More than 65 years ago, the submarine USS Nautilus made American history by crossing under the North Pole ice cap to conduct an important mission.
A crew member on the vessel, retired US Navy submariner Joe Degnan, will share his experiences during a free talk at the Fort Taber-Fort Rodman Military Museum, 100C Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21.
The crew crossed the ice cap with top-secret orders to conduct Operation Sunshine, which required sending a submerged undetected transit from the Arctic Ocean that would carry from the West Coast to the East Coast.
Their efforts were a success.
They reached the North Pole at 11:15 p.m. Aug. 3, 1958. For this historic accomplishment, the 116-member crew earned the Presidential Unit Citation.
Degnan will discuss this piece of American history and his 23-year Navy career during the talk.
The event is free and ample parking is available. For more information, call 508-994-3938 or email info@forttaber.org.
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