Notes on a Talk With Commander Robert Anderson, Skipper of the Nautilus

DECLASSIFIED E.O. 11652, Sec. 11 MR 77-157 #1 By J. Date 9-27-11 S E C R E I NOTES ON TALK WITH COMMANDER ROBERT ANDERSON, USN, SKIPPER OF THE NAUTILUS, AT 2:00 P. M., JULY 2, 1958 Commander Anderson dropped in and reported to General Goodpaster, Mrs. Anne Wheaton and myself on the attempt made by the Nautilus. The boat left Seattle June 8th with open orders to proceed to Panama, but instead made the first attempt on the North- west Passage under the North Pole. No trouble was encountered on the run from Seattle through the Aleutian Islands and up the Bering Sea to St. Lawrence Island. The Nautilus attempted first to pass to the westward of St. Lawrence Island just on our side of the United States-Russian line. They hit heavy ice running down to 30 and 40 feet. Shallow water gave the boat only about 20 feet leeway, and consequently, they turned back and proceeded south of St. Lawrence Island and made a successful passage through the Bering Strait on the east side of the island. Proceeded without trouble through the Bering Straight -- into the Chuckhie Sea, and it was anticipated that no trouble would arise and that ice flows up to 40 feet deep would be encountered. However, much to Anderson's surprise they started to hit 80 feet of ice this ice apparently from the Siberian land mass, They proceeded northward for a while until they had only ten feet of clearance for the ship and were forced to turn around and re- trace their way through the Bering Sea. Once out of the Bering Sea they radioed C & o office and were told to proceed to Pearl Harbor. Ten days ago I worked out with Aurand and the Navy Deartment a release relieving the Nautilus of the scheduled Arctic explosation with in August and announcing that the Navy was sending the Nautilus to Peark Harbor for a month to engage in indoctrination procedures our our submarine fleet at our Pacific Headquarters at Pearl Harbor. This went off all right, and the Nautilus proceeded to Pearl. Commander Anderson flew back fro Pearl to make a report to C&O AND TO US HERE AT THE WHITE HOSE.