October 5, 1999

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, my colleague from the great state of Connecticut Senator Dodd and I rise today to pay tribute to the Naval Submarine Force and to submit a resolution to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this outstanding institution.

In the year 2000 the United States Navy Submarine Force celebrates its one hundredth anniversary.

The Submarine Force began with the purchase of U.S.S. Holland on April 11, 1900. The past 100 years have witnessed the evolution of a force that mastered submersible warfare, introduced nuclear propulsion to create the true submarine, and for decades patrolled the deep ocean front line: the hottest part of an otherwise cold war.

Beginning in World War I the Submarine Force began to support national interests through offensive and defensive operations in the Atlantic. Using lessons learned from German U-boat design, the US Submarine Force developed advanced diesel submarine designs during the inter-war years. In spite of a hesitant beginning due to Pearl Harbor and difficulties with defective torpedoes, the World War II submarine force destroyed 1,314 enemy ships (5.3 million tons), which translated into 55 percent of all enemy ships lost. Out of 16,000 submariners, the force lost 375 officers and 3,131 enlisted men in fifty-two submarines, the highest casualty rate of any combatant submarine service on any side in the conflict. Seven Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded to submariners during World War II for distinguished gallantry in combat.

Mr. DODD. After World War II the Submarine Force began experimenting with high speed, sophisticated silencing techniques, sensitive sonic detection, and deeper diving designs. Admiral Hyman G. Rickover lead the effort which resulted in the world's first nuclear powered submarine, USS Nautilus, commissioned in 1955. The advent of nuclear propulsion resulted in the first true submarine, a vessel that was truly free to operate unrestricted below the surface of the ocean.

Continued development of advanced submarine designs lead to the most capable submarine fleet in the world. The United States Navy, led by Admiral Red Raborn, also fielded the world's first operational submarine launched ballistic missile platform in the world. This force provided invaluable support to our national security and strategic nuclear deterrence. The end of the cold war has been credited in part to the deterrent role that the strategic ballistic submarine played in our nuclear triad.

Through the 1980's and 1990's the submarine force has continued to contribute to all aspects of our country's national security strategy from Desert Storm to Yugoslavia. The sailors who have taken our submarines to sea over the years should be commended for their outstanding service and performance. Always on the cutting edge, the submarine force will help the Navy sustain the adaptability necessary to maintain our national security in and around the oceans of our world.

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, Senator Dodd and I would like to congratulate the Naval Submarine Force on its 100th anniversary and on all the accomplishments it has achieved during that time.

On a personal note, I wish to acknowledge the contributions of the Submarine Force Senior Leadership since its inception, many of whom I am proud to have known and worked closely with over the years. And for the next 100 years, may our Submarine Force run silent, run deep.