 underway on nuclear power. With these words, the world's first nuclear vessel, USS Nautilus, put to sea for the first time January 17th, 1954. This event marked the beginning of the modern nuclear navy. The submarine was designed by a group of naval scientists and engineers under the leadership of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, who was known as the father of the nuclear navy. Within the first few years, Nautilus smashed all existing records for submerged endurance and speed, the advanced abilities caused a rewrite of naval anti-submarine warfare practices. In 1958, Nautilus completed the first submerged voyage across the North Pole. The submarine traveled from the Bering Sea to the Greenland Sea under the Arctic ice pack. When Nautilus reached the geographic North Pole, the crew broadcast the famous message, Nautilus 90 North. For their achievement, President Dwight D. Eisenhower presented the 116-man crew with a presidential unit citation, the first ever issued during a time of peace. The commanding officer, Commander William Anderson, also received the Legion of Merit. Nuclear submarines eventually became the standard for placing the navy's diesel fleet. Nautilus was decommissioned on March 3rd, 1980, after serving 25 years in various developmental test programs, fleet exercises, and operations throughout the world. The Secretary of the Interior designated the submarine as a national historic landmark. Nautilus returned to its building site in Groton, Connecticut, as part of the Nautilus Memorial and Submarine Force Library and Museum. From Washington, I'm Petty Officer Liz Vlahos.