Rickover during a reactor testing operation I was a part of. One time I was sent to work on the USS Dallas at New London Naval Base where I once again toured the Nautilus which was now a stationary memorial.
Bravo to all of our brave submariners who each have commemorative coin, ball cap or embossed Zippo lighter for the ship(s) on which they so bravely served.
Maybe some will show us some pics of their memorabilia.
Rampant currency debasement will be the most important investment trend of this decade, and it will devastate most people.
- Nick Giambruno Buy dollar insurance now, because the policy will cost more as the dollar becomes worth less.
Thank you for sharing this with us. Very cool
Very cool.
LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album
That would be awesome to get to meet the man, the myth, the legend himself: Hyman G. Rickover. There’s actually a medal commemorating him that I may try to get someday!
Very cool medal!
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore...
. . . . . . " and I'll thank the Electric Boat Division. That covers us both ways."
Captain Faraday (Rock Hudson)
Ice Station Zebra
I did tour the Nautilus museum some years ago. Very impressive. As an aside, my Dad saw the launch of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier (1st nuclear powered aircraft carrier). Brought back to me one of the bronze medallions commemorating the event.
I did get to go on the Nautilus when it was in the Portsmouth shipyard where I was working for a while...It was reputed to be 'hot' (radiation), but I was a young fellow and such things did not concern me...and it likely was not true anyway...At the time, I was an apprentice pipe fitter working on the USS Nathaniel Greene, SSBN 636...Cheers, RickO
Small world RickO; I worked an overhaul on the 636 at CNSYD where I started out as an apprentice marine electrician.
Rampant currency debasement will be the most important investment trend of this decade, and it will devastate most people.
- Nick Giambruno Buy dollar insurance now, because the policy will cost more as the dollar becomes worth less.
Sub history is great. Excellent thread.
. . . . . . ."I suggest you take another look at your orders. They come to you direct from your Chief of Naval Operations and directly to him from your President.
So . . . .
I suggest you put another torpedo 'up that spout' . .
and
GET ME THERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
'Jones'
Ices Station Zebra
. . . . . . "Too bad you mislaid your submarine Captain. We could have used your men . . .
'Jones'
Ice Station Zebra
. . . . . . . "That'll be the paratroopers."
Capt. Faraday (Rock Hudson . . in the role he thought was his most fun of his career)
Ice Station Zebra
@NSP
Awesome write-up!
Thanks!
I love it. Nuclear propulsion is fascinating, and if one is serious about decarbonizing transportation then it’s the no-brained way to do it for heavy shipping as demonstrated by the Savannah decades ago.
I think I’ve shared my Admiral Rickover medal before. His impact on the nuclear navy was massive to say the least.
I have the Soviet counter to the Nautilus, though: Their impressive fleet of Nuclear Icebreakers, chief among them the famous Arktika, which was the first ship to reach the North Pole on the surface in 1977. I have a coin commemorating the ship, along with other collectibles to go with the model I made of it.
Radiant Collection: Numismatics and Exonumia of the Atomic Age.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase/3232
Great info on great ships @NSP and @PCGSPhoto . Love the award and history lesson.
The personal award is nice as a great connection to the people and the projects. I'm a big fan of original award holders and have some given out for the NASA missions.
I also love the photo of the Nautilus coming back to New York City. Many post WW II ships look a bit timeless to me but the city skyline highlights how long ago this was!
Rampant currency debasement will be the most important investment trend of this decade, and it will devastate most people.
- Nick Giambruno Buy dollar insurance now, because the policy will cost more as the dollar becomes worth less.
Cool historic piece and nice write up. Thank you for sharing.
Great thread. Super pictures. The miracle of the delayed neutron.
Supposedly the sodium-cooled reactor plant in USS Seawolf (pictured with USS Nautilus above) did cause a bluish glow in the water outside of the reactor compartment. Allegedly this was harmless and due to Cherenkov radiation, but the phrase “blue haze” was associated with the boat.
It is really cool to see such sleek, modern-looking ships juxtaposed with dated surroundings. I saw a picture of the USS Iowa (IIRC) in port next to a bunch of 1940s-1950s era cars, and it was so odd to see such a modern-looking ship next to what would today be considered a classic car.
I think a lot of ships have that timeless look to us because they don't change that much. The ships I grew up with look like many of the ships we have now. A notable exception is the Zumwalt which looks very different and others are starting to match.
Some posts are just so darn interesting..............
Pete
Fun medallion, and excellent write-up!!!
U.S. Type Set
As well as coin "subs".
Unlike surface ships, submarines do not go to sea with their numbers on the sail. The numbers are used strictly in port and for photos of the boat.
Rampant currency debasement will be the most important investment trend of this decade, and it will devastate most people.
- Nick Giambruno Buy dollar insurance now, because the policy will cost more as the dollar becomes worth less.
