The Atomic Submarine Page #2

Dave, stand by to shove off

as soon as Griff reports the crew aboard.

Right, skipper.

Well, looks like we're gonna

share quarters, skipper.

Been a long -

Carl.

You?

Oh, of course. I should have suspected

when I heard that ''doctor.''

- I thought it was your father.

- It was supposed to be.

- Dad had a heart attack two days ago.

- He what?

It was mild. He'll be all right.

But it was out of the question his coming along.

And they thought you could

replace the skipper, huh?

There was no choice.

Dad and I developed

the Lungfish together.

Except for him,

I'm the only one qualified to dive in it.

- You could have trained somebody else.

- Not in two days.

Look, do you think I wanted to come?

If it didn't mean so much to Dad, proving his

depth explorer, I certainly wouldn't be here.

That I can believe.

[Narrator] The Tiger Shark left

her dock at Bremerton at 0335 hours...

the morning of May 1 1...

on what was to prove the strangest,

most fearful voyage ever made by a submarine...

atomic or otherwise.

Simultaneously with

the Shark's departure...

and with his crew still in the dark

concerning their secret, fateful mission...

Skipper Wendover made

the first notation in the log.

The men would remain unbriefed

for two hours...

until the Tiger Shark

cleared Ruget Sound...

and was headed for open sea.

Who the devil belongs to this gear?

[Man]

Uh, we do, Chief.

Oh. You two guys, huh?

And just what do you do around here?

Underwater demolition.

Seaman First Class Powell, and I'm Carney.

Yeah, I know.

So you're frogmen.

Yeah, we're off tin cans.

We've, uh, looked the pigboat over

from, uh, fore to aft...

but can't seem to find an empty locker,

uh, to store our stuff in.

An empty locker?

In a sub?

Are you kiddin'?

This whole deal is makin'

less and less sense to me.

What are frogmen

doin'aboard the Tiger Shark?

Following orders,

like everyone else in the navy.

Beats me.

But orders are orders.

Yeah, well, uh, in the meantime,

where do you want us to stash these gizmos?

Come on.

[Narrator]

Shortly before dawn...

the Tiger Shark, running submerged

at better than 30 knots...

had left the sound behind...

and was headed for open sea.

Here are our orders, Reef.

Look 'em over while I fill in the crew.

Now hear this.

This is the captain speaking.

I know you're wondering

about all the mystery.

[Wendover On P.A.]

Well, our job had to be kept absolutely secret.

Our mission is to find out

what caused the disasters under the Arctic ice.

Once we cross the Arctic Circle,

any command you hear will be the real thing.

Rlease remember it.

That's about it.

Now you know as much as I

or anybody else does, for that matter.

Oh, incidentally,

I assured Washington...

that this was

the best sub crew in the fleet.

I know you won't make a liar out of me.

Carry on.

That's it.

What do you think?

I think I should have joined the air force.

[Narrator] A week later, the Tiger Shark

was still running due north at cruising speed.

So far, the voyage was routine, uneventful.

But the nearer they came

to the Arctic Circle...

the more the tension increased...

the more tiny irritations

were magnified into bitter feuds...

the more the crewmen pondered

their possible fate.

On the morning of May 20...

the Tiger Shark crossed the Arctic Circle

into the critical area.

You're always asking me

why I stay a bachelor.

There goes one of the best reasons

I can think of.

- Huh?

- Yeah. I might have a son like that.

I don't get it.

What goes with you two?

I guess his father, Skipper Neilsen, retired

before you enrolled at the academy, didn't he?

I guess.

One of the finest men and officers alive.

A real hero

in the best sense of the word.

World War II.

Taught engineering and design

at the academy.

- Fought like a demon for atomic subs.

- So?

So, when his only son dropped out of school,

began making statements...

all sounding like borrowed propaganda -

''Ban the atomic test.''

''Junk the nuclear subs.''

''Spend the military budget for peace.''

Well, it just about

broke the old man's heart.

Then when the newspapers picked it up...

called Carl the honest, sincere son

of a warmongering father...

well, Captain Neilsen

resigned from the navy.

Oh, he still keeps his hand in with projects

like the Lungfish...

but it broke him all the same.

Have, uh - Have you talked to Carl?

Tried to get his side?

His side?

He's all front with no back.

How can he have a side?

Either of you men seen Dr. Neilsen?

He's in here, sir.

Oh, uh, Tuttle, Powell, would you men

mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?

Sure, Mr. Holloway.

Dr. Neilsen.

What is it?

You are out.

This came for you.

- My father?

- Dead?

No. As a matter of fact,

he's a lot better.

Just got out of the hospital.

- What did you mean I'm out?

- Your father can be in Nome, Alaska tomorrow.

We have two choices.

We can ask them to bring him out

by helicopter and take you off...

or we can put the Shark

back into Nome.

You trade school boys

are all alike, aren't you?

Anybody who doesn't think like a little

gold-braided puppet is ipso facto a coward.

You said it. I didn't.

Well, wearing a uniform doesn't bestow

an automatic monopoly on courage, Commander.

It just so happens I'm not a coward -

physical or mental.

And before I'd risk my father's life -

- We're all risking our lives.

- That may be...

but Dad stays where he is,

and I'm staying here.

Oh, you are a mixed-up oddball,

aren't you?

Well, perhaps.

But the idea of willingly going to school...

to spend my life at a Paleozoic pastime that

should have disappeared with the thunder lizards -

I'm referring to war-

that strikes me as the worst cowardice of all -

being spiritually yellow.

- You mean nothing's worth fighting for?

- Peace.

The dignity of man,

destiny of human spirit.

Now, you show me a man who says you win these

fighting wars, and I'll show you an idiot.

Oh, Carl, you talk like

so many young men I've - I've known.

You talk well.

Literately, intelligently-

even brilliantly sometimes.

But you're all talk.

What do you do about your ideas...

your ideals?

You mentioned my uniform.

These are my work clothes.

They represent what I'm willing to do...

how hard I'm willing to work

for what I believe in.

I doubt your willingness for anything...

except talk about what you're against.

That talk darn near killed your father.

[Loud Bang]

- [Man On R.A.]

Mr. Holloway to the conn, please.

- [Alarm Blaring]

[Dave] The instruments have all gone crazy,

and take a look at the screen.

Incredible. Absolutely incredible.

- What hit us?

- It doesn't seem possible...

but could it be

an electric storm center?

Underwater?

[Dr. Kent] High-intensity arcs

will burn submerged...

and millions of volts discharged

in random directions.

Is there any way out of this?

Seems all around.

What about down?

- I don't know.

- Take her down.

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