Mission origins Operation Sandblast

uss triton (ssrn-586) during sea trials (27 september 1959)



captain edward l. beach, u.s. navy

the u.s. navy nuclear-powered radar picket submarine triton (pictured) largest, powerful, , expensive submarine ever built @ time of commissioning, costing $109,000,000 excluding cost of nuclear fuel , reactors. unique submarine, had distinction of being non-soviet submarine powered 2 nuclear reactors. triton s high speed derived twin-reactor nuclear propulsion plant, designed speed, surfaced , submerged, of 28 kn (32 mph; 52 km/h). on 27 september 1959, triton achieved in excess of 30 kn (35 mph; 56 km/h) during initial sea trials. designed, triton s total reactor output rated @ 34,000 horsepower (25,000 kw), achieved 45,000 horsepower (34,000 kw) during sea trials (pictured), , first commanding officer believed triton s plant have reached 60,000 horsepower (45,000 kw) had been necessary.

triton s first commanding officer captain edward l. beach, jr. (pictured), highly decorated submarine officer had participated in battle of midway , 12 combat patrols during world war ii, earning 10 decorations gallantry, including navy cross. after war, beach served naval aide president of united states 1953 1957, , best-selling author of non-fiction book submarine! , novel run silent, run deep, made 1958 movie of same name. in last interview prior death in 2002, captain beach recalled triton , background historical mission:

as reporting triton, remember saying, ship unusual one. ve got special it. be? talked little bit, , nobody had ideas. finally, got idea. ll stunt. ll go around world north pole south pole. brainstorm. if take @ map of world, ll see s not easy way go. didn t that. remember thinking of it. , made speech crew, advising them of thinking—that going put ship on map. well, died out. ... phone call came, asking me if in washington tomorrow.

following commissioning on 10 november 1959, triton assigned submarine squadron 10 (subron 10), u.s. navy s first all-nuclear force, based @ u.s. submarine base in new london, connecticut, under command of commodore thomas h. henry. triton subsequently completed torpedo trials @ naval station newport , conducted other special tests @ norfolk navy base before returning electric boat on 7 december 1959 in order install special communications equipment, including prototype of bra-3 towed communications buoy system housed in large fairing located on after end of main deck. work on triton @ electric boat delayed priority given completing navy s first 2 fleet ballistic missile (fbm) submarines, george washington , patrick henry.

on 20 january 1960, triton got underway conduct accelerated series of at-sea testing. triton returned on 1 february preparations continued forthcoming shakedown cruise, scheduled departure on 16 february 1960, involved operating command ship northampton, flagship of u.s. second fleet, in northern european waters. on 1 february, captain beach received message rear admiral lawrence r. daspit, commander submarines atlantic fleet (comsublant), instructing beach attend top secret meeting @ pentagon on 4 february.