Nautilus reached 90 degrees north latitude, the . She continued on course, south now, and emerged from the ice cap on 5 August in the Sea. While running on the surface a familiar vessel was seen on 7 August. It was the US atomic submarine Skate heading north on a similar polar transit mission. Nautilus turned east and reached Portland, England on 12 August 1958. The first transpolar voyage was a complete success.

Commander Anderson was lifted off his boat near Reykjavik, by helicopter, flown to Washington to meet President Eisenhower who personally decorated him with the Legion of Merit. The President also bestowed the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) upon Nautilus and her crew. This was the first peacetime award of the Navy PUC. A further distinction was that the PUC ribbon bore a gold "N" device. The award of the PUC to an organization such as a vessel is equivalent to the award of a Navy Cross to an individual.

Figure 2. PUC Ribbon Bar with gold "N" device.

The ribbon of the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard version of the PUC is 3/8 of an inch in height and consists of three horizontal stripes of equal size. The top stripe is dark blue, the middle stripe is yellow and the bottom stripe is red. The special gold "N" device is 1/4 inch high and 1/4 inch wide, and is worn centered on the ribbon. Personnel who were part of the crew of Nautilus during the period covered by the citation received the PUC as a permanent award, much the same as a personal decoration. Personnel later assigned to the boat were permitted to wear the PUC ribbon bar without "N" device, but only during the period of such assignment.1

Cdr Anderson was returned to his boat before it reached Portland, England where the balance of the crew of Nautilus had copies of the citation and ribbon formally presented to them by John Hay Whitney, US Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Below is the complete roster of the personnel participating in the historic voyage, consisting of 14 officers, 98 enlisted men and 4 civilian technicians. The civilians did not receive the PUC ribbon bar.~

Officers

CDR William R. Anderson LT John W. Harvey LTCDR Frank M. Adams LT Shepherd M. Jenks LT Kenneth M. Cart LT Robert H. Kassel LT William S. Cole LT Robert L. Kelsey CDR Richard F. Dobbins CAPT Jack L. Kinsey3 LTCDR Paul J. Early LT William G. Lalor, Jr LT Donald P. Hall LT StevenA. White

28 Enlistcd Men

John A. Aberle William A. Hansen Hercules H. Nicholas Bruce F. Aquizap Dowell R. Harrell James R. Norris Jack L. Baird Walter J. Harvey William P. O’Neil Ralph D. Barnhart, Jr Harry D. Hedin Clemente L. Ortega Richard T. Bearden Albert J. Herrera Charles L. Parshall Robert D. Bell Joseph R. Higgins Gary L. Patterson Nile A. Bergquist Stonewall J. Hilton Charles A. Payne Charles H. Black Ernest F. Holland John E. Pendelton Freddie L. Boswell, Jr James G. Irvin Robert S. Pfeiffer Phillip J. Boyle Richard M. Jackman James T. Phelps Donald D. Brady Robert N. Jarvis Imon L. Pilcher Dennison "K" Breese Ronald W. Jett James H. Prater Daniel K. Brigman James H. Johnson Clarence E. Price James Brown Raymond G. Kazebee Terrence R. Provost William J. Brown Richard M. King Lyle B. Rayl Arthur J. Callahan James P. Knotts Robert Rockefeller Roland L. Cave Ronald L. Kloch Robert C. Scott Alfred A. Charette, Jr John J. Krawczyk George E. Shabenas, Jr Boyd W. Cohenour Raymond L. Kropp Robert E. Simonini Thomas J. Deane John B. Kurrus Frank A. Skewes Joseph D. Degnam Lynus J. Larch Malcom Snelgrove Earl R. Diamond Barry H. Lerich James R. Sordelet John F. Draper Allan R. Lewis Gilbert C. Spurt Edward D. Dunn, Jr David H. Long Robert C. Stroud Wallace M. Durkin John P. McGovern Kirbey L. Talley Thomas Emanuel William J. MeNally, Jr Harry D. Thomas Leslie F. Evans Joseph P. Marchand Normal A. Vitale Bobby J. Faircloth Marvin L. Megason, Jr Curtis J. Wagner Billy G. Fowlks John H. Michaud Richard J. Williamson William G. Furnholm Roger R. Miller Richard E. Wood William A. Gaines James A. Morley John C. Yuill David L, Greenhill Richard T. Murphy John P. Zaretki Roger A. Hall Stuart Nelson

Civilian Technicians

Thomas E. Curtis Waldo K. Lyon George G. Bristow Archie C. Walker

Below is the full text of the Citation.

The President of the takes pleasure in presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the

U.S.S. NAUTILUS (SS-571) for services in connection with operations in the as set forth below:

"For outstanding achievement in completing the first voyage in history across the top of theworld, by cruising under the Arctic ice cap from the to the

29 Greenland Sea. During the period 22 July 1958 to 1 August 1958, U.S.S. NAUTILUS (SSN-571), the world’s first atomic powered ship, added to her list of historic achievements by crossing the Arctic Ocean from the Bering Sea to the Greenland Sea, passing submerged beneath the geographic North Pole. This voyage opens the possibility of a new commercial seaway, a , between the major oceans of the world. Nuclear powered cargo submarines may, in the future, use this route to the advantage of world trade.

The skill, professional competence and courage of the officers and crew of NAUTILUS were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States and the pioneering spirit which has always characterized our country."

The Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon with Special Clasp in the form of a Golden "N" is authorized for those who participated in this cruise. Navy personnel subsequently assigned to NAUTILUS (SSN-571) are authorized to wear the ribbon without the clasp during the period of such duty assignment.

signature Dwight D. Eisenhower The White House August 1958

NOTES:

1. The Navy no longer allows personnel joining a ship or organization after the period for which cited to wear the cttation ribbon.

2. Beginning March 16, 1969 civilians attached to Navy commands during the period of a unit citation were credited with the award and were given a triangular lapel pin in the colors of the award ribbon.

3. While Capt Kinseywas senior to Cdr Anderson hewas a medical doctor, not a line officer, and thus not eligible for command.

REFERENCES:

American Medals and Decorations, Evans E. Kerrigan, Medatlic Publishing Co., Noroton, Conn., 1990

Nautilus 90 North, Cdr William R. Anderson, USN, with Clay Blair, Jr., World Publishing Co., Cleveland and New York.

Military Reference Branch, Textual Reference Division, National Archives, Washington, DC

Military Personnel Command, Department of the Navy, Washington, DC

(The author is a Department Managerwith Star Motor Cars in Houston, Texas, served on active duty in the Army 1972-73 and held a commission as Capt in the USAR. He has written numerous articles for JOMSA, principally on arctic and antarctic medals of the US and Great Britain.)

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