I remember when ADM Rickover gave a Forrestall lecture at USNA regarding the incident at Three Mile Island. During the Q&A, one midshipman asked him a question. Rickover repeated the question and asked whether that was what the midshipman was asking. Sure enough, the midshipman answered in the affirmative.
ADM Rickover then replied “why don’t you ask your roommate—he probably knows more about that than I do!”
Needless to say that the entire Brigade of Midshipmen went wild. It been 40+ years and that remains one of the best memories of my time there.
My 1st class midshipman cruise was aboard Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601). One of the junior officers told me a story about a classmate who failed an interview with Rickover (no one was accepted into the Navy's nuclear program unless they passed the Rickover interview). After describing at length why he should be in the nuclear program, the classmate was asked by Rickover, "was there anything he couldn't do?" Answer: "I've enjoyed success at almost everything I've ever done, and so, no, he didn't know of anything he couldn't do." Rickover: "Ok, you've got five minutes to get a date with my secretary sitting in the desk just outside the door." Result: Nope. But after the five minutes were up, that secretary handed the classmate a return air ticket home, and that classmate went to the surface fleet.
I desperately wanted to serve in nuclear submarines. But, my (failing) interview with the Admiral lasted approximately 90 seconds. His last words to me were, "see my secretary to get your air ticket home." We wouldn't have had the best nuclear sub force were it not for the Admiral's unwavering insistence on excellence.
One of my classmates was first in our class and served aboard Lee when I did. He tried four times to get into the nuclear sub force and Rickover rejected him four times. He ended up getting a Ph.D. in physics, teaching at the Academy, serving aboard a diesel sub to show Rickover he could handle it (Rickover remained unconvinced) and ended up at DARPA having a wonderfully productive career that served our nation extremely well. But, he wasn't good enough for the Admiral.
I often wondered what the Admiral's make-or-break criteria might be. The one thing the Lee's JO's classmate (but not that JO), me and my classmate had in common was that we all were married or engaged when we applied. Perhaps the Admiral wanted to be sure his officers who would have to push the button (and follow orders from one who would push the button) wouldn't first stop and think about family first.... Who knows? The Admiral was a great, great man.
Will Focsle Llp be offering a hardback edition? I'm loath to put a soft cover on my bookshelf anymore. I'll do it, but not if I know a HB is forthcoming.
My friend, a Yale graduate in nuclear propulsion, who, as a brand new ensign, was posted to a boomer, was interviewed by the Admiral. He was born with a large “port wine stain” covering his left face ear to jaw line. Most people quietly looked at it at first, then tacitly never looked at it again. When Peter was told to be at ease in the presence of Rickover, the Admiral glanced up at this birth mark and said, “What the hell is that on your face, Ensign?”
My second CO aboard my FFG was a Navy Surface Nuke Commander doing a CO tour before going back for a possible Reactor Officer tour on a CVN. He had lots of Rickover stories. Wish I remembered them all. Fuzzy memory aside, here are a few involving interviews that ADM Rickover held for all Navy Nukes. The Admiral told one officer to go stand in a broom closet until he was ready to be interviewed. Several hours transpired. Don't remember how that turned out. Another interviewee was told "Make me angry!". The officer grabbed the scale model of USS Nautilus off the Admiral's desk and smashed it to pieces. The Admiral was furious. He passed. Another was invited to lunch with the Admiral. The officer salted his food. The Admiral dismissed him because he had not tasted his food before salting it. I really liked that Nuke CO I worked for. He was precise in everything, zero ambiguity in what he expected. I prospered under him. He is the one who made me GQ OOD (hog heaven for me) as a W-2. The rest of the wardroom was glad it wasn't them. He surprised everyone by retiring after his tour. What sane man wants to be a Reactor Officer when you could be a recruiter in Detroit or fuel handler in Shemya?
I think one of the best things Reagan did was to refuse to extend Rickover's service. Rickover should have retired in the 50s.