Westinghouse/Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory Medal
Here’s the newest addition to my “Nuclear Navy” collection, a Westinghouse/Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory medal. Similar to my USS Nautilus medal, this medal was given to Westinghouse/Bettis employees and was issued sometime in the 1955-1960 time period (based on the subject matter and the style of the Westinghouse logo). Westinghouse built the lab for the government in the late 1940s and operated the lab until it lost the contract in 1998.
The medal is bronze and is roughly 38 mm in diameter. The original packaging is very similar to the USS Nautilus medal’s packaging. I don’t know for certain if this is a Medallic Art Company product (there is no marking on the edge), but I suspect that it might be given its high quality.
One side of the medal features the old Westinghouse logo superimposed on the Earth and an olive branch. The Westinghouse slogan - “You can be sure... if it’s Westinghouse” - is also prominently displayed.
The other side of the medal shows a fissioned uranium atom, with liberated neutrons giving rise to various nuclear power projects that Westinghouse was a part of. The top project is the USS Long Beach (CGN-9), the world’s first nuclear powered surface ship. The image depicted on this medal must be an early rendering of the Long Beach, since it does not feature the large bridge “box” that ended up being installed on the ship.
The USS Long Beach and its trademark bridge.
The middle project is likely the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world’s first nuclear powered submarine (featured on the medal in the OP). It should go without saying that the Nautilus was a monumental project for Westinghouse to have been a part of.
The bottom project represents Westinghouse’s work with translating nuclear energy from the defense sector to the commercial sector. This venture resulted in the Shippingport Atomic Power Station: the first full scale nuclear power plant devoted entirely for peaceful use. Shippingport was built on the Ohio River near the Ohio/Pennsylvania border. While the original power station no longer exists, the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station is currently right next door (and is also powered by Westinghouse reactors).
The Shippingport Atomic Power Station.
Westinghouse took part in many more nuclear power projects than just the Long Beach, Nautilus, and Shippingport Atomic Power Station. In addition to these, Westinghouse also designed the reactor plant for the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
The Long Beach (middle) and Enterprise (bottom) with the USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25/CGN-25) on Operation Sea Orbit, an around the world cruise of the US Navy’s nuclear-powered Task Force One.
Today, Westinghouse-designed nuclear reactors power Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, Seawolf-class submarines, and a couple of moored training submarines used to train submariners.
While Westinghouse no longer exists in its original form, its contribution to the nuclear power industry is truly immense.
(Unfortunately General Electric didn’t commission a medal for the lab they operated, so don’t hold your breath for me to write a post like this about GE’s contributions!)
I was involved with the Charleston Naval Shipyard conversion of two old boomers (SSBN 635 and SSBN 626 missile boats) and was part of the refueling team that installed new fuel rods in both of these first generation moored training ships' (MTS's) reactors. It was an amazing task to behold as each dry docked ship had the middle missile tube section cut out and the forward and aft remaining halves slid back together and welded. The reactor plant and all support systems remained unchanged so that they could be used for hands-on training. Interior modifications included classrooms and training support facilities.
All of the conversion project workers were given a 1 1/2" square cube of the the removed section's super strong HY-80 pressure hull mounted on a small plaque with a wood table-top base made from the actual maple planks used to shim each sub's 126 battery cells into place. I'm hoping mine is somewhere in a box in the attic.
Each project resulted in a modified sub with a zero pitch propeller that would spin but produce no forward motion. While the subs are actually in the river tied to the pier, their modifications prevent them from ever submerging again. The MTS's continue to be used pier side to provide an actual submarine environment and operational reactor plant to train nuclear power plant sailors prior to their assignment to the fleet.
I distinctly remember the conversion included a very heavy guillotine type door that would slam shut in the event of a nuclear accident during training operations. My work required me to pass through this compartment hatch numerous times a day and I remember experiencing quite a pucker every time I stepped through it.
Rampant currency debasement will be the most important investment trend of this decade, and it will devastate most people.
- Nick Giambruno Buy dollar insurance now, because the policy will cost more as the dollar becomes worth less.
Great stuff @NSP
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
FYI @NSP
I am proud to say that I 'worked' in the last nuclear reactor 'housed in a wooden framed building', with no "containment" in the US of A.
It's gone now.
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Very interesting. Thank you for the write up. Cool medal too.
That would be scary to pass through a door like that. I have the utmost confidence in US naval reactors given the thousands of manhours that go into designing, fabricating, and assembling them, but you still never know when one of them may do something bad.
Very interesting! Was it an early commercial reactor or was it government operated? That sounds like something that wouldn’t be allowed in the commercial sector, but I guess anything is possible.
Having maintained, repaired, refueled, inspected, certified and tested a number of naval reactors I too have the utmost confidence in them. Keep in mind tax dollars and government employees are used to do this, so no expense is spared. There is no incentive to take short cuts.
