Eugene P . Wilkinson Eugene Parks " Dennis " Wilkinson ( August 10 , 1918 – July 11 , 2013 ) was a United States Naval officer who was selected for three historic command assignments . The first , in 1954 , was as the first Commanding Officer of the USS Nautilus , the world ' s first nuclear submarine . The second was in 1961 , where Admiral Rickover selected him to serve as the first Commanding Officer of the USS Long Beach , America ' s first nuclear surface ship . The third was in 1980 when he was chosen as the first President and CEO of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations ( INPO ) from which he retired in 1984 . Biography and military career . Wilkinson , born in August 1918 in Long Beach , California , the son of Dennis William and Daisy Parks Wilkinson . He attended Holtville , California , High School and San Diego State College . He graduated from the latter in 1938 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in chemistry . He taught chemistry there for a year . He also filled in and taught a course in mathematics . During this year he attended the University of Southern California . The next year he had a teaching fellowship in chemistry at USC . During those two years he completed all of the course work for a doctor ’ s degree but never did a thesis or received any graduate degree . Commissioned ensign in the U . S . Naval Reserve on 12 December 1940 , he was transferred to the regular U . S . Navy on 28 August 1946 . Wilkinson ’ s commissioned service began in the heavy cruiser Louisville ( CA - 28 ) , in which he had duty in the engineering department until December 1941 . He was detached in San Francisco , with orders to the Submarine School , New London , Connecticut , for instruction in submarines . After completing the course in March 1942 , he served in the engineering department of the submarine R - JO in April and May , after which he was ordered to the submarine USS Blackfish ( SS - 221 ) . After the commissioning of that boat in July , he served on board for one year , making four war patrols . He had commissary , engineering ; and electrical duties . During his time in the crew the submarine participated in the North African operation ( Algeria - Morocco landings ) . From June 1943 to October 1944 Wilkinson was in the crew of the submarine USS Darter ( SS - 227 ) which participated in four war patrols , including the Truk attack and the Battle of Leyte Gulf . Wilkinson was awarded the Silver Star for his service aboard the Darter . Officially detached from the Darter in November 1944 , following her loss the previous month , he returned to the United States . From January to March 1945 he was an instructor at the Submarine School , New London , Connecticut . He next served as executive officer and navigator of the submarine Menhaden ( SS - 377 ) from March to October 1945 and had similar duty on board the submarine Raton ( SS - 270 ) . Upon his transfer from the Naval Reserve to the U . S . Navy , he was ordered to the General Line School , Newport , Rhode Island , where he completed the assigned course in May 1947 . From June 1947 until April 1948 , Wilkinson was executive officer and navigator of the USS Cusk ( SSG - 348 ) . From April 1948 to April 1950 , he completed assignments at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge , Tennessee ; the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago as an associate engineer , and at the U . S . Atomic Energy Commission in the Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , area , as chief of the operations branch and Bureau of Ships representative . In May 1950 he assumed command of the submarine USS Volador ( SS - 490 ) in which he participated in action in the Korean area from 12 August to 2 November 1951 . From January to May 1952 he fitted out the submarine USS Wahoo ( SS - 565 ) and on her commissioning on 10 May of that year became her first commanding officer . In February 1952 Wilkinson had temporary duty for one month as commanding officer of the submarine USS Sea Robin ( SS - 407 ) . He was detached from the Wahoo in June 1953 . He then carried out a series of temporary assignments by way of preparation for becoming prospective commanding officer of the USS Nautilus ( SSN - 571 ) , the world ’ s first nuclear - powered submarine . He took command of the ship upon her commissioning on 30 September 1954 and held that billet until relieved in June 1957 . During his three - year tour aboard the Nautilus , he presided over pre - commissioning and post - commissioning trials of the submarine . These trials established the capabilities of the nuclear - powered submarine and were used in the development of early nuclear - powered submarine tactics . Nautilus successfully attacked surface ships without being detected and evaded most pursuers . At 1100 on January 17 , 1955 , after getting underway , CDR Wilkinson signaled " Underway on Nuclear Power . " This historic message ushered in the nuclear age for the United States Navy , as well as the world . CDR Wilkinson was the first commanding officer in a nuclear fleet that would eventually cover most of the aircraft carriers , several cruisers , and the entire submarine fleet for the United States Navy . After spending the following academic year as a student at the Naval War College , Newport , Rhode Island , Wilkinson served as Commander Submarine Division 102 for a year and had brief temporary duty as commanding officer of the Nautilus . In September 1961 he became the initial commanding officer of the guided missile cruiser Long Beach ( CGN - 9 ) , the U . S . Navy ’ s first nuclear - powered surface ship . After completion of that command , he reported on 1 November 1963 as Director of the Submarine Warfare Division ( OP - 31 ) , in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations , Navy Department , Washington , D . C . While in that billet he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral . On 23 November 1966 , he assumed duties as Chief of Staff for the U . S . Forces in Japan . After earning the Distinguished Service Medal for his service in Japan , Admiral Wilkinson assumed command of Submarine Flotilla Two on 6 June 1969 . He was promoted to vice admiral upon becoming Commander of the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force on 12 February 1970 . He had additional duty as Submarine Operations Advisor for Polaris Operations , Atlantic Command and Supreme Allied Command Atlantic , Commander Submarines Allied Command , and Commander Submarine Force Western Atlantic . His final billet on active duty , from 1972 to 1974 , was as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations ( Submarine Warfare ) , OP - 02 , on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations . He retired with the rank of Vice Admiral , having commanded the Submarine Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet from 1970 to 1972 and served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Submarine Warfare from 1972 to 1974 . He died July 11 , 2013 . Honors and awards . During his noteworthy naval career , Admiral Wilkinson earned : After retiring from the navy he received : See also . Remarks by VADM Eugene P . " Dennis " Wilkinson , USN ( ret . ) First Commanding Officer of USS NAUTILUS ( SSN 571 ) 50th Anniversary of NAUTILUS ' First Underway on Nuclear Power Submarine Force Museum Monday , January 17 , 2005 Wilkinson , Eugene P . , Stillwell , Paul , ( interviewer ) . " The Reminiscences of Vice Admiral Eugen P . Wilkinson U . S . Navy ( Retired ) . " Annapolis : U . S . Naval Institute , 2006 . OCLC 73501313 Stillwell , Paul , ed . " Submarine Stories : Recollections from the Diesel Boats . " 2007 .