NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Hyman G. Rickover

Admiral Hyman George Rickover, U.S. Navy, (January 27, 1900 or August 24, 1898 – July 8, 1986) was known as the "Father of the Nuclear Navy", which as of July 2007 had produced 200 nuclear-powered submarines, and 23 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and cruisers, though many of these U.S. vessels are now decommissioned and others under construction. is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Äž: For the film, see: 1900 (film). ... is the 236th day of the year (237th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Image File history File links Hyman_Rickover_1955. ... Orzyc river in MakÃ³w MakÃ³w Mazowiecki is a town in Poland, in Masovian Voivodship. ... Arlington County is an urban county of about 203,000 residents in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the U.S., directly across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. [1] Originally part of the District of Columbia, the land now comprising the county was retroceded to Virginia in a July... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... USS Finch (AM-9) was an Lapwing-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. ... Naval Reactors was founded by Tyrone Weeks under the direct supervision of Adm. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Congressional Gold Medal presented to Navajo Code talkers in 2000 The Congressional Gold Medal should not be confused with the Medal of Honor (commonly called the Congressional Medal of Honor), which is also awarded by Congress, but only to military members as the highest military decoration of the United States. ... The Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the President of the United States (the other award which is considered its equivalent is the Congressional Gold Medal, which is bestowed by an... The Enrico Fermi Award is a U.S. government Presidential award honoring scientists of international stature for their lifetime achievement in the development, use, or production of energy. ... For other uses, see Admiral (disambiguation). ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Äž: For the film, see: 1900 (film). ... is the 236th day of the year (237th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... List of United States Naval reactors is a comprehensive annotated list of all naval reactors designed, built, or used by the United States Navy. ... There are two major types of submarines in the United States Navy: ballistic missile submarines and attack submarines. ... This is a list of all the aircraft carrier, light carrier and escort carrier classes that have served in the United States Navy. ... This list of cruisers of the United States Navy includes all ships that were ever called cruiser. Since the nomenclature predates the hull numbering system, and there were several confusing renumberings and renamings, there are multiple entries referring to the same physical ship. ...

With his unique personality, political connections, responsibilities and depth of knowledge regarding naval nuclear propulsion, Rickover became the longest-serving active duty military officer in U.S. history with 63 years of continuous service.

Rickover's substantial legacy of technical achievements includes the U.S. Navy's continuing record of zero reactor accidents, as defined by the uncontrolled release of fission products subsequent to reactor core damage. [1] Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station consisted of two pressurized water reactors manufactured by Babcock & Wilcox each inside its own containment building and connected cooling towers. ... Fission products are the residues of fission processes. ... Pressurized water reactors (PWRs) (also VVER if of Russian design) are generation II nuclear power reactors that use ordinary water under high pressure as coolant and neutron moderator. ...

Childhood

Hyman Rickover was born to a Jewish family in Maków Mazowiecki of Poland, but at that time and prior to World War I under Russian occupation. The surname Rickover is derived from the village and the estate of Ryki, located within an hour of Warsaw as is Maków Mazowiecki. The entire Jewish community of Ryki as well as many members of Maków Mazowiecki were killed or otherwise died during The Holocaust. The Admiral's first name is derived from the Hebrew word חַיִּים (Chayyim) meaning "life." The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... Orzyc river in MakÃ³w MakÃ³w Mazowiecki is a town in Poland, in Masovian Voivodship. ... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... Ryki is a town in south-eastern Poland on the main road between Warsaw and Lublin. ... For other uses, see Warsaw (disambiguation) and Warszawa (disambiguation). ... â€œShoahâ€ redirects here. ... Chayyim (Hebrew: chayyÄ«m), also transscribed as Hayyim, Chaim, Haim. ...

Escaping the fate of his fellow ethnic citizens, well before World War I the young Rickover immigrated to the United States with his parents, Abraham Rickover and Rachel (née Unger) Rickover, in 1905 after fleeing anti-Semitic pogroms. Living initially on the seething East Side of Manhattan, the family moved two years later to Lawndale, a community of Chicago, where his father continued his work as a tailor. Rickover began work to help support the family at nine years of age, and later said of his childhood that it was a time of "hard work, discipline, and a decided lack of good times."[2] [3] The French word nÃ©e (feminine) or nÃ© (masculine) (or the English word nee) is still commonly used in some newspapers when mentioning the maiden name of a woman in engagement or wedding announcements. ... Pogrom (from Russian: ; from Ð³Ñ€Ð¾Ð¼Ð¸Ñ‚ÑŒ IPA: - to wreak havoc, to demolish violently) is a form of riot directed against a particular group, whether ethnic, religious or other, and characterized by destruction of their homes, businesses and religious centres. ... For other uses, see Manhattan (disambiguation). ... North Lawndale (also known simply as Lawndale) is a community area located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area - City 234. ...