There are so many fail safe and auto shutdown (scram) features built into them, one would have to intentionally bypass/override such physical features to create something bad. The protection and alarm (P&A) systems are quite detailed and involve the latest and greatest in digital electronics. Over the years I performed the field changes that took these systems from analog, to micro-processor to digital control. My particular specialty was nuclear instrumentation which, besides providing automatic plant parameter protection, gave operators constant critical rod position data and reactor neutron levels (criticality).
Rampant currency debasement will be the most important investment trend of this decade, and it will devastate most people.
- Nick Giambruno Buy dollar insurance now, because the policy will cost more as the dollar becomes worth less.
USS Enterprise Medal
Another new addition to my “Nuclear Navy” collection: the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) christening medal. This medal was distributed to attendees of the Enterprise’s christening ceremony on September 24, 1960. This 38 mm bronze medal was struck by the Medallic Art Company for Newport News Shipbuilding, the builder of the Enterprise. Supposedly 15,000 were struck, 11,000 were distributed on christening day, and the remaining 4,000 were purchased by a local souvenir dealer. Unlike my previous two “Nuclear Navy” medals, this medal is considered a “so-called dollar” and is listed as HK-578. There are 64 mm diameter variants of this medal (with a different reverse) made out of silver and bronze. Perhaps I will pick those up someday.
When the Enterprise was christened in 1960, she was the largest ship in the world. The Enterprise was 1,088 feet long, 132.8 feet wide at the waterline (257.2 feet at the widest point on the deck), and displaced roughly 94,000 tons of water when fully loaded. The ship was powered by eight A2W Westinghouse-designed nuclear reactors. Two A2W reactors powered each of the four screws.
The Enterprise’s reactors propelled her over one million nautical miles over her service life (more than enough to go to the moon and back, twice) before the ship was deactivated in 2012. Since then, the Enterprise’s decommissioning has challenged the Navy, since it is the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier to ever be decommissioned. The last reactor was defueled in 2016, and now the ex-Enterprise is currently in a state of limbo until she is finally broken up in the future when more sophisticated aircraft carrier disposal plans are in place.
This particular medal came with all of the christening day memorabilia, including the medal and its holder/envelope, the christening ceremony’s program, a booklet prepared by Westinghouse titled “Our Atomic Navy,” a postcard with an artist’s rendition of the Enterprise, and the original outer envelope that held everything. The medal shipped out of the Newport News, VA area, so I suspect that this is the first time that the medal has been outside of Virginia. On a personal level, it’s also cool to own this medal because a couple of my friends from college work at this shipyard!
At this point, I believe that I have all of these types of medals from the 1950-1960 time period. There’s a token (or at least I’d call it a token) from that time that I want to get, but I’ve only seen two of them... one in a sold eBay listing and one on the issuer’s website! Maybe another will turn up on eBay.
I got this medal a couple of weeks ago, but forgot to post it. This is the bronze restrike of the Hyman G. Rickover medal that was originally issued in 1958 (US Mint Medal #533). Rickover pushed the Navy to see the benefits of nuclear power and is seen as the Father of the Nuclear Navy because of his efforts. A Los Angeles-class attack submarine (SSN-709) was named for him, and a Virginia-class attack submarine (SSN-795) is slated to be named for him. This medal is 76 mm in diameter. The side with the very strong man grappling with the atom was designed by Gilroy Roberts and the side with Rickover’s bust was designed by Frank Gasparro.
(Quarter included for scale)
One of the most interesting posts in a long while. Thanks to all for their contributions and mostly to those of us who had the opportunity to see 1st hand what most of us only read about. Thanks to all for your service.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Nice write up and love the medal
Nice thread.
What a great thread. I can't believe I missed it the first few times around. I used to work in accounting and finance as the controller for the Navy Controls Division of Eaton Corporation (Sold to DRS Technologies in 2002). The business manufactured shipboard integrated electrical power distribution and control systems for use by the United States Navy. Our boardroom and hallways were covered in pictures of the aforementioned people and ships. We had two plants - one in Milwaukee, WI and one in Danbury, CT. I always found this history quite fascinating. I also remember feeling odd that I was responsible for the finances on products that I had no real understanding on how they worked. I would sit in meetings listening to our engineers discuss our control systems and I would be thinking, I have no idea what they are talking about
.
Thanks for bringing back some old memories.
" . . . now Captain, let me tell you how wrong you are.
You are faced and flanked by over 100 of my men, most in excellent places of concealment, with automatic weapons trained upon you, and your vastly inferior force . . . "
Go watch the film. I am going to keep dropping quotes . . . . . . .
Drunner
It is a very special privilege to play a part in the supply chain for these, regardless of how big or how small the role may be! It’s satisfying to know that the product of your work helps to defend our country.
I knew that I still had an example of this USS Nautilus SSN571 aluminum medal somewhere and it finally turned up. It's actually for the 125th Anniversary of Mare Island which is also where the Nautilus (the first nuclear sub in the world) was decommissioned. The 48mm medal also occurs in bronze.
TDN was an engineer on a nuclear sub.