Frank Fogarty knew nothing about nuclear physics on ships when he got pulled from his Korean War submarine duty to interview for a fledgling U.S. Navy program.
Fogarty, who just turned 100 years old in Spokane, has never forgotten meeting Hyman Rickover, known as the father of the world's first atomic-powered submarines that began with the USS Nautilus in 1954. Its advantages meant speed and prolonged submersions.
He initially joined an officers' team to develop Nautilus' sister craft, the USS Seawolf, which launched in 1955. But by 1957, Fogarty had joined the Nautilus crew — first as an engineering officer, and then during 1963-67 as the Nautilus' fifth commanding officer.
“I was in this position of being qualified for command, so Rickover picked from the younger submarine officers who were qualified, and he interviewed them all,” Fogarty said.
“He was the first to apply nuclear practically to something besides bombs. In my case, they flew me back from Korea to Washington for an interview with him, and it was an all-day deal. You interviewed with his staff; they all came up with their opinion of each interviewee.
“The last thing was you interviewed with the KOG — (what) Rickover was called for ‘Kindly old gentleman.' He was not kindly; he was old,” Fogarty said.
Rickover was famous for his stress interviews, seeing if an officer entering the program could maintain composure and still think clearly if rattled. The program's leader…
