Submarine NR-1

Submarine NR-1. . , On 27 October 1969, NR-1, the U.S. Navy's deep-diving research submarine, was placed in service. Capable of carrying thirteen crew members to a depth of 3,000 feet, NR-1 was powered by a nuclear reactor that allowed her to stay down for up to 30 days at a time. Although she was small, just 150 feet long, she was packed with unique features, including retractable wheels, video and still cameras, three viewing ports, 15,000 watts of exterior lighting, and four thrusters that gave crew members the ability to hold a fixed position over an area or item of interest. She was also equipped with a manipulator arm that could recover objects from the ocean floor and place them in a basket for examination when the sub reached the surface. , Ship Characteristics , Displacement: 365 tons surfaced, 393 tons submerged , Length: 145 feet overall, 96 feet pressure hull , Beam: 12 feet , Draft: 15 feet , Propulsion: Turbo-electric drive, two propellors, plus fore and aft maneuvering thrusters , Reactor: 1 pressurized-water reactor , Speed: 4.5 knots surface, 3.5 knots submerged , Endurance: 210 man-days nominal, 330 man-days maximum , Operating Depth: 3,000 feet , Crew: 11 operators plus two scientists, NR-1 Class Submersible Research Vehicle: , Builder: Electric Boat Company, Groton CT. , Keel Laid: 10 June 1967 , Launched: 25 January 1969 , Completed Builder Trials: 19 August 1969 , Delivered to the Navy: 27 October 1969 , Inactivation: 21 November 2008 , , NR-1: A Truly Unique Submarine: , The name and hull number do not follow conventional Navy practice as it was never Commissioned, yet it was manned by Naval personnel and "Placed in Service." It is neither the USS NR-1 nor even given a "USS" designation. The commanding officer is not titled the "Commanding Officer," but rather is named the "Officer in Charge." It was a unique "one of a kind" type of submarine, the only US Navy nuclear powered Submarine with wheels. , A nuclear powered research vessel allowed unlimited ability to maneuver along the ocean bottom at great depths. Admiral Hyman G. Rickover designated NR-1 in 1965; "Nuclear Powered Research and Ocean Engineering Vehicle" Number 1." Rickover envisioned a series of these type vessels, however, at a cost over $70 million dollars (1965), NR-1 truly became the one and only ultimate underwater research platform. , For years, NR-1 was kept out of the public eye, performing a wide range of national defense missions. Few knew of the types of equipment that it carried, the waters it operated in, nor even what the submarine actually looked like out of the water. As the years passed, NR-1 was given prominent press when handling scientific research or recovery missions, appearing in popular magazines and television productions. It proved to be "the little sub that could" get the job done. Launched and placed in service in 1969 NR-1 would go on to provide 39 years of invaluable service to the nation. , Plank Owners: , In time-honored tradition dating back to wooden ships, the officers and crew who are serving aboard a ship at the time of commissioning have earned the title of "Plank Owner." Every member of the commissioning crew will hold this honorary distinction for life and be entitled to "A clear, free, open and unencumbered title to one plank of the deck." With this privilege lies a great deal of pride and responsibility. Although the NR-1 was never commissioned, the uniqueness of the vessel bestowed the original crew with the status "Plank Owner." , LCDR Dwaine O. Griffith OIC , LT J. Stephen Perry XO/ENG , LT John H. Maurer Jr. OPS/NAV , ET1 Robert T. Lunt Nav/Comms/Deck , ET1 Dean Paine Reactor Controls. , ET2 Danny O. Gunter Reactor Operations , EM2 James Turner Ship's Electrician , IC2 John Clayton Interior Communications , IC2 Lee H. Vyborny Sonar/Food Service/Photo , MM1 Larry L. Kammerzell Mechanical Division , MM2 David Seaton Reactor Laboratory , MM2 Donald E. Marks Auxiliary Division , SKC Steinsifer Supply , ( photo caption ) , , The manipulator arm allowed the crew to recover objects off the ocean floor. Smaller items were placed in basket lowered from NR-1, while larger items could be placed in recovery bins from surface ships. The arm had a wide range of positions which allowed NR-1 to attach a surface line in the recovery of the Phoenix missile from the F-14 aircraft laying on the ocean floor.