Artic Mission recounts two concurrent Navy Department penetrations of the Arctic; in 1958: one an unclassified project; the other absolutely secret. The Cold War posed alarm and threat; amid its urgencies; the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58 was underway. Sputnik had opened the Space Age―for Americans; a national humiliation. The White House needed a success. Sailing under the direct orders of the Commander in Chief; the nuclear submarine Nautilus (SSN-571) would-―if successful―reaffirm U.S. technological prowess with a stupendous demonstration: an under-ice transit of the Arctic Basin via the North Pole. The airship’s unclassified mission was an Office of Naval Research project. Objective: to assess the suitability of non-rigid airships (blimps) for support of field parties deployed throughout the North; ashore and afloat. That IGY August; BUNO 126719 crossed the Arctic Circle―the sole military airship ever to do so―en route to rendezvous with a U.S. Air Force ice-rafted camp (drifting station) in the Arctic Ocean. As “719†(delayed) pressed north; Nautilus pierced the geographic pole then without changing course logged the first-ever transit of the deep-ocean Arctic; Pacific to Atlantic. Based on interviews and correspondence with dozens of participants; and on Navy Department reports; the work presents first-hand material throughout―a distinct contribution to the naval literature. Indeed; Arctic Mission may be the first in-depth (non-popular) account of the boat’s epic cruise to 90° N. Further; the ONR expedition across Arctic Canada to IGY BRAVO (ice island T-3) is a singular unknown--even to naval aviators.
#3862803 in Books 2015-10-16Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.04 x .69 x 5.92l; .0 #File Name: 1611462134236 pages
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