Located on the Thames
River in Groton, Connecticut,
the Submarine Force Library & Museum bills itself as "the world's finest
collection" of submarine-related materials. As the only submarine museum operated
by the U.S. Navy, this fantastic facility is home to 33,000 submarine artifacts, 30,000
photographs, 20,000 documents, and one nuclear-powered submarine.
When TechnoTourist visited the Submarine Force Library &
Museum last week, the younger members of our party were less interested in the
library and more interested in the museum. Specifically, they were drawn to the
dark hulking shape of the USS Nautilus (SSN 571), America's first nuclear-powered
submarine. It was easy enough to understand why.
About the Nautilus
Now a floating museum, the USS Nautilus first set sail on
January 17, 1955. Later, the submarine became the first vessel to make a
submerged transit across the North Pole. Powered by a S2W pressurized water
reactor, the 320-foot long ship pushed the limits of speed and endurance. On
February 4, 1957, she logged her 60,000th nautical mile, a feat which matched
the achievement of the fictional Nautilus described in Jules Verne's 1870 novel,
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea.
Aboard the Nautilus
After crossing a parking lot, a walkway, and some railroad
tracks, TechnoTourist boarded the USS Nautilus and descended into the belly of
the beast. This floating museum isn't handicap-accessible, and navigating its
narrow corridors isn't for the faint of heart. The ship's lighting and use of
glass partitions made photography difficult, but here are some pictures from
our trip.
Crew's Quarters
The crew's quarters were, in a word, cramped. As you can
(hopefully) tell from this picture, the bunk beds are close and the sink and
mirror are even closer.

Navigation
Center
Photographing the navigation center was even more
challenging, and the only picture of any quality is of this plaque.

Here, to the best of my ability, is what I think it says.
"The navigational equipment assisted the navigator in
determining the geographical location of the ship. The installed systems
included a radio direction finder set – AN/BRD-6B, a LORAN C Receiver Set –
AN/WPN-4, and a LORAN A Receiver Set – AN/ (model number illegible). Additional
special equipment such as an inertial navigation system was installed based on
mission demands.
The quartermaster of the watch also maintained a manual plot
on the MK-19 plotter as a backup to the more modern electronic navigational
means. Also contained within the area is the main induction fan and the ship's
low pressure blower, a two-speed rotary fan that was used to both ventilate the
ship and blow air into the ship's main ballast tanks."
(After) Life Support
This final picture isn't meant to mix religion with
engineering.

But if you're wondering why the mannequin chaplain looks like he's
about to go scuba diving, it's because he's wearing an emergency air breathing
(EAB) apparatus. If breathable air aboard the USS Nautilus was in short supply,
crew members could literally plug an air hose into an EAB manifold.
As for the "afterlife support", the chaplain aboard the USS
Nautilus wasn't actually a member of the clergy. Space aboard the Nautilus was
so scarce that submariners had to fill this role themselves.
Resources:
http://www.ussnautilus.org/aboutus.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nautilus_%28SSN-571%29
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