NR-1 Line Drawing

Upright station stored in Navy Museum facility, Keyport Washinton

I read in a book (Dark Waters by Donald Davis and Lee Vybrony) that before they realized underwater towing was viable, they transported NR-1 in the well deck of an amphibious assault ship. Is there any documentation of this? I've been aboard a Wasp-class so I can picture there being enough room, but I can't imagine how they'd get the thing that high out of the water to get inside, even with the ship flooded down as much as possible!

RiskySchooner

He was just a 23-25 year old Mess management Specialist on the support ship, not a submariner on the NR-1. The Sunbird was a small vessel with a small mess section, and he was the only one that didn't get seasick the whole operation, and was a watch stander he claimed qualified on the radar as well. I wish I knew the operation, since he has a commendation hanging up on the wall from the operation. He claimed his slot was in the dive section and he had to go over the side because of a malfunction on NR-1 tow grabble and they had to close it. As I said a lot of stories over the years. There was a book written by a former NR-1 crewmember I bought and gifted him. It has a picture of the Phoenix on the deck, where they brought it into Holy Loch. BTW it was the JFK that threw the F-14.

Such as? Did they take the ‘laying down’ observation station? Or the helm? I’ve seen the sail at the museum in Groton. I feel like they never should have scrapped the girl.

Wowww. I’m pumped that Aaron is covering this one. FThis incident is covered in Dark Waters by Lee Vyborny and Don Davis. There was some insane stuff they saw in the Mediterranean. I thought the F14 & Phoenix recovery happed during carrier ops in the Med. I’ll always wonder the hell that huge rolling pile of saner nets & buoys was about and what was towing it. Maybe a weighted towed array, with the pile of nets at the tail end. That’s where my conspiratorial mind goes :) Sure as hell seems that the Russians were dragging for the plane and the missile. What an intel windfall for them if they had gotten it. The dragging was successful, there were “skid marks” on the seabed and the plane was mangled due to being flipped over and over. I’m jealous if you’re Dad - some of the most interesting and futuristic missions in submarine history was on the NR-1.

I've been hoping you would be able to do sub brief on this amazing vessel. I'm excited to see what you'll share with us.

"man-days" just divide that number by the crew count.

Andrew MacDougall

For your information: the most unique components of the NR-1 control station have been preserved and are stored at the Navy Museum in Keyport, Washington. On display occasionally.

Very interesting stuff, thanks. Looking forward to this little guys own brief

The 'Eng' on one of the subs I was on had previously served on the NR1. He was involved with the Shuttle Challenger recovery.

Robert Sanges

My Dad was on the USS Sunbird ASR15 which was the support ship for the NR-1 when she was in the North Sea and they recovered the AIM-54 Phoenix Missile. It started out as a SOSUS repair mission. He told me that the whole time they had a RFA of the Rover Class acting as a screen from the Soviet Navy.

330 days maximum endurance? This little guy must be full of surprises

Rells