[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4716]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE USS ``NAUTILUS'' REACHING 90 NORTH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 1, 2008

   Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution 
to honor an important anniversary not only to my district, but to our 
Navy and our nation.
   In June 1958, the USS Nautilus (SSN 571), the world's first nuclear 
powered submarine, departed Seattle as part of a top secret operation 
called ``Operation Sunshine.'' Unknown to many at the time, the 
Nautilus was embarking on a historic mission that took them on a course 
north to the Arctic Ice cap. At 1:15 p.m. (EDST) on August 3, 1958, the 
boat became the first vessel to cross the geographic north pole when 
Commander William Anderson, Nautilus' commanding officer, announced to 
his crew: ``For the world, our country, and the Navy--the North Pole.''
   This historic crossing of ``90 North'' took place at a critical time 
in our nation's history: the Cold War was heating up, the Soviet Union 
had seemingly laid claim to space with the launch of Sputnik, and many 
Americans--and many around the world--were looking for something to 
rally around, a sign that we were not ceding big ideas and notable 
achievements to others. Having reached the North Pole, the Nautilus 
clearly demonstrated our undersea superiority and opened the region to 
decades of scientific research and exploration.
   The crossing of the North Pole was praised by numerous world leaders 
of the time, being described by President Eisenhower as a ``magnificent 
achievement'' from which ``the entire free world would benefit.'' A 
ticker tape parade was held in honor of the crew in New York City, the 
Nautilus became the first naval vessel in peacetime to receive the 
Presidential Unit Citation for its meritorious efforts in crossing the 
North Pole and Commander William R. Anderson was awarded the Legion of 
Merit.
  In the fifty years since, the United States Navy and Coast Guard have 
repeatedly followed in the footsteps of this historic voyage. Dozens of 
U.S. submarines, in addition to specially fitted vessels and general 
aircraft of the United States Coast Guard, have journeyed to the top of 
the world in service of their country and to reinforce our Arctic 
presence. These submarines and their intrepid crews have broken through 
to the surface, charted new courses and expanded our knowledge of the 
Arctic.
   Built and launched at Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, on 
January 21, 1954, the Nautilus was the first vessel in the world to be 
powered by nuclear power. After claiming their historic milestone at 90 
North and returning home to Naval Submarine Base New London, the 
Nautilus continued to establish a series of naval records in her 
distinguished 25 year career, including being the first submarine to 
journey ``20,000 leagues under the sea''.
  The history and the legacy of the Nautilus is not only meaningful to 
my Congressional district, but to the entire submarine force and our 
nation. Today. the Nautilus proudly serves as a museum where visitors 
from around the world come to learn about both her history-making 
service to our nation and the role of the submarine force in securing 
our nation. The Nautilus truly helped set the tone as the standard 
bearer for the submarine force, and achievements like the crossing of 
90 North both proved the capabilities of our nation at a critical time 
in our history and raised the bar for all those who came after her.
   Too often the critical achievements of our submarine force, our 
``Silent Service,'' go unnoticed. I am proud to introduce this 
resolution today to honor the Nautilus, her crew and the countless 
individuals who provided support for her journey across 90 North, and 
urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing this important milestone 
in our Nation's history.

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