By Lynn Hendy
May 21, 2018
On May 11 Ship Sponsor Darleen Greenert laid the keel of the submarine Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795), her initials welded onto a steel plate that will be permanently affixed to the submarine. Mrs. Greenert is the wife of former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert (retired). EB hosted the ceremony at its Quonset Point facility with more than 500 people in attendance including local and Congressional dignitaries, Navy officials, employees and special guest Mrs. Eleonore Rickover, widow of Admiral Rickover.
EB President Jeff Geiger recounted that EB’s relationship with Admiral Rickover started with a phone call. “While Westinghouse was developing a compact and practical nuclear reactor in 1950, then-Captain Rickover telephoned O.P. Robinson Jr., EB’s general manager and a man he had never met. ‘Can you build a hull for an atomic submarine?’ Rickover asked. ‘Why, sure,’ Robinson replied. ‘But what do we have to do?’ ‘I don’t know myself,’ Rickover replied. ‘But we’ll work it out.’ And work it out they did,” said Geiger.
Adm. Frank Caldwell, Jr., Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, stated, “Admiral Rickover’s gift to our nation’s defense — safe, reliable, and militarily superior naval nuclear propulsion — is as vital to our warfighting edge today as it was at the beginning of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program 70 years ago. The U.S. Navy and our nation are proud to honor his achievements and legacy with this submarine.”
Joe Walsh, who recently retired from EB as vice president of The Virginia and Moored Training Ship programs following a 32-year career in the Navy, was a former commanding officer of SSN 709, the first submarine Hyman G. Rickover.
“Admiral Rickover is referred to as the father of the nuclear Navy, but he was much more than that. He defined the culture of the nuclear Navy — excellence is standard,” said Walsh. “When you perform a drill or an evolution flawlessly in the nuclear Navy, you don’t get a ‘great job’ or a ‘well done.’ You get ‘no deficiencies were noted’ because you didn’t exceed the standard, you merely met it.
“The new Hyman G. Rickover could not have been more fortunate than to be blessed with Mrs. Darleen Greenert, who will serve her ship with the same level of love, dedication, and energy that Eleonore provided to SSN 709.”
In her moving, emotional remarks, Mrs. Greenert thanked the shipbuilders in the audience. “When someone comes up to you or your family and asks if what you do matters, I want to tell you it does. Now we have the 795, and I’ve seen her beautiful parts. You’re building her strong and safe. The families of the crew — their children, their moms and dads, their brothers and sisters — they’re going to say goodbye to their submariners, and then they’re going to say hello again a few months later, because of what you do.
“Yes. It matters.”
Rayha Report Ep. 20: 2026 EB Signing Days
Electric Boat held recent Signing Day ceremonies at Cranston West High School on May 21 and the Garde Arts Center in New London on May 28. EB President Mark Rayha spoke with students about their decision to join EB and educators who prepare their students for careers in shipbuilding. Click here to see the latest installment of the Rayha...Continue reading→
Save the Date: CT Health Fairs Kick Off June 9
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Supporting Our Neighbors Impacted by The Ledges Apartments Fire
Early Sunday morning, a devastating fire occurred at The Ledges Apartments in Groton. Eighteen fire departments, including Electric Boat’s, responded. Thanks to the heroism of these first responders no residents were injured. The fire did, however, displace more than approximately 50 residents and destroyed or damaged 44 units in the building. Several EB employees were...Continue reading→
Pride Month Celebrations at Electric Boat
June 1st marks the start of Pride Month, a time for millions of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies around the world to come together in celebration and reflection. From film festivals and art shows, to marches and concerts, Pride is a vibrant tribute to LGBTQ+ culture, history and the relentless spirit of activism. It’s a chance...Continue reading→
Celebrating Our Next Generation of Shipbuilders
The Next Generation of Shipbuilders Takes the Stage Over the past two weeks, Electric Boat welcomed the next generation of shipbuilders at our Rhode Island and Connecticut Signing Day celebrations, marking the beginning of a journey that will help shape the future of our company and our nation’s defense. Held at Cranston High School West...Continue reading→
Update: Gold Star Bridge Project – Upcoming Traffic Impacts
CT DOT is preparing to enter the next major phase of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project, and employees should expect new traffic patterns that may affect travel to and from EB’s Groton and New London facilities. A crossover will direct two northbound lanes onto the southbound bridge, as shown in this CT DOT...Continue reading→
PCU Utah Floats Off
PCU Utah (SSN 801) floated off the pontoon in Graving Dock #3 on Sunday, May 17, her hull seeing water for the first time. Huge congratulations to every Electric Boat shipbuilder whose hard work and dedication brought Utah to this major milestone!
Pathways to the Deep Officially Opens at Mystic Aquarium
On Monday, May 11th, we officially cut the ribbon on Pathways to the Deep, a brand-new interactive exhibit at Mystic Aquarium that connects ocean science, technology, exploration and careers through hands-on learning and discovery. This collaborative effort between General Dynamics Electric Boat, Mystic Aquarium, the Submarine Industrial Base and Build Submarines was created to spark curiosity and...Continue reading→
Electric Boat featured in ADC’s ‘Homefront’ Video Series
General Dynamics Electric Boat is featured in the latest episode of the Association of Defense Communities’ (ADC) Homefront video series, which examines military communities across the country. The episode highlights Electric Boat’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Navy, the generations of shipbuilders who power our mission and the opportunities ahead for the next wave of...Continue reading→
Rayha Report Ep. 19: Operations Leadership Hiring Initiative
In his latest Rayha Report, EB President Mark Rayha speaks with Chief of Talent Acquisition Meredith Kyle on the ways the company is boosting operations leadership hiring. Joining them is Konrad Wennberg and Mike Simmons, who provide insight on their internal moves from engineering to operations supervisor positions.
