Former US President Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024. The 100-year-old politician, humanitarian and peanut farmer lived a long and fulfilled life alongside his late wife, Rosalynn, and while many focus on his time in the Oval Office, there was a part of his life that was equally as important to him becoming the man he was: his service in the US Navy.
Carter’s naval service during the Cold War-era marked a turning point in his life, and his dedication to military and political life ultimately led to a top-secret nuclear-powered submarine being named for him.
Attending the US Naval Academy
Born in Plains, Georgia, Jimmy Carter’s fascination with the US Navy was sparked by his uncle, who was a radioman. This early influence led the future president to attend the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, with him graduating in 1946.
Carter’s time at the US Naval Academy centered around ship and aircraft recognition, with him even learning to pilot the Vought OS2U Kingfisher, a scout seaplane. He also focused much of his attention on his studies, which resulted in him graduating in the top 10 percent of his class.
Jimmy Carter served under Hyman G. Rickover
One of the most influential figures to shape Jimmy Carter’s naval career was Adm. Hyman G. Rickover. Known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy,” Rickover was the director of the US Naval Reactors office for three decades, spearheading the service’s move toward nuclear-powered sea vehicles. His contributions were so great that he’s just one of seven people in history to receive two Congressional Gold Medals.
Rickover had incredibly high standards and he expected his men to meet them. This left a lasting impact on Carter, who held the utmost respect for the admiral. Under his guidance, the future president was selected to join the US Navy’s nuclear submarine program, allowing him to use his expertise and leadership abilities to further the design and development of nuclear propulsion systems.
Saving Canada from nuclear catastrophe
Jimmy Carter’s naval service included assignments aboard various submarines, beginning with the USS Pomfret (SS-391), then the Barracuda-class USS K-1 (SSK-1) as part of her pre-commissioning crew. This allowed him to further hone his skills, particularly when it came to leadership, as he served as the submarine’s executive officer at one point. Prior to this, he’d served aboard the former battleship USS Wyoming (E-AG 17).
However, arguably the most important (and famous) mission from Carter’s time in the US Navy was the Chalk River Meltdown. Occurring in 1952, it was triggered by the partial meltdown of an experimental nuclear reactor at Chalk River Labs in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Canadian officials weren’t sure how to handle the situation and thus approach Hyman G. Rickover to aid with the potential disaster.
Rickover chose Carter, who’d recently been appointed to the Naval Reactors Branch of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), to lead the effort. He and 23 sailors underwent rigorous training before traveling to Canada, where he and his men opted to expose themselves to radiation to rectify the situation. As a result of their efforts, the core was successfully removed.
Carter later discussed the mission, saying, “We went down below into the reactor room. We dashed on the site there and, in a highly radioactive environment, did our job. I had radioactive urine for six months and I thought I would never have another child, but Amy came later.”
USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23)
Jimmy Carter’s naval legacy was cemented with the commissioning of the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), a Seawolf-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, in 2005. Very little is known about the operations undertaken by the vessel and her crew, with a host of restrictions in place when it comes to reporting on her activities (most are deemed “classified”).
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That being said, we do know that Jimmy Carter‘s crew has conducted themselves with valor and dedication during their service, as they’ve been the recipients of several decorations, including the Presidential Unit Citation (for an operation simply known as “Mission 7”) and two Battle Es.