Anyone Here ever Meet Hyman G. Rickover?

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 23:26:41 -0400

Hyman G. Rickover, 'father' of the US nuclear navy (1984 interview).

Hyman G. Rickover is regarded as the "father" of the US Nuclear Navy... Born in Poland in 1900, he emigrated (with his family) to the United States in 1906.....

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 8 at 2015 11:33 PM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 23:33:08 -0400

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel I'm too young to have, PO1...but the geopolitical terrain, today, is what it is largely in part because of this man.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Oct 9 at 2015 12:02 AM

Capt Mark Strobl — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 00:02:00 -0400

Some of the Ol' Timers should know this man. As I understand, he used to sit on the review board for every young officer applying to the Nuke-Navy program. He's a legend to the nuke community.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Oct 9 at 2015 1:38 AM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 01:38:30 -0400

Yup - he threw me out of his office after about 10 seconds because my grades weren't good enough...

And all the stories about him are true...

BTW, his successor, Adm McKee accepted me into the program, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Response by CPO Greg Frazho made Oct 9 at 2015 2:05 AM

CPO Greg Frazho — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 02:05:24 -0400

Never. Way before my time. I heard he was a major asshole. He may be a legend, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 9 at 2015 11:28 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 11:28:47 -0400

There's a good PBS documentary about him on NETFLIX or Amazon; can't remember which. Saw it last month. His demise was as self inflicted tragic as they come but you can't say there was a quicker better way to get the Nuc Navy underway. Like Patton, the right place and time.

Response by LCDR Jeffery Dixon made Oct 9 at 2015 2:56 PM

LCDR Jeffery Dixon — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 14:56:34 -0400

Yes. Every nuclear powered ship actually had a Rickover locker with clothes, toiletries and in the case of USS Enterprise a Navy Flight Jacket for his sudden and sometimes un-predictable arrivals.

Response by CWO2 John Markiewicz made Oct 9 at 2015 3:14 PM

CWO2 John Markiewicz — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:14:20 -0400

Sure did, when I was a CWO2 standing watch as Inport OOD on the USS Enterprise, Admiral Rickover snuck aboard the afterbrow where the JOOD was standing his watch. I received a phone call from one of the Master at Arms (MAA) that he had spotted Rickover on the ladder below decks heading for the Reactor Spaces. I ordered the MAA to detain him and bring him to the Quarterdeck and then had the Messenger of the Watch notify the CO & XO of what I had done. They showed up on the Quarterdeck about the same time that the MAA did with Admiral Rickover and commenced chewing on my backside big time. Rickover intervened and said I had done the correct thing and then directed the CO & XO to accompany him to the Reactor Spaces. I never heard any more about it.

Response by PO2 Peter Klein made Oct 9 at 2015 7:05 PM

PO2 Peter Klein — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 19:05:32 -0400

I did. Lived across the street from a house he owned in Palm Springs. He was even "All Navy" when off duty!