OPERATION SUNSHINE
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Year Published: 1958
Format: 16mm
Description: Produced by Sperry Autonetics, this film shows the historic 1958 voyage of the world's first nuclear powered submarine, the USS Nautilus (SSN-571) under the North Pole. This historic voyage, known as Operation Sunshine, heralded a new stage of the Cold War, in which Soviet and American submarines would vie for control of the strategically critical polar regions. Sperry Autonetics made the top secret inertial guidance system that allowed Nautilus to make the voyage without surfacing to conduct navigational sightings of the sun or stars. Operation Sunshine was a scientific expedition conducted by the U.S. Navy in the summer of 1958. A crew of just over 100 sailors piloted the USS Nautilus (SSN-571) under the North Pole. The Nautilus was chosen for the mission because its nuclear reactor allowed it to remain submerged longer than a conventional submarine. The mission was completed successfully on August 3, 1958 when the Nautilus and her crew crossed under the North Pole. It was not enough that the U.S. had just built a nuclear submarine, the Nautilus had to be tested to show how much more advanced the technology was. Ideas were bounced around including the Nautilus and the Skate (SSN-578) to complete a submerged lap around the Earth. It wasn't until William Anderson (Captain of the Nautilus) suggested the submerged trip under the North Pole that it was even considered. The Nautilus departed from Groton on August 19, 1957 for her first attempt at sailing under the Pole but it was unsuccessful because of the ice being too deep. Another attempt was not made until the next summer. On July 23, 1958, the Nautilus left the Pearl Harbor naval base heading north towards the Bering Straight. She and her crew crossed under the pole at 2315 on August 3 and continued on for four more days until exiting from under the polar ice (Naval History) where Captain Anderson radioed to President Eisenhower "Nautilus 90 North". Even the second attempt did not go without issues, the crew having to deal with large amounts of ice blockage as well as mechanical failures aboard the sub. The hope was that the mission was timed to where the ice levels in the Arctic would be at their lowest making it easier to navigate through the waters under the pole without hitting the bottom or the top with the periscope. The expedition was also used as a sort of testing ground for not only the sub but it was an opportunity for the Navy to experiment with different types of navigational equipment. Normally a ship or small craft relies on a magnetic compass which works by comparing your position to magnetic north. One major flaw with magnetic compasses is that magnetic north is not exactly on the North Pole but south of it so the crew was experimenting with a new design of the gyro-compass. As they inched farther north, the gyro-compass was much more reliable than the magnetic which pointed in nearly the opposite direction. Autonetics was a division of North American Aviation that produced various avionics but is best known for their inertial navigation systems used in submarines and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Its 188-acre facility in Anaheim, California, with 36,000 employees, was the city's largest employer. Through a series of mergers, Autonetics is now part of Boeing.
Complete Record:
Transcription
[Music] this is the Arctic Ocean somewhere under this sea of ice is an American submarine the nuclear-powered Nautilus compasses play tricks up a gyro compass can drift we're in this no where is Nautilus these men know where they are exactly time 23:15 3 august 1958 place 400 feet below the North Col [Music] Pearl Harbor Hawaii 22 June 98 USS Nautilus is arriving from well the word being passed is that the cruise was south near the equator this is not quite true to observe the security of the actual mission the equator story has been rehearsed by all hand Nautilus really is arriving from the north the fine Nautilus left Seattle 19 days ago announced destinations the equator actual destination the Arctic codename operation sunshine not warm sunshine but 24 hours sunshine probing the depths of a chukchi sea beyond the Arctic Circle Nautilus was confronted by ice so thick and deep there was danger of becoming trapped between the underside of the ice and the shallow sea bottom [Music] the commanding officer decided to retrace his course and waited Pearl Harbor for better ice conditions [Music] Nautilus weights her equipment is checked and tested her officers study the problem it is decided the navigators who fly up and have a look at the top side of the ice leaving his twin dolphin insignia behind he poses as a dual line inspector a Submariner flying with an anti-submarine patrol someday they will know about his true mission the heavy ice is now moving farther north the door is open back to Pearl Harbor on the double twenty hundred local time 22 july 1958 place Pearl Harbor Hawaii USS Nautilus proceed with mission operation sunshine to destination classified you to avoid detection Nautilus will run submerged [Music] [Applause] [Music] this is the realm of Nautilus her element her top speed classified but more than 29 for operating depth 400 feet powered by atomic energy Nautilus is capable of cruising 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea on one charge of human the submerged course north straight up through the Aleutians bring st. Lawrence off the starboard and Siberia to the port for sea north up scope take 30 seconds check position proceed now to the berry straight across the Arctic Circle and into the Chukchi Sea never forget Nautilus is the fighting ship training in all operations keeps her trim she's also a home best food in the Navy you from here to the North Pole is a nearly solid cover of ice the polar pact 1,800 miles from here to the closest edge in the Greenland Sea chief rail aides lieutenant Jenks in plotting the course from here on some known facts some unknowns the ice not too thick the sea bottom some of it charted some not from here on skill counts and courage and faith faith in the office faith in the other members of the crew in Nautilus enter dear the nuclear power plant faith in the navigation systems the old and tried the new and true faith in the Almighty a head history take her down [Music] you Nautilus has been under the ice for more than 60 hours civilian scientists Archie Walker and Waldo line operate the topside phenomena I'll think is the ice overhead checked Sona how far to the ocean bottom check what's the head check the drinking water is it cure check and the air is it within safe limits tested navigating 1200 miles under the polar ice Nautilus has a seventh sense at work inertial navigation civilian guidance engineer Tom Curtis translates the reading with no outside references the inertial navigator reads remembers and interprets accelerations in all directions giving exact position readings constant the galaxy a few moments Thomas will realize ago long a dream of mankind became of my ship of the north gear daddy four three two one but for the u.s. Bay and the US Navy Sunday 3 August 1958 2350 Eastern though I say we found that our fall [Music] the captain commander William R Anderson drops in on the crews celebration a letter to the commander in chief one of the cruise ships over for another six years age naturally the principal resident of the North Pole pays a visit to Nautilus congratulations to the men who passed all exams and are now qualified in nuclear submarine the North Pole where brave explorers searched and discovered suffered and died names flood the memory Ross Peary Steffensen Amundsen Wilkins bird - these names ad commander William Anderson and the crew of Nautilus 116 Americans crossing the North Pole with no frostbite no hunger no illness but with skilled courage and the Navy spirit now south the serious business of running out to open water is still it [Music] five August in the Greenland Sea between Northeast Greenland and Spitzberg 1830 miles of polar ice behind her Nautilus rides in the sunshine the silent radio now cracked up the coded message to the Chief of Naval Operations Nautilus 19 north or five sons Amanda Anderson is airlifted to Washington Nautilus proceeds to her destination England Dateline Washington President Eisenhower today awarded the Legion of Merit to Commander William R Anderson of the United States nuclear-powered submarine Nautilus which pioneered a submerged sea lane between the eastern and western hemispheres also a Presidential Unit Citation was awarded for the first time in peace to Nautilus and All Hands New York City Nautilus is Hall after setting a new submerged speed record from Portland England to New York City Nautilus is tying up at Brooklyn Navy Commander Anderson now comes ashore followed by Admiral rickover called the father of the atomic submarine Secretary of the Navy gate and New York City officials who boarded in the harbor welcome home well done [Music] Broadway and a hero's welcome for the officers and men of Nautilus an enthusiastic tribute from a grateful nation [Applause] naval science nuclear power inertial navigation and the courage and spirit of the Navy are making new history even now in the trackless void beneath the sea [Music] [Applause] [Music]
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