ADMIRAL HYMAN G. RICKOVER - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 10/25/1966 - HFSID 286520

HYMAN RICKOVER
At sea during sea trials of the nuclear sub Queenfish, he touts the nuclear sub fleet in a letter to a Member of Congress.
Typed Letter signed: "H. G. Rickover", 1 page, 8x10½. At Sea, North Atlantic, 1966 October 25. On letterhead of the USS Queenfish to William H. Natcher, US House of Representatives. In full: "We are returning from the first seat trials of the USS QUEENFISH (SSN 651), our twenty-fifth attack type nuclear submarine. The ship completed all tests, including full power operation, both surface and submerged. The QUEENFISH was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. In addition to the twenty-five attack type nuclear submarines, we also have 39 Polaris type submarines, making a total of 64 nuclear submarines in operation. When all nuclear submarines presently authorized by Congress are completed, the United States will have a nuclear submarine fleet of forty-one Polaris and sixty-two attack submarines, and a small submarine capable of exploring the ocean bottom. Respectfully". Head of the United States Navy's electrical division in World War II, Hyman G. Rickover (1900-1986, born in Makov, Russia) moved to the Atomic Energy Commission in 1947 and developed the first nuclear-powered submarine, the Nautilus, in 1954. He presided over the build-up of the U.S. nuclear-powered Navy. He also presided over the construction of the one-of a kind, super-secret NR-1 nuclear submarine. Despite cost overruns during its development, which earned the wrath of the General Accounting Office, the NR-1 fulfilled Rickover's fondest hopes. The story of the craft has now been told in Dark Waters: An Insider's Account of the NR-1, the Cold War's Undercover Nuclear Submarine by Don Davis and original crewmember Lee Vyborny (2002). Rickover was promoted to rear admiral in 1953, vice-admiral in 1959 and admiral in 1973. In 1984, the USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709) was launched, one of the few Navy vessels named for a living person. William H. Natcher, a Kentucky Democrat, served in Congress from 1953 to 1994. 2 horizontal fold creases. Pencil note (unknown hand) on verso. Fine condition.