COVERT SUBMARINE OPERATIONS

-A New Exhibition at the Navy Museum

A new exhibition, Covert Submarine Operations, will open in the National Navy Museum this summer. Covert Submarine Operations is being installed in the Cold War gallery of the museum in the Washington Navy Yard. It is a recreation of the popular exhibition, Fast Attacks and Boomers: Submarines in the Cold War, which was on view in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History during the Navy’s Submarine Centennial celebration in 2000.

Many Americans, particularly younger generations, know little about the Navy’s role in the Cold War. This fact led the Naval Historic Foundation (NHF) to initiate action in 2005 to open a Cold War Gallery depicting the Navy’s role in the Cold War from 1946 to 1991. The Gallery is located in the historic David Taylor Model Basin building and is part of the Naval History and Heritage Command’s (NHHC) Museum in the Navy Yard.

The Central Gallery, completed in 20 I 0, includes a time line of significant Cold War events, descriptions of NA TO and Warsaw Pact nations, a carrier ready room with chairs from the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and a full scale TRIDENT I missile in flight configuration to emphasize the deterrent role of the SSBN force during the Cold War.

The artifacts used in Fast Attacks and Boomers have been reinstalled and include the attack center, crew’s dinette, sonar room, maneuvering room console, and crew’s berthing. The piano used by the crew of USS THOMAS A. EDISON (SSBN610) is a unique addition. Videos illustrate the submarine’s role in nuclear deterrence, reconnaissance, intelligence collection, training and operations conducted during the Cold War. An interactive work station gives the visitor an opportunity to detect and identify underwater sounds.

Covert Submarine Operations is the first installation in the North Gallery of the building that will eventually be completed with additional displays of the Navy in the Cold War.

NHHC, with support from the NHF, will host two fellowships this summer in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts using the Covert Submarine Operations exhibit as a model. Middle and high school teachers have been selected to attend and will develop professional lesson plans for use in the classroom that promote technical study.

NHF has been able to underwrite this installation due to a generous contribution from Mr. and Mrs. David Leighton and a substantial multiyear pledge from General Dynamics Inc. Opening date is set for June 11 in conjunction with NHF’s annual meeting.