Mission legacy Operation Sandblast

1 mission legacy

1.1 triton plaque
1.2 triton memorials
1.3 cultural references
1.4 50th anniversary of operation sandblast

mission legacy

the epochal achievement of fleet of magellan in circumnavigating globe echoed in magnificent accomplishment nuclear submarine triton in 1960. voyage of magellan, of triton created stirring philosophical concepts. demonstrated company of men live , work in depth of ocean months @ time. shown thru new technology source of power had been made in such abundance , manageable that, without refueling, 8000-ton vehicle driven thru water around world. shown arts of observation, navigation, communication , control had reached point travel under water possible pinpoint accuracy.

triton plaque

the triton plaque

in 8 days prior triton s departure on around-the-world submerged voyage, captain beach approached lt. tom b. thamm, triton s auxiliary division officer, design commemorative plaque upcoming voyage, first circumnavigation led portuguese explorer ferdinand magellan. plaque s eventual design consisted of brass disk 23 inches (58 cm) in diameter, bearing sailing ship reminiscent of magellan s carrack, trinidad, above submarine dolphin insignia years 1519 , 1960 between them, within laurel wreath. outside wreath motto ave nobilis dux, iterum factum est ( hail noble captain, done again ).

commodore tom henry, commanding submarine squadron 10, supervised completion of plaque. carving of wooden form done retired chief electrician s mate ernest l. benson @ new london. actual molding of plaque done mystic foundry.

during homeward leg of around-the-world voyage, triton rendezvoused destroyer john w. weeks on 2 may 1960 off cadiz, spain, departure point magellan s earlier voyage. triton broached, , weeks transferred finished plaque triton transport united states. plaque subsequently presented spanish government john davis lodge, united states ambassador spain. plaque located @ city hall in sanlúcar de barrameda, spain, , mounted on wall of city hall marble slab memorializing 1960 triton submerged circumnavigation.

duplicates of triton plaque presented mystic seaport museum in mystic, connecticut, , naval historical association in washington, d.c., u.s. navy submarine school , u.s. navy submarine force library , museum, both located in groton, connecticut.

triton memorials


captain edward l. beach @ dedication of beach hall (1999)



uss triton submarine memorial park

triton light navigational beacon on seawall of united states naval academy (usna) in annapolis, maryland, severn river meets spa creek , annapolis harbor. donated academy , named greek god united states naval academy class of 1945. crew of triton provided samples of water taken 22 seas through ship had passed during submerged 1960 circumnavigation, used fill globe built triton light along commemorative marker.

beach hall new headquarters united states naval institute dedicated on 21 april 1999. facility named after captain edward l. beach, sr., served institute s secretary-treasurer, , son, captain edward l. beach, jr. (pictured), commanded triton during operation sandblast. triton s dive wheel conning tower on display in lobby of beach hall.

triton 2003 inductee submarine hall of fame in recognition of executing first submerged circumnavigation, following nomination tidewater chapter , hampton roads base of united states submarine veterans, inc. (ussvi). shadow box filled triton memorabilia placed in alcorn auditorium of ramage hall located @ u.s. navy submarine learning center, naval station norfolk.

the uss triton submarine memorial park located along columbia river in washington. purpose establish permanent park in north richland in recognition of decommissioned reactor cores off-loaded @ port’s barge slip, transported , stored @ hanford site. park features triton s sail superstructure (pictured) , information display on history of triton. park serves tourist attraction, due location, since hanford resting place of spent reactor cores several navy ships. park s tentative location @ end of port of benton boulevard in north richland, washington. planning called triton sail cut transport , re-assembly @ park site. ground-breaking scheduled take place on 3 april 2008, dedication ceremony set 19 august 2008 , fall 2009 start-date construction. on 23 october 2009, port of benton encased triton s conning tower in concrete @ new uss triton submarine memorial park in north richland, washington. in mid-december 2009, final pieces of triton s sail welded @ park s site. during 11 august 2010 port of benton commission meeting, reported bids first phase, includes park s electrical lighting system , pouring concrete around triton s sail, announced shortly port authority. second phase involve park s landscaping, , third phase installation of parking lot. park part of richland riverfront trail, marked hiking trail focuses on state of washington s contribution nuclear history of united states, , connects sacagawea heritage trail. uss triton submarine memorial park located off george washington way near columbia river, , formally dedicated on november 10, 2011, 52nd anniversary of commissioning of uss triton.

cultural references

voyage bottom of sea

two films of period, voyage bottom of sea (pictured) , around world under sea, dramatized globe-circling submerged voyages similar operation sandblast. button-down mind of bob newhart comedy album included sketch entitled cruise of u.s.s. codfish monologue involving final address captain crew of nuclear-powered submarine after completing two-year-long, around-the-world underwater voyage. bob newhart noted in 2006 interview that:

you know, think triton kind of, think spur routine think back. because imagined trip have been totally incompetent commander, , cruise of uss codfish final result.

captain beach reportedly played cruise of u.s.s. codfish on ship s public address system during triton s first overseas deployment in fall of 1960. finally, antigua-barbuda issued commemorative stamp of triton s 1960 submerged circumnavigation.

50th anniversary of operation sandblast

110th submarine ball (10 april 2010)

the 50th anniversary of operation sandblast , triton s submerged circumnavigation of world celebrated on 10 april 2010, during 2010 submarine birthday ball held @ foxwoods resort casino in mashantuket, connecticut, master chief petty officer of navy (mcpon) rick d. west delivering opening remarks (pictured) 2,200 attendees. u.s. navy submarine force library , museum sponsored additional events , activities, entitled 9,000 leagues under sea, between april 10–12 , april 14–18, 2010.

also, on april 9, 2010, retired admiral henry g. chiles, jr., served in triton 1963 1966, keynote speaker @ graduation class of basic enlisted submarine school @ new london naval submarine base in groton, connecticut. graduation class named in honor of triton, , each graduate received certificate of course completion , commemorative coin celebrating 50th anniversary of triton s submerged circumnavigation. dolphin scholarship foundation used 50th anniversary of operation sandblast promote race around world fund-raising program support dolphin scholarship program. finally, former members of triton s crew received commemorative souvenirs of ship s pressure hull @ 2010 re-union.

on 25 april 2010, university of texas marine science institute posted radio program article on science , sea web site commemorating operation sandblast , uss triton.

writer-historian carl lavo wrote incredible voyage june 2010 edition of naval history magazine, , john beach wrote first submerged circumnavigation april 2010 issue of submarine review, official magazine of naval submarine league. mr. beach nephew of captain edward l. beach, commanding officer of uss triton during operation sandblast. also, naval institute press published beneath waves dr. edward f. finch, 2010 biography of late captain beach, included extensive coverage of operation sandblast.

the legacy of operation sandblast on 50th anniversary summarized retired captain james c. hay, had served on triton during historic submerged around-the-world voyage. on editorial page of april 2010 issue of submarine review, official magazine of naval submarine league, captain hay noted:

it cruise tested crew s mettle , proved skipper s tenacity. more that, however, again proved cared listen navy go anywhere, @ anytime, , ever required. s sea story doing had done. on fiftieth anniversary of first submerged circumnavigation s thing re-read 1 of forerunners of ve done since.