While attending John Marshall High School in Chicago, where he graduated with honors in 1918, Rickover held a full-time job delivering Western Union telegrams, through which he became acquainted with U.S. Congressman Adolph J. Sabath. By way of the intervention of a family friend, Sabath, himself a Czech Jewish immigrant, nominated Rickover for appointment to the United States Naval Academy.[4] Though only a third alternate for a coveted plebe appointment, through disciplined self-directed study and good fortune the future four-star admiral passed the entrance exam and was accepted.[5][6] 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... Adolph Joachim Sabath (b. ... The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ... The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ...

Early naval career through World War II

Rickover was commissioned as an Ensign after graduating 107th out of 540 midshipmen in 1922. While awaiting transportation to his first ship on the west coast via the Panama Canal, he received a scholarship to take courses in history and psychology at the University of Chicago. He subsequently reported to the new destroyer USS La Vallette (DD-315), where shortly after reporting aboard he had so impressed his commanding officer that he was made engineer officer despite his lack of rank or experience, and became the youngest engineer officer in the squadron less than a year after leaving the Naval Academy. Ensign is a junior rank of commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. ... For other uses, see University of Chicago (disambiguation). ... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ... The first USS La Vallette (DD-315) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Elie A. F. La Vallette. ...

He next served on board the battleship USS Nevada (BB-36) before earning a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Electrical Engineering by way of a year at the Naval Postgraduate School at the Naval Academy, followed by further work at Columbia University. At Columbia he met his future wife, Ruth D. Masters, a Christian and graduate student in international law, whom he married in 1931 after she returned from her doctoral studies at the Sorbonne in Paris. Shortly after marrying, Rickover wrote to his parents of his decision to become an Episcopalian, remaining so the remainder of his life.[7] For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... The second United States Navy Nevada (BB-36) was a battleship, lead ship of her class of two (Oklahoma (BB-37) being the other). ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate course of one or two years in duration. ... Electrical Engineers design power systemsâ€¦ â€¦ and complex electronic circuits. ... Alma Mater Columbia University is a private university in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Inscription over the entrance to the Sorbonne The front of the Sorbonne Building The name Sorbonne (La Sorbonne) is commonly used to refer to the historic University of Paris in Paris, France or one of its successor institutions (see below), but this is a recent usage, and Sorbonne has actually... This article is about the Episcopal Church in the United States. ...

More fond of life on a small ship, and knowing that young officers in the submarine service were advancing quickly, Rickover went to Washington and volunteered for submarine duty. His application was turned down due to his age, at that time 29 years-old. As fate would have it, he ran into his former commanding officer from Nevada while leaving the building, who interceded successfully on Rickover's behalf. From 1929 to 1933 Rickover qualified for submarine duty and command aboard the submarines S-9 and S-48.[8] For other uses, see Submarine (disambiguation). ... USS S-9 (SS-114) was a second-group (S-3 or Government) S-class submarine of the United States Navy. ... USS S-48 (SS-159) was the first submarine in the fourth group of S-class submarines of the United States Navy. ...

During 1933, while at the Office of the Inspector of Naval Material in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rickover translated the book Das Unterseeboot (The Submarine), by World War I Admiral Hermann Bauer. Rickover's translation became a basic text for the U.S. submarine service. Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area - City 369. ... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... Hermann Bauer was a commander of the U-boat forces of the Kaiserliche Marine during World War I. At the start of the war, Bauer, then a KorvettenkapitÃ¤n, was in charge of the 20 U-boats in Germanys High Seas Fleet. ...

In June 1937, he assumed command of the minesweeper USS Finch (AM-9). Later that year, he was selected as an Engineering Duty Officer and spent the remainder of his career serving in that specialty. USS Pivot (AM 276) World War II United States Admirable Class Minesweeper shown in the Gulf of Mexico on sea trials 12 July 1944 Image:Hameln Class. ... USS Finch (AM-9) was an Lapwing-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. ... The Submarine Engineering Duty Insignia is a badge of the United States Navy which is issued to Limited Duty Officers who have been commissioned as Engineering officers in the U.S. Navy submarine service. ...

After the December 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor sank five battleships, beginning in April 1942 Rickover was key in the salvage operation of the re-floated USS California (BB-44). In that role he was "a leading figure in putting the ship's electric alternators and motors back into operating condition," enabling the battleship to sail under her own power from Pearl Harbor to Puget Sound Navy Yard. California completed her reconstruction and returned to combat operations against Japan in May 1944. [9] This article is about the actual attack. ... USS California (BB-44), a Tennessee-class battleship, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 31st state. ...

