Nuclear Nautilus Under the North Pole

August 3rd, 1958

Submarine infamy…the world couldn’t wait

Under the North Pole, that was the plan

Man versus nature, with this round to man

The top of the world, covered in snow

Commander Anderson just slipped in below

Nautilus and crew five hundred feet down

Slipping through the icy seas, with barely a sound

Operation Northwest Passage using instruments to see

Submerged from Pearl Harbor to the Greenland Sea

Periscope depth for a picture or two

Nothing too good for that pioneering crew

Point Barrow, Diomedes, and then under the Cap

Discovered a new pathway, drew up some maps

The crew later praised by their boss, the President

For what they had done, for where they had went

The Legion of Merit and a unit citation

Admirals and Officers and a big celebration

Awards never given except in wartime

An achievement by the Navy, front page of the Times

Author’s Note on the Nautilus

The Nautilus was the first nuclear sub in the world.  The submarine was commissioned on September 30, 1954, and first ran under nuclear power on the morning of January 17, 1955, ahead of schedule.  On August 3rd, 1958, the Nautilus made the first undersea voyage to the North Pole.

• Author
• Recent Posts

R J Schwartz

I write about everything and sometimes nothing at all.I'm fascinated by old things, rusty things, abandoned places, or anywhere that a secret might be unearthed.I'm passionate about history and many of my pieces are anchored in one concept of time or another.I've always been a writer, dating back to my youth, but the last decade has been a time of growth for me.I'm continually pushing the limitations of vocabulary, syntax, and descriptive phrasing.

Latest posts by R J Schwartz (see all)

• A Light To Guide Us Through The Storm - November 15, 2024
• Rest – Surrender Your Earthly Engagements - October 8, 2024
• Who Dares to Catch the Falling Knife - August 23, 2024