I remember when ADM Rickover gave a Forrestall lecture at USNA regarding the incident at Three Mile Island. During the Q&A, one midshipman asked him a question. Rickover repeated the question and asked whether that was what the midshipman was asking. Sure enough, the midshipman answered in the affirmative.
ADM Rickover then replied “why don’t you ask your roommate—he probably knows more about that than I do!”
Needless to say that the entire Brigade of Midshipmen went wild. It been 40+ years and that remains one of the best memories of my time there.
The good Admiral's vision, planning and picky selection of nuke O's, is very likely why, still today, we don't have any LCS's with periscopes!
I am having trouble visiualizing Rickover writing love letters.
My 1st class midshipman cruise was aboard Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601). One of the junior officers told me a story about a classmate who failed an interview with Rickover (no one was accepted into the Navy's nuclear program unless they passed the Rickover interview). After describing at length why he should be in the nuclear program, the classmate was asked by Rickover, "was there anything he couldn't do?" Answer: "I've enjoyed success at almost everything I've ever done, and so, no, he didn't know of anything he couldn't do." Rickover: "Ok, you've got five minutes to get a date with my secretary sitting in the desk just outside the door." Result: Nope. But after the five minutes were up, that secretary handed the classmate a return air ticket home, and that classmate went to the surface fleet.
I desperately wanted to serve in nuclear submarines. But, my (failing) interview with the Admiral lasted approximately 90 seconds. His last words to me were, "see my secretary to get your air ticket home." We wouldn't have had the best nuclear sub force were it not for the Admiral's unwavering insistence on excellence.
One of my classmates was first in our class and served aboard Lee when I did. He tried four times to get into the nuclear sub force and Rickover rejected him four times. He ended up getting a Ph.D. in physics, teaching at the Academy, serving aboard a diesel sub to show Rickover he could handle it (Rickover remained unconvinced) and ended up at DARPA having a wonderfully productive career that served our nation extremely well. But, he wasn't good enough for the Admiral.
I often wondered what the Admiral's make-or-break criteria might be. The one thing the Lee's JO's classmate (but not that JO), me and my classmate had in common was that we all were married or engaged when we applied. Perhaps the Admiral wanted to be sure his officers who would have to push the button (and follow orders from one who would push the button) wouldn't first stop and think about family first.... Who knows? The Admiral was a great, great man.
Will Focsle Llp be offering a hardback edition? I'm loath to put a soft cover on my bookshelf anymore. I'll do it, but not if I know a HB is forthcoming.
My friend, a Yale graduate in nuclear propulsion, who, as a brand new ensign, was posted to a boomer, was interviewed by the Admiral. He was born with a large “port wine stain” covering his left face ear to jaw line. Most people quietly looked at it at first, then tacitly never looked at it again. When Peter was told to be at ease in the presence of Rickover, the Admiral glanced up at this birth mark and said, “What the hell is that on your face, Ensign?”
My second CO aboard my FFG was a Navy Surface Nuke Commander doing a CO tour before going back for a possible Reactor Officer tour on a CVN. He had lots of Rickover stories. Wish I remembered them all. Fuzzy memory aside, here are a few involving interviews that ADM Rickover held for all Navy Nukes. The Admiral told one officer to go stand in a broom closet until he was ready to be interviewed. Several hours transpired. Don't remember how that turned out. Another interviewee was told "Make me angry!". The officer grabbed the scale model of USS Nautilus off the Admiral's desk and smashed it to pieces. The Admiral was furious. He passed. Another was invited to lunch with the Admiral. The officer salted his food. The Admiral dismissed him because he had not tasted his food before salting it. I really liked that Nuke CO I worked for. He was precise in everything, zero ambiguity in what he expected. I prospered under him. He is the one who made me GQ OOD (hog heaven for me) as a W-2. The rest of the wardroom was glad it wasn't them. He surprised everyone by retiring after his tour. What sane man wants to be a Reactor Officer when you could be a recruiter in Detroit or fuel handler in Shemya?