As the Navy rapidly expanded its nuclear submarine fleet under the Polaris ballistic missile program in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the demand for enlisted men qualified in nuclear engineering, reactor operation, and propulsion systems grew far beyond what existing training pipelines could supply. This January 1960 All Hands feature examines the specialized schools and training programs developed to produce a new generation of nuclear-qualified Navymen — men who had to master physics, reactor theory, and engineering fundamentals before ever setting foot on a nuclear-powered vessel.
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