Later during the war, his service as head of the Electrical Section in the Bureau of Ships during World War II brought him a Legion of Merit and gave him experience in directing large development programs, choosing talented technical people, and working closely with private industry. During his wartime service, as noted later in a 1954 Time magazine issue that featured him on its cover: Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ...

Naval Reactors and the Atomic Energy Commission

In 1946 a project was begun at the Manhattan Project's nuclear-power focused Clinton Laboratory (now the Oak Ridge National Laboratory) to develop a nuclear electric generating plant. The U.S. Navy decided to send eight men to this project, including three civilians and one senior and four junior naval officers. Realizing the potential that nuclear energy held for the Navy, Rickover applied. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x776, 78 KB) Summary Rear Admiral Hyman G. Rickover ispecting USS Nautilus (SSN-571) (circa 1954). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x776, 78 KB) Summary Rear Admiral Hyman G. Rickover ispecting USS Nautilus (SSN-571) (circa 1954). ... This article is about the World War II nuclear project. ... A combination of federal, state and private funds is providing $300 million for the construction of 13 facilities on ORNLs new main campus. ...

Although he was not initially selected, through the intercession of his wartime boss, Admiral Earle Mills, who became the head of the Navy's Bureau of Ships that same year, Rickover was finally sent to Oak Ridge as the deputy manager of the entire project, granting him access to all facilities, projects and reports.[11] The United States Navys Bureau of Ships (BuShips) was established by Congress on June 20, 1940, by a law which consolidated the functions of the Bureau of Construction and Repair and the Bureau of Engineering. ...

Following efforts by physicists Ross Gunn, Philip Abelson and others in the Manhattan Project, he became an early convert to the idea of nuclear marine propulsion and more specifically, naval nuclear propulsion. Rickover worked with Alvin M. Weinberg, the Oak Ridge director of research, both to establish the Oak Ridge School of Reactor Technology and to begin the design of the pressurized water reactor for submarine propulsion. [12], [13],(p. 39, The Rickover Effect (2002)) Philip Hauge Abelson (April 27, 1913 - August 1, 2004) was a physicist, editor of scientific literature, and science writer. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... ... Pressurized water reactors (PWRs) (also VVER if of Russian design) are generation II nuclear power reactors that use ordinary water under high pressure as coolant and neutron moderator. ...

In February 1949, he received an assignment to the Division of Reactor Development, Atomic Energy Commission, and then assumed control of the Navy's effort as Director of the Naval Reactors Branch in the Bureau of Ships, reporting to Mills. This twin role enabled him to both lead the effort to develop the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus (SSN-571), which was launched and commissioned in 1954, as well as oversee the development of the Shippingport Atomic Power Station, the first commercial pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant. Almost a year after World War II ended, Congress established the United States Atomic Energy Commission to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. ... Naval Reactors was founded by Tyrone Weeks under the direct supervision of Adm. ... USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the worlds first operational nuclear-powered submarine and the first vessel to complete a submerged transit across the North Pole. ... The Shippingport reactor was the first full-scale nuclear power plant in the United States. ... Pressurized water reactors (PWRs) (also VVER if of Russian design) are generation II nuclear power reactors that use ordinary water under high pressure as coolant and neutron moderator. ...

The decision for selecting Rickover to head the development of the nation's nuclear submarine program ultimately rested with Admiral Mills. According to Lieutenant General Leslie Groves, the primary military leader in charge of the Manhattan Project, Mills was anxious to have a very determined man involved, and – though he knew that Rickover was "not too easy to get along with" and "not too popular" – in his judgment Rickover was the man who the Navy could depend on "no matter what opposition he might encounter, once he was convinced of the potentialities of the atomic submarine."[14] Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Leslie Groves Leslie Richard Groves (August 17, 1896 â€“ July 13, 1970) was a United States Army officer who oversaw the construction of the Pentagon and was the primary military leader in charge of the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb during World War II. Descended from French Huguenots who...

Rickover did not disappoint. The imagination, drive, creativity and engineering expertise demonstrated by Rickover and his team during that time-frame resulted in a highly reliable nuclear reactor in a form-factor that would fit into a submarine hull with no more than a 28-foot beam. These were substantial technical achievements: Pressurized water reactors (PWRs) (also VVER if of Russian design) are generation II nuclear power reactors that use ordinary water under high pressure as coolant and neutron moderator. ... The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point, or a point alongside the ship at the mid-point of its length. ...

Promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral in 1958, the same year he was awarded the first of two Congressional Gold Medals [17], for nearly the next three decades Rickover exercised tight control over the ships, technology, and personnel of the nuclear Navy, interviewing and approving or denying every prospective officer being considered for a nuclear ship. Over the course of Rickover's record-length career, these personal interviews amounted to tens of thousands of highly impressionable events; over 14,000 interviews were with recent college-graduates alone.[18] Varying from arcane to combative to humorous (examples), and ranging from midshipmen to very senior naval aviators who sought command of aircraft carriers (which sometimes lapsed into ego battles), the content of most of these interviews has been lost to history, though some were later chronicled in the several books on Rickover's career, as well as in a rare, personal, 60 Minutes interview with Diane Sawyer in 1984. [19][20] // The term steam engine may also refer to an entire railroad steam locomotive. ... Surface condenser is the commonly used term for a shell and tube heat exchanger installed on the exhaust steam from a steam turbine in thermal power stations. ... General Name, Symbol, Number zirconium, Zr, 40 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 4, 5, d Appearance silvery white Standard atomic weight 91. ... General Name, Symbol, Number hafnium, Hf, 72 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 4, 6, d Appearance grey steel Standard atomic weight 178. ... Vice Admiral is a naval rank of three star level, equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority. ... Congressional Gold Medal presented to Navajo Code talkers in 2000 The Congressional Gold Medal should not be confused with the Medal of Honor (commonly called the Congressional Medal of Honor), which is also awarded by Congress, but only to military members as the highest military decoration of the United States. ... This article is about the CBS news magazine. ... Diane Sawyer is a television journalist for the U.S. network ABC News and co-anchor of ABCs Good Morning America, along with with Robin Roberts. ...

Rickover's stringent standards and powerful focus on personal integrity are largely credited with being responsible for the U.S. Navy's continuing record of zero reactor accidents. During the mid-late 1950's, Rickover revealed the source of his obsession with safety in a personal conversation with a fellow Navy captain:

He also made it a point to be aboard during the initial sea trial of almost every nuclear submarine completing its new-construction period, and by his presence both set his stamp of personal integrity that the ship was ready for the rigors of the open seas, and ensured adequate testing to either prove as much or to establish issues requiring resolution.

As head of Naval Reactors, Rickover's focus and responsibilities were dedicated to reactor safety rather than tactical or strategic submarine warfare training. It could be argued that because of Rickover's singular focus on reactor operations, and direct line of communications with each nuclear submarine's captain, that this acted against the captains' warfighting abilities. Naval Reactors was founded by Tyrone Weeks under the direct supervision of Adm. ...

Such a claim, however, does not hold up well in consideration of the highly-classified national security accomplishments of the submarine force, such as are allegedly chronicled in Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage (1998).[21] Moreover, the accident-free record of U.S. Navy reactor operations stands in stark contrast to those of America's primary competitor during the Cold War, the Soviet Union, which lost several submarines to reactor accidents in both its haste and chosen priorities for competing with superior U.S. technology. These Russian or Soviet submarines either suffered extensive crew casualties or were entirely lost to enemy action or to storm or perils of the sea. ...

As stated in a retrospective analysis by UPI in October 2007: Front of UPI Headquarters, Washington, D.C. United Press International (UPI) is a global news agency headquartered in the United States filing news in English, Spanish and Arabic. ...

However, the extreme focus on nuclear propulsion plant operation and maintenance was well known during Rickover's era as a potential hindrance to balancing operational priorities. One way by which this was addressed after the Admiral retired was that only the very strongest, former at-sea submarine commanders have held Rickover's now uniquely eight-year position as NAVSEA-08. From Rickover's first replacement, Kinnaird R. McKee, to today's head of Naval Reactors, Kirkland H. Donald, all have held command of nuclear submarines, their squadrons and ocean fleets; not one has been a long-term Engineering Duty Officer such as Rickover. Naval Reactors was founded by Tyrone Weeks under the direct supervision of Adm. ... Admiral Kirkland H. Donald is the Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion. ... The Submarine Engineering Duty Insignia is a badge of the United States Navy which is issued to Limited Duty Officers who have been commissioned as Engineering officers in the U.S. Navy submarine service. ...

Controversy

Hyperactive, political, blunt, confrontational, insulting, flamboyant, and an unexcelled workaholic who was always demanding of others – without regard for rank or position – as well as himself, Admiral Rickover was a thundering force of nature and lightning rod for controversy. Moreover, he had "little tolerance for mediocrity, none for stupidity." "If a man is dumb," said a Chicago friend, "Rickover thinks he ought to be dead." Even while a Captain, Rickover did not conceal his opinions, and many of the officers he regarded as dumb eventually grew into admirals, cruising the Pentagon. A workaholic is a person addicted to work. ...

