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Collection of 24 TLSs from revered U.S. Navy Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, each signed “H. G. Rickover,” 27 total pages, dated between 1961 and 1969, all addressed to Kenneth A. Kesselring, general manager of the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory at General Electric. With the exception of two letters on ‘United States Atomic Energy Commission’ letterhead, the balance are all typed on different submarine letterhead, with the majority indicating their relative oceanic location: “At Sea, North Atlantic,” “At Sea, North Pacific,” or “At Sea, Gulf of Mexico.” The content of each ‘submarine’ letter denotes the conclusion of the first sea trials for the respective boat, with Rickover listing notable capabilities for each vessel.
The submarines include:
USS Thomas Jefferson (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on November 19, 1962)
USS Lafayette (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on February 25, 1963)
USS Alexander Hamilton (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on April 8, 1963)
USS Nathan Hale (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on October 14, 1963)
USS Woodrow Wilson (“At Sea, North Pacific,” on October 21, 1963)
USS James Monroe (Newport News, Virginia, on October 31, 1963)
USS Henry Clay (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on January 7, 1964)
USS Pollack (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on February 11, 1964)
USS Daniel Webster (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on February 24, 1964)
USS James Madison (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on June 16, 1964)
USS Von Steuben (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on September 2, 1964)
USS Tinosa (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on September 15, 1964)
USS Haddo (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on September 29, 1964)
USS Sam Rayburn (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on November 4, 1964)
USS Jack (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on January 9, 1967)
USS Ray (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on February 28, 1967)
USS Truxton (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on April 24, 1967)
USS Greenling (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on July 25, 1967)
USS Pargo (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on August 7, 1967)
USS Haddock (“At Sea, Gulf of Mexico,” on September 25, 1967)
USS Gato (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on October 3, 1967)
Submarine NR-1 (“At Sea, North Atlantic,” on August 18, 1969)
Also included is a sheet headed “The Polaris Submarine,” dated February 13, 1967, and signed at the conclusion by Rickover. The document serves as an informational briefing sheet summarizing the Polaris submarine program, and reads, in part: “The advantage to the United States is obvious. Any would-be aggressor is aware that we possess 41 Polaris submarines, whose location he does not know, each equipped with 16 missiles having destructive power greater than that of all explosives used in World War II. For him to attack the U.S. proper, unless he had previously destroyed our Polaris fleet, would be futile.” In overall fine condition. Each letter is accompanied by its original mailing envelope.
