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Hyman G. Rickover
1900-1986
The father of the nuclear navy initially earned his master's degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University. He qualified in submarines and commanded the S-9 and S-48. During World War II, he served as head of the Electrical Section in the Bureau of Ships.
After the war, he promoted the idea of nuclear power for naval ships. He received an assignment in the Division of Reactor Development, Atomic Energy Commission and then headed the Navy's Naval Reactors Branch in the Bureau of Ships. The combination of these roles gave him great authority over the development of the USS Nautilus.
USNA 1922 |