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ML_rickover_bkp.htm
Hyman G. Rickover
Admiral Known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy"
By Bethanne Kelly Patrick
Military.com Columnist
Adm. Hyman G. Rickover entered the U.S. Naval Academy just after World War I and retired from active duty just before the end of the Cold War. Serving from his 1922 graduation to his 1982 retirement, he saw or took part in nearly every major military engagement of the 20th century.
Rickover’s remarkable 60-plus year career was made possible by a special act of
Congress. The naval officer received exemption from the usual mandatory retirement
because his leadership was critical to continuing and crucial developments in
the Navy’s nuclear surface and submarine force.
Hyman Rickover was born on Jan. 27, 1900 in Makov, Russia (now in Poland). His parents emigrated to the Unitd States when he was six and brought him up in Chicago. In addition to his U.S.N.A. B.S., Rickover received his M.S. in engineering from Columbia University in 1929. His early positions on submarines, battleships, and minesweepers included command of the U.S.S. Finch.
But Rickover’s genius surfaced when he was sent to Oak Ridge, Tenn. in 1946. Under the auspices of the Manhattan Project, he developed the expertise that would lead to his management of the Navy’s nuclear-propulsion program. Rickover’s team of specialists, motivated by his unique combination of energy and drive, developed the first nuclear submarine, the Nautilus, which was launched on Jan. 21, 1954. Rickover’s success and early delivery of this project convinced the Navy to allow him -- while still on active duty -- to help the Atomic Energy Commission develop the first full-scale nuclear power plant.
Throughout this process, Rickover continued to win promotions, attaining the rank of admiral in 1973. Known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy,” his brash and iconoclastic philosophies were so popular that many who met him claimed a positive “Rickover Effect:” he pushed everyone he knew to work harder, achieve more, and develop as people. In addition to numerous military medals and decorations, Adm. Rickover was twice awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for public service, and in 1980 President Jimmy Carter presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to world peace.
Having come to recognize and attempt to harness nuclear power for peaceful purposes, and having served his nation for over six decades, Rickover retired on Jan. 31, 1982. He died on Jul. 8, 1986 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. |
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