On the morning of January 17, 1955, Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson of the USS Nautilus issued the memorable message “UNDERWAY ON NUCLEAR POWER”. The USS Nautilus left port that morning and made history by becoming the first submarine propelled by a nuclear reactor. This would be the first of the long lineage of submarines and surface ships powered solely by nuclear power. As can be imagined, the transition from combustion engines to nuclear propulsion was not an easy one, just as the transition from sail to steam had its difficulties. Integration of nuclear propulsion to the Navy was a massive undertaking. Spearheading the operation to make this transition possible was Admiral Hyman G. Rickover. Rickover was a short, hard charging man who was known for his unconventional ways of doing things. He had the longest career for an officer in the United States military, serving for 63 years. Admiral Rickover’s biggest accomplishment of his career was facilitating the transition to nuclear propulsion, earning himself the nickname, “Father of the Nuclear Navy”. Rickover took on several roles to support this transition. He oversaw the scientific research to make nuclear propulsion possible and garnered support from Congress to have the new technology implemented. Despite some differences with the Navy, Admiral Rickover played a fundamental role in the integration of nuclear propulsion into naval submarines and surface ships, supporting the endeavor both technically and politically. Rickover oversaw the scientific research and development of nuclear propulsion from start to finish. The Admiral held two positions in the early 1950’s. His position in the navy was as chief of the Division of Nuclear Propulsion in the Bureau of Ships. Normally ... ... middle of paper ... ...or of the Nuclear Propulsion Program under the Bureau of Ships, overseeing the development of nuclear technologies from the top to the bottom. Politically, he forged close bonds with Congress to secure funding and support for his project. Due largely in part to the lifelong work and dedication of Admiral Rickover, the navy outfitted a majority of its surface ships and submarines with nuclear reactors. This shift to nuclear power reshaped the navy provided it with immense strategic advantages. Surface ships and submarines could now roam the oceans for extended periods of time, more effectively projecting American power, providing deterrence, and supporting the missions of the navy. Admiral Hyman G. Rickover may have been unconventional in his methods but it is hard to refute the sheer magnitude of the impact that just this one man was able to have on the entire Navy.