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Welcome to the World – a New Star Is Born

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Welcome to the World – a New Star Is Born CHAPTER ONE Welcome to the World – A New Star is Born The End of an Era… she was sold for scrap on July 1, 1958. Opposite page: Big E tended by a gaggle of The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise Then, in 1959, the shipyard at Kearney, tugs during her first year (CV-6) was the star of the US Navy in New Jersey, systematically deconstructed of life. World War II. From the outset, Big E Big E. “Starved and stifled by the years USN was renowned for her greatness as a ship long coma of inaction, the great spirit and the greatness of those who operated of Enterprise flickered and sank toward and flew from her. She also embodied extinction. And yet the spirit did not some magic: she was a lucky ship, seem- die.” Many opposed the inauspicious ingly always where she needed to be and scrapping of CV-6, and many more by good fortune always far from where hoped she would be immortalized as a things might have ended badly for her. museum. This was not to be. However, in A case in point was December 7, 1941, a fortuitous twist, a new carrier was being when she was not in port during the built not far from where CV-6 was built a Pearl Harbor attack – where she would third of a century earlier. This carrier was have had to take on the sizable Japanese to be bold, revolutionary, inspirational, armada alone. She operated success- and would bear the name Enterprise also. fully in almost every major Pacific fleet There would be an immortalization of encounter from 1941 to 1945, and was the name in a new body. Enterprise was to be the most decorated US Navy ship to be reborn. in World War II. Early in 1961 the dock was By the end of the war, however, the flooded and Enterprise, the first world had changed and naval aviation nuclear carrier in history, the big- was at once in a period of retrenchment gest ship in the world, again the and in a technological growth spurt. It pride of her country and its Navy, became clear that CV-6 could not be first felt the touch of the sea. modernized to operate the heavier jets The story of Big E coming into service. On January 14, 1946 had begun again. she was moved to the New York Naval Shipyard, where she was inactivated, and …And the Start of a New Era on January 18 was decommissioned. In As early as 1949 the possibility spite of attempts to immortalize Big E, was being explored of harnessing the 19 20 USS Enterprise CVA(N) / CVN-65: The World’s First Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier Big E leaves Norfolk and new-found atomic energy and construct- two A1W reactors with steam generators sails out to Chesapeake Bay on October 29, 1961 ing an atomic power plant that could and propulsion machinery for one shaft. for sea trials, combining propel an aircraft carrier. In 1950 Chief This modeled one of four plants required shipbuilder’s and navy of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral to power the new Enterprise. acceptance trials – the Forrest Sherman initiated a feasibil- Actually the concept of developing first time they had been ity study for carrier nuclear propulsion, nuclear power for ship propulsion was done in unison. This was however soon after his death in 1951 long thought of, even before the atomic her first time at sea. the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) bomb was conceived. Of course, the USN discontinued the aircraft carrier reac- submarine reactor program was a little tor project in favor of a civilian reactor. ahead of surface ships, with USS Nauti- Naval development was actually ahead lus (SSN-571) operating in 1955. These of civilian development, and the program were smaller plants and the thought ini- was restarted in 1954. The AEC led the tially was that reactors were more suited research at their laboratory at Bettis, to smaller surface ships. However, the Pittsburgh and in April 1956 construc- benefits of nuclear power were becom- tion of a prototype large-ship nuclear ing very evident, and with fuel-hungry reactor was commenced at the National jets operating off carriers the increased Reactor Testing Station (NRTS) in aviation fuel carrying capacity of a Idaho. The reactor prototype was desig- nuclear-powered carrier was attractive. nated A1W (indicating an atomic reactor In the 1950s the dawn of the supercar- for Aircraft Carrier Series 1 as built by rier was upon us. With the hugeness of Westinghouse). The plant consisted of the new carriers directed by the high Chapter One: Welcome to the World – A New Star is Born 21 performance jets – which required more The Father of Big E’s Atomic deck area for faster launch and recovery Engines and the newly designed angled landing At the center of the nuclear program area widening the deck, and