Rickover found himself frequently and loudly in bureaucratic combat with these senior naval officers, to the point that he nearly never became "Admiral" Rickover: two admiral-selection boards – exclusively made up of admirals – passed over the highly accomplished Captain Rickover for promotion even while he was in the process of becoming famous. One of these selection boards even met the day after USS Nautilus had its keel-laying ceremony in the presence of President Truman. It eventually took the intervention of the White House, U.S. Congress and the Secretary of the Navy – and the very real threat of changing the Navy's admiral-selection system to include civilians – before the next flag-selection board welcomed the twice passed-over Rickover (normally a career-ending event) into their ranks. [23][24] USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the worlds first operational nuclear-powered submarine and the first vessel to complete a submerged transit across the North Pole. ... For other persons named Harry Truman, see Harry Truman (disambiguation). ...

Even Rickover's most senior, renowned and professionally-accomplished nuclear-trained officers that he had personally selected, such as Edward L. Beach, had mixed feelings about "the kindly old gentleman" (or simply "KOG", as Rickover became euphemistically known in inner circles) and would at times refer to him quite seriously, decidedly and unaffectionately as a "tyrant" with "no account of his gradually failing powers" in his later years (p. 179, United States Submarines, 2002). Edward Latimer Beach, Jr. ...

However, President Nixon's comments upon awarding the admiral's fourth star in 1973 are germane: Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 â€“ April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... For other uses, see Admiral (disambiguation). ...

While both Rickover's military authority and congressional mandate with regard to the U.S. fleet's reactor operations was absolute, it was not infrequently a subject of Navy-internal controversy. As head of the Naval Reactors branch, and thus responsible for "signing off" on a crew's competence to operate the reactor safely, he had the power to effectively remove a warship from active service and did-so on several occasions, much to the consternation of those affected.

In short, Rickover was obsessed with a safe, details-focused and successful nuclear program. Coincident with this success, the perception became established among many observers that he sometimes used the raw exercise of power to occasionally settle scores or tweak noses.

Full accountability

In a distinct contrast to numerous examples of admirals and senior naval officers who would come to point their finger at individuals or groups of individuals in the fleet when something went seriously awry [26] [27], Rickover adamantly took full responsibility for everything within the scope of the naval nuclear propulsion program (NNPP). Sample Rickover quote:

Prophecies and warnings regarding fossil fuel depletion

As early as 1957, Admiral Rickover began urging the development of alternate energy consumption paths to that of fossil fuels as their eventual depletion became evident, noting: Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ...

Overprotection of civilian nuclear power

Following the Three Mile Island (TMI) power plant partial meltdown on March 28, 1979, President Jimmy Carter commissioned a study, "Report of the President's Commission on the Accident at Three Mile Island (1979)," chaired by John G. Kemeny, then-president of Dartmouth College. It is claimed in an affidavit signed by Jane Rickover, the Admiral's daughter-in-law, that in her recollection of the Admiral's opinion "the report, if published in its entirety, would have destroyed the civilian nuclear power industry." According to her sworn statement, Rickover persuaded Carter to have the report diluted. She also reports that in November 1985, eight months before his death, "that he had come to deeply regret his action."[30] Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station consists of two nuclear reactors, each with its own containment building and cooling towers. ... For other persons named Jimmy Carter, see Jimmy Carter (disambiguation). ... John George Kemeny (Kemény János) (May 31, 1926–December 26, 1992), U.S. computer scientist and educator best known for co-developing the BASIC programming language in 1964 with Thomas Eugene Kurtz. ... Dartmouth College is a private, coeducational university located in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. Incorporated as Trustees of Dartmouth College,[6][7] it is a member of the Ivy League and one of the nine colonial colleges founded before the American Revolution. ...

Subsequently, Admiral Rickover was asked to testify before Congress in the general context of answering the question as to why naval nuclear propulsion had succeeded in achieving a record of zero reactor-accidents (as defined by the uncontrolled release of fission products to the environment resulting from damage to a reactor core) as opposed to the dramatic one that had just taken place at Three Mile Island. In his testimony, he said:

Willingness to "sink them all"

Given Rickover's single-minded focus on naval nuclear propulsion, design and operations, it came as a surprise to many when in 1982, near the end of his career, he testified before the U.S. Congress that, were it up to him, he "would sink them all." A seemingly outrageous enigma of a statement – and perhaps one attributable to an old man beyond his time – in context, Rickover's personal integrity and honesty were such that he was lamenting the need for such war machines in the modern world, and specifically acknowledged as well that the employment of nuclear energy ran counter to the course of nature over time.

