The greatest advantage in fighting a war is stealth, and men have always dreamed that they could use the seas and other bodies of water to sneak close to an adversary and gain the advantage of surprise and tactical position. As you examine the displays and artifacts in the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, it becomes clear that extensive scientific research and engineering innovations have been, and are continually devoted to, creating vessels that enable us to swim with the fishes and rarely have to come up for air.

Jules Verne’s Nautilus hinted that great power might be harnessed from nature and used for universal good, or maybe for vengeance. The truly submersible vessel is a dream machine that became a reality.

The Sub Museum is adjacent to the main gate of the Submarine Base in Groton at 1 Crystal Lake. It is open year-round, and parking and admission are free. Operation and maintenance are a joint effort of private and public funding and thousands of hours of volunteer support.

The welcome mat on the pier sums it up: “Preserving Our Proud Heritage.” Submarine models and their full-sized torpedoes, rockets, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles are displayed close up in the main hall. The second floor houses the Submarine Force Library. The amazing reference/research library contains over 5,000 books that pertain to submarine history and development. Access to the library requires a prior appointment, and it does not lend out materials.

The museum traces submarine development from rudimentary efforts such as the one-man Turtle, to the latest fast-attack submarines capable of carrying out a variety of missions while going undetected throughout the world.

After WWII, the major technical turning point in submarine design was the development of a nuclear-powered ship. The nuclear powered ship was the first true submersible, unlike their diesel-powered predecessors that were actually surface ships capable of limited times of submerged operation. The adoption of the “albacore” hull design gave the new nuclear-powered subs great underwater speed, maneuverability, and operating endurance. This evolutionary process is clearly exhibited.

The USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the first nuclear-powered submarine and its significance is hard to overstate at the time it was launched in 1954 at the Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton. Its preservation at the museum took a huge effort, but it was well worth doing.

The walking tour through the Nautilus was a high point of a recent visit. Ships that followed the Nautilus were typically single-screw with a vertical “sail,” and this design has not changed much. The steam turbines of the nuclear power plant supply electricity and power for propulsion.

Another major engineering breakthrough occurred when an inertial navigation system was developed that lead to the design and construction of Polaris ballistic missiles that could be launched at sea. It gave submarines the ultimate stealth advantage. The museum provides a clear picture of the way in which modern submarine design evolved into two basic types, and how each type could possibly be used. The ballistic submarine-launched missile became one leg of our strategic nuclear defense along with air-launched and ground-launched missiles. Virtually impossible to find, once submerged, the ballistic missile subs remained on duty for over five decades of relative peace and can still answer the call. I am proud to have once been a small part of this mission.

A new exhibit has recently been installed to commemorate the service of the NR-1, which was deactivated in 2008. This nuclear-powered deep-diving submersible is a one-of-a-kind vessel and has performed numerous missions for locating and sometimes retrieving sunken ships. Current efforts are underway to raise funds to preserve a portion of the vessel as an outdoor monument.

It’s easy sometimes to focus too much on the machines and systems that make up the modern marvels of submarines. I believe that the Submarine Museum has always, and justifiably, emphasized the bravery and steadfastness of those officers and enlisted men who fought under the sea. It’s a great place to visit, to learn, marvel, and remember.

Phil Houk is a former submariner, UCONN grad, and retired field service technician. He can be reached at plhouk@ct.metrocast.net.