much larger from its inception was engineering offi- resultant displacement – these ships had cer Capt. Hyman G. Rickover, a complex themselves become hungry for fuel. character who came to be known as the As well as having more fuel to operate “Father of the Nuclear Navy.” a large air group of jets, the advantages of Hyman Rickover was born on January nuclear power included steaming unlim- 27, 1900 into a Jewish family in Poland. ited by the frequent underway-refueling His father had moved to the United stops required of a conventional car- States and at the age of six Rickover, rier. This was not only convenient but with his mother and sister, moved there also tactically and strategically sound to join him. He entered the US Naval for such a highly valued asset as a car- Academy in 1918. Initially he struggled rier, which was at its most vulnerable to academically, but steadily worked his enemy whenever it had to slow down or way up, graduating 107 out of 540 in the steer a predictable course. Large reserves class of 1922. He was commissioned an of steam were available for ship propul- officer and served on surface ships as an sion, electricity generation, and catapults engineering officer, specializing as elec- for aircraft launch. The encapsulated trical officer. In 1925 he was stationed reactors, with no need for intakes or aboard the battleship USS Nevada (BB- smoke stacks, allowed for a stronger and 36), until 1927 when he commenced a potentially more compact construction, masters degree in electrical engineering, especially in the island superstructure graduating in 1929. Following this he where the fossil fuel carriers’ smoke requested submarine duty, however these stacks were placed. The lack of toxic hot gasses vented from the smoke stacks had The man responsible for benefits for the ship and air wing – corro- developing the unique sive “soot”, as well as making everything nuclear complex that grimy, damaged sensitive electronics and powered Enterprise for radar competing for space up high on 51 years. Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, a genius of the superstructure, and, along with salt, sorts, personally oversaw contributed to corrosive damage to the the naval nuclear program aircraft. The hot gasses also contributed at most levels. This is a to turbulent airflow, or “burble”, behind rare photo of him wearing the ship, increasing the pilots’ challenges his admiral’s uniform; he during final approach on landing. generally preferred civilian suits. The ideas for nuclear propulsion were in part brought together by a man USN of great foresight, attention to detail, and stubbornness. A study of the USS Enterprise would be incomplete without acknowledging the significance of this US naval officer. 22 USS Enterprise CVA(N) / CVN-65: The World’s First Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier were not easy times for him, and he did result of this six years’ work. The Nau- not easily fit in with the sub service. In tilus led on directly to the reactor type 1933 he spent two years in the Office of and design used in Enterprise. She had a the Inspector of Naval Material, followed pressurized water reactor (PWR) design, by assignment to battleship USS New as opposed to the sodium-cooled reactor Mexico (BB-40) as assistant engineering used in the navy’s second nuclear sub- officer. Here Rickover quickly became marine, USS Seawolf (SSN-575). The a star, reducing fuel consumption in sodium reactor was not pursued beyond operation, increasing peak efficiency and Seawolf after the PWR was found to be contributing to the New Mexico becom- a better naval reactor. In fact Seawolf was ing number one in the fleet competition eventually overhauled to install a PWR. for two consecutive years. As a young Through the 1950s Capt. Rickover officer Rickover displayed fastidiousness projected himself favorably to Congress and leadership in training and opera- and the government, and was seen as a tion. In 1937 he applied for the position man who got the job done. The naval of Engineering Duty Only (EDO) – a propulsion plant was so successful in newly formed elite within the navy, the operation and safety that Rickover was officers of which were not eligible for able to secure the program. At the time of afloat commands – and facilitated work building, and now vice admiral, Rickover on design, construction and maintenance also held the role of assistant director of ships. Following the outbreak of World in three areas: for Naval Reactors, the War II he became involved in examining Atomic Energy Commission, and for the battle damage and systems vulnerabilities Bureau of Ships for Nuclear Propulsion. and during the war he remained involved The success of Nautilus’s reactor, both in in this area of work and was promoted to safety and the power produced, garnered captain.
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