However, after his retirement -- and only a few months later, in May of 1982 -- Admiral Rickover spoke more specifically regarding the questions "Could you comment on your own responsibility in helping to create a nuclear navy? Do you have any regrets?":

Willingness to forego all accomplishments

As quoted by President Jimmy Carter during his 1984 interview with Diane Sawyer: For other persons named Jimmy Carter, see Jimmy Carter (disambiguation). ...

Focus on education

When he was a child still living in Russian-occupied Poland, Rickover was not allowed to attend public schools because of his Jewish faith. Starting at the age of four, he attended a religious school where the teaching was solely from the Old Testament in Hebrew. School hours were from sunrise to sunset, six days a week.[34] Image File history File links Admiral_Rickover_with_President_Kennedy. ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Â· Other religions Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury Â· Catholic Pope Coptic Pope Â· Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box: Note: Judaism... The word Hebrew most likely means to cross over, referring to the Semitic people crossing over the Euphrates River. ...

Following his formal education in the U.S. as described above and the birth of his son, Robert, Admiral Rickover developed a decades-long and outspoken interest in the educational standards of the United States, stating in 1957:

Rickover was particularly of the opinion that U.S. standards of education were unacceptably low. His first book centered on education and was a collection of essays calling for improved standards of education, particularly in math and science, entitled Education and Freedom. In this book, the Admiral states that, "education is the most important problem facing the United States today” and “only the massive upgrading of the scholastic standards of our schools will guarantee the future prosperity and freedom of the Republic."

His persistent interest in education led to some related discussions with President John F. Kennedy. [36] [37] While still on active duty, the Admiral had suggested that there are three things that a school must do: First, it must transmit to the pupil a substantial body of knowledge; second, it must develop in him the necessary intellectual skill to apply this knowledge to the problems he will encounter in adult life; and third, it must inculcate in him the habit of judging issues on the basis of verified fact and logical reasoning. John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ...

Recognizing "that nurturing careers of excellence and leadership in science and technology in young scholars is an essential investment in the United States national and global future," following his retirement Admiral Rickover founded the Center for Excellence in Education in 1983.

Additionally, the Research Science Institute (formerly the Rickover Science Institute), founded by Admiral Rickover in 1984, is a highly respected summer science program hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for rising high school seniors from around the world. The RSI Logo The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a highly competitive summer research program for rising high school seniors around the world, sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and hosted by MIT. Founded by Admiral H.G. Rickover in 1984 (and originally called the Rickover Science... â€œMITâ€ redirects here. ...

Forced retirement

On January 31, 1982, in his 80's, and after 63 years of service to his country under 13 presidents (Woodrow Wilson through Ronald Reagan), Rickover was forced to retire from the Navy as a full admiral by Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, with the knowledge and consent of President Reagan. is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856â€“February 3, 1924), was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. ... Reagan redirects here. ... Flag of the United States Secretary of the Navy. ... John F. Lehman, Jr. ...

In the early 1980s, structural welding flaws – whose nature and existence had been covered up by falsified inspection records – led to significant delays and expenses in the delivery of several submarines being built at the General Dynamics Electric Boat Division shipyard. In some cases the repairs resulted in practically dismantling and then rebuilding what had been a nearly-completed submarine. While the yard tried to pass the vast cost overruns directly onto the Navy, Rickover fought Electric Boat's general manager, P. Takis Veliotis, tooth and nail at every possible turn, demanding that the yard make good on its shoddy workmanship. While most boats on the water today are powered by diesel engines, and sail power and gasoline engines are also popular, it is perfectly feasible to power boats by electricity too. ...

Although the Navy eventually settled with General Dynamics in 1981, paying out $634 million of $843 million in Los Angeles class submarine cost-overrun and reconstruction claims, Rickover was bitter over the yard's having effectively and successfully sued the Navy for its own incompetence and deceit. Of no small irony, the U.S. Navy was also the yard's insurer – though the concept of reimbursing General Dynamics under these conditions was initially considered "preposterous" in the words of Secretary Lehman, the legal basis of General Dynamics' claims included insurance compensation. [38][39] Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Los Angeles class submarines The Los Angeles class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines (SSN) that forms the backbone of the United States submarine fleet, and is the most numerous class of nuclear powered submarine in the world. ...

Outraged, Rickover furiously lambasted both the settlement and Secretary Lehman, who was partly motivated to seek an agreement in order to continue to focus on achieving President Reagan's goal of a 600-ship Navy. This was hardly Rickover's first clash with the defense industry – he was historically hard, even harsh, in exacting high standards from these contractors[40] – but now his relationship with Electric Boat took on the characteristics of an all-out, no-holds-barred war (Running Critical: The Silent War, Rickover & General Dynamics, 1986). The 600 Ship Navy was a plan put forth as a campaign plank by Ronald Reagan in 1980 to rebuild the United States Navy to its former size after post-Vietnam cutbacks. ...

