[Onkel Neal]

Although I didn’t know it at the time, April 29, 1952 was to be a decisive day in my life. On that day in the Bahamas, scientists from Bell Labs demonstrated their new Lofar low-frequency passive detection system to a group of high-ranking Navy officials. A US diesel submarine provided services, snorkeling in rectangular box patterns at increasing distances from the island. The target sub had been requested to operate two diesels at the same speed. Several hours into the day, the sub received an amazing radio message: that the port diesel was running 10 rpm too fast. A tachometer check showed this to be true. Naturally, the skipper reported this incident to his superiors. In time it trickled up the chain of command. Whatever it was, the submarine Navy wanted it.

SUBSIM Special Project