The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-04-06
By ELTON {. FAY

WASHINGTON Rt-What is max
ing the first atomic-powered craft
in history?
Is it just nuclear fission and
engineering skill and shipbuilding
art that viii produce the nuclear
submarines Nautilus and Sea Wolf?
Or is it also the almost fanatical
urge and drive of a few thousand
men fired by the spirit of creating
something entirely new in the
world?
You started out by knowing just
one Navy captain, intent beyond
all other interests or getting an
atomic submarine built, Lyman G..
Rickover. But you discovered, as
you moved around from one place
to another, that the project was
full of Rickovers hundreds and
thousands of them.
He either had hammered his own
zeal into them or it was conta-
gious. Rickover spread the eonta-
gion. He kept popping up at near
and far places. at unexpected
times of the day and night, in
sisting on conferences, fast-talking
industrial executives and workmen
into greater speed, demanding ma
| terials. swapping angry arguments
when there we're delays.
Now all hands are obsessed with
getting that first submarine in the
water and out to sea under her
own. new power-come hell or high
water.
Recall the people you met or
watched at the Idaho test station,
att he Pittsburgh and Schenectady
laboratories, at the Groton ship.
yards?
There was the Atomic Energy
Commission (AEC) official at one
plant, the mark Of WEAKNESS from
months Of overwhelming work upon
him. still telephoning, hurrying
eating sandwich at his desk while
he signed papers.
The young submarine service
lieutenant was landlocked in Ida
no.
Eyes, sir" he said, cit look
like this will have everything a
submariner wants in a submarine
The crew | am training for the
new submarine is picking UP re
sponsibility fast. No strain. No,
don't get submarine pay when I'm
out here, but it's worth every pen
ny | lose that way"
The women on the clerical stat
Of the project headquarters here
il Washington =. learning ths
Greek alphabet because the
should be familiar with symbols
used in nuclear equations -. Wis
ting the place where reactor wa:
being built and a shipyard, so they
would have an idea Of what it was
they were working al.
The rows Of craftsmen hunehec
over drawing boards at shipyard
pinpointing details. The boss say:
they insist on working overtime
but it begins to tell on efficiency.
Even the automobile driver fol
an Acc installation seems 10 have
a remarkable understanding Of the
| project.
The Navy Wave yeoman who
cried from WEAKNESS every might
for the first two weeks when she
went home from her high.pressurt
! work in the captains office--ant
/ now says she would try to get oui
Of the Navy II they transferred
her TO another assignment.
The big company executive head
ing home to bolt dinner and theT
return to confer until midnight witt
/ Washington officials.
II is possible. even probably
/ that the Rickoyer technique hai
lost him friends and support il
some circles. including naval.
The Navy is an old and some
what ponderous organization. !
has prescribed patterns fordoin
everything. carefully set down il
regulations. They do not include
shortcuts to bypass superiors no
urgent persuasions and pressure
upon Observation-Disclosures thl
zeal Of the project diFeeor or meTl
Of the program.
So when Rickover's name camI
| up for = promotion to rear ad
/ miraI. as an engineering DUTY 81
ficeF. the selection boards bad d
pronounced enthusiasm fer slap
| ping the star studded shculde.
boards on the captain. The.
{ naxSed him over twice That. &C