Veliotis came to be indicted by a federal grand jury under racketeering and fraud charges in 1983 for demanding $1.3 million in kickbacks from a subcontractor. He nonetheless eventually escaped into exile and a life of luxury in his native Greece where he remains a fugitive from U.S. justice.[41] [42] [43]

Subsequent to accusations by the indicted Veliotis, a Navy Ad Hoc Gratuities Board determined that Rickover had received gifts from General Dynamics including jewelry, furniture and exotic knives valued at $67,628 over a 16-year period. Charges that gifts were provided by the Navy's other major nuclear submarine contractors (Newport News Shipbuilding, General Electric and Westinghouse) were investigated as well.[44][45][46]^[1]

Veliotis also charged, without providing substantiating evidence, that General Dynamics had given gifts to other senior naval officers, and had routinely underbid contracts with the intention of charging the government for cost overruns. These charges were not pursued by the Navy, at least in part due to Veliotis' flight from justice. [47]

Despite being a clear violation of government rules regarding conflicts of interest, Rickover was defiantly unrepentant, arguing that most of the gifts were given away to members of Congress or their staff, and that he had not favored any contractor.

Secretary Lehman, a naval aviator, concluded that Rickover had "suggested, encouraged and even demanded"^[2] the gifts and formally admonished Rickover for this impropriety via a nonpunitive letter of censure in his service record, while at the same time publicly stating that "this fall from grace over these trinkets should be viewed in the larger context of his enormous contribution." Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin, a longtime supporter of Rickover, later publicly associated a debilitating stroke suffered by the Admiral to his having been censured and "dragged through the mud by the very institution to which he rendered his invaluable service." [48] Naval aviation of the United States. ... Edward William Proxmire (November 11, 1915 â€“ December 15, 2005) was a member of the Democratic Party who served in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1957 to 1989. ...

Beyond any personal enmity or power struggles between the two naval leaders, it was Rickover's advanced age, singular focus and political clout regarding nuclear power, and strong, near-insubordinate stance against paying the fraudulently inflated submarine construction claims that gave Secretary Lehman substantial political capital to have Rickover retired. A moderate loss of ship control and subsequent depth excursion during the sea trials of the newly constructed USS La Jolla (SSN-701) – over which Rickover had direct supervisory control – provided Lehman with the final impetus for ending Rickover's career. USS La Jolla (SSN-701), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for La Jolla, California. ...

Upon being apprised of Lehman's decision that it was time for the admiral to finally retire, President Reagan asked to meet with Rickover. As quoted from Lehman's Command of the Seas, Rickover was unhappy with the course of events and held forth in a tirade against Lehman, with Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger in attendance, at the meeting with the President: The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense, concerned with the armed services and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Caspar Willard Cap Weinberger, GBE (August 18, 1917 â€“ March 28, 2006), was an American politician and Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 21, 1981, until November 23, 1987, making him the third longest-serving defense secretary to date, after Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld. ...

Offering respectful words for Admiral Rickover's past service, but not encouragement for continued service, President Reagan eventually brought the meeting to a close and Rickover's 63-year career was at its end.

The Navy's official investigation of General Dynamics' Electric Boat division was ended shortly afterwards. According to Theodore Rockwell, Rickover's Technical Director for more than 15 years, more than one source at that time stated that General Dynamics officials were bragging around Washington that they had "gotten Rickover."[51]

In Memoriam

On February 28, 1983, a post-retirement party honoring Admiral Rickover was attended by all three living former U.S. Presidents. President Reagan was not in attendance. [52] is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... This is the list of all of the living people who have served as President of the United States at each moment in US history. ...

Subsequent to a stroke, Admiral Rickover died at his home, located in Arlington, Virginia, on July 8, 1986. Memorial services were led by Admiral James D. Watkins at the Washington National Cathedral, with President Carter, Secretary of State George P. Shultz, Secretary Lehman, senior naval officers and about 1,000 other people in attendance. Mrs. Rickover had asked President Carter to read from John Milton's "Sonnet on His Blindness." Carter said he was at first puzzled by her choice, but then came to believe that the last line had special meaning for all wives and family members of submariners who were away at sea: "They also serve who only stand and wait." [53][54] For other uses, see Stroke (disambiguation). ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Admiral James David Watkins (March 7, 1927-) is a retired U.S. Navy officer and former Chief of Naval Operations. ... Washington National Cathedral has been the site of three presidential state funerals: for Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald W. Reagan, Gerald R. Ford and a presidential burial for Woodrow Wilson and a memorial service for Harry Truman. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... Shultz in his official D.O.L. portrait. ... For other persons named John Milton, see John Milton (disambiguation). ...

