Located on the banks of the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, the USS Nautilus is the world’s first nuclear submarine. Preserved as a National Historic Landmark, the Nautilus is the centerpiece of the Submarine Force Museum, which extensively details the U.S. Navy’s history of underwater warfare. As the first nuclear powered submarine, the Nautilus is in many ways the world’s first true submarine. The diesel-electric submarines of WWII could only stay submerged for 12 to 48 hours at a time, forcing them to the surface periodically, at which point they were quite vulnerable. Nautilus’ revolutionary use of nuclear power, meant that it could stay submerged for weeks at a time, greatly enhancing its strategic capabilities.
Named after the ship depicted in Jules Verne’s novel, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, USS Nautilus was launched on January 21, 1954. It’s launch was not only a landmark in military history, but in energy history as well, as the Nautilus represented the world’s first large scale use of controlled nuclear power. That a submarine based nuclear reactor should be first in this regard, strikes me as being both a fascinating and underappreciated historical fact. Nautilus further etched its name into the history books in August 1958, when it became the first vessel to successfully complete a polar crossing. The ironically named “Operation Sunshine”, saw USS Nautilus depart from Pearl Harbor and pass under the geographic North Pole, a first in human history.
The USS Nautilus was decommissioned on March 3, 1980, after a storied 25-year career that included traveling more than a half-million miles, and achieving a long list of historic firsts. In 1982 the National Park Service designated Nautilus as a National Historic Landmark, and in 1985 the sub became part of the Submarine Force Museum. Now open to the public, the USS Nautilus sees roughly 250,000 visitors a year.
While USS Nautilus is the main attraction, the rest of the Submarine Force Museum is equally interesting. The museum explores everything from the history of submarines, to their current role as one of America’s nuclear deterrents. If you’re interested in military history or military strategy, the Submarine Force Museum is a really fascinating place to visit. I can’t be certain, but I suspect there’s lots of people who would visit USS Nautilus, if only they knew about it. Located 2 hours from Boston and 2.5 hours from New York City, the Nautilus is an easy trip for anyone who’s interested.