Admiral Rickover was buried in Section 5 at Arlington National Cemetery. His first wife, Ruth Masters Rickover (1903-1972), is buried with him and the name of his second wife, Eleonore A. Bednowicz Rickover, whom he met and married while she was serving as a Commander in the Navy Nurse Corps, is also inscribed on his gravestone. He was survived by Robert Rickover, his sole son by his first wife, who is today a teacher of the Alexander technique. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... â€¹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ...

At Arlington, Rickover's burial site overlooks the "eternal flame" at President John F Kennedy's grave site. Of note, it was Rickover who gave President Kennedy the old Breton fisherman’s prayer plaque, which states, “O God, thy sea is so great and my boat is so small.” The plaque is on display in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum as part of the Oval Office exhibit. [55] The eternal flame The John F. Kennedy eternal flame is a United States Presidential Memorial at the gravesite of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, in Arlington National Cemetery. ... JFK redirects here. ...

During the last century, only a few names naturally come to mind of those who have made a truly major impact on both their navies and their nations: Mahan, Fisher and Gorshkov. Rickover joined them. Creating a detail-focused pursuit of excellence to a degree previously unknown, he redirected the U.S. Navy’s ship propulsion, quality control, personnel selection, and training and education, and has had far reaching effects on the defense establishment and the civilian nuclear energy field. [56] Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan (September 27, 1840â€“December 1, 1914) was a United States Navy officer, geostrategist, and educator. ... John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher (January 25, 1841 â€“ July 10, 1920), commonly known as Jackie Fisher, was a British admiral known for his efforts at naval reform. ... Sergey Georgyevich Gorshkov (b. ...

Named in his honor

The Los Angeles-class submarine USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709) was named for him. She was commissioned two years before the Admiral's death, making her one of the relatively few US Navy ships to be named for a living person. Image File history File links USS_Rickover. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Los Angeles class submarines The Los Angeles class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines (SSN) that forms the backbone of the United States submarine fleet, and is the most numerous class of nuclear powered submarine in the world. ... USS (SSN-709), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Admiral Hyman G. Rickover and the only Los Angeles class submarine not named after a United States city. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... This list includes vessels that were named in honor of Americans who were alive at the time. ...

USS Hyman G. Rickover was launched on August 27, 1983, sponsored by the Admiral's second wife, Mrs. Eleonore Ann Bednowicz Rickover, commissioned on July 21, 1984, and inactivated on December 14, 2006.

Rickover Hall at the United States Naval Academy, housing the departments of Mechanical Engineering, Naval Ocean Engineering, Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering, and Rickover Center at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command (NNPTC), Goose Creek, South Carolina are also named in his honor. The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ...

Awards

Admiral Rickover's numerous medals and decorations include: Image File history File links Rickover_Congressional_Gold_Medal. ...

In recognition of his wartime service, he was made Honorary Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. ... The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. ... The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military award which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. ... WWII Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. ...

Admiral Rickover was twice awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for exceptional public service; the first in 1958, and the second 25 years later in 1983. Congressional Gold Medal presented to Navajo Code talkers in 2000 The Congressional Gold Medal should not be confused with the Medal of Honor (commonly called the Congressional Medal of Honor), which is also awarded by Congress, but only to military members as the highest military decoration of the United States. ...

In 1980, President Jimmy Carter presented Admiral Rickover with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest non-military honor, for his contributions to world peace. The Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the President of the United States (the other award which is considered its equivalent is the Congressional Gold Medal, which is bestowed by an...

He also received 61 civilian awards and 15 honorary degrees, including the prestigious Enrico Fermi Award "For engineering and demonstrative leadership in the development of safe and reliable nuclear power and its successful application to our national security and economic needs." [57] The Enrico Fermi Award is a U.S. government Presidential award honoring scientists of international stature for their lifetime achievement in the development, use, or production of energy. ...

Contents

Childhood

Early naval career through World War II

Naval Reactors and the Atomic Energy Commission

Controversy

Full accountability

Prophecies and warnings regarding fossil fuel depletion

Overprotection of civilian nuclear power

Willingness to "sink them all"

Willingness to forego all accomplishments

Focus on education

Forced retirement

In Memoriam

Named in his honor

Awards

See also

References and resources

External links

References

Further reading

Contents

Childhood GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Early naval career through World War II

Naval Reactors and the Atomic Energy Commission

Controversy

Full accountability

Prophecies and warnings regarding fossil fuel depletion

Overprotection of civilian nuclear power

Willingness to "sink them all"

Willingness to forego all accomplishments

Focus on education

Forced retirement

In Memoriam

Named in his honor

Awards

See also

References and resources

External links

References

Further reading

Childhood