Hi everyone, today is Tuesday, July 27th (date recorded). This Saturday we will celebrate the christening of PCU 795, the Hyman G. Rickover. As a reminder, we’ll be webcasting the ceremony live on our external EB website beginning about 9:30 a.m.
Today on the podcast it is my pleasure to introduce a very special guest—and only the second person who’s ever joined the podcast who is not an EB employee—the Ship Sponsor for Rickover, Mrs. Darleen Greenert. Welcome to the podcast Darleen, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak with you informally before the christening ceremony this weekend.
DG: Well it’s great to have this opportunity. I really appreciate it; it’s good to be here. Thank you.
To start, I’d like to thank you for your service to our country. You’ve been a part of the military, specifically the Navy, in a variety of roles for the last 42 years as a veteran and as a Navy spouse. Let’s talk about the path of your career.
DG: I was a school teacher by trade and just wanted something different. I tried my hand at officer training school and got through it—I’m surprised sometimes! First duty station brought me out to Hawaii. It was really great to be out there. Jon (Admiral and former Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert) and I have had three tours there, so to go back to Hawaii is always a dream. I met Jon out there, and just appreciated the opportunity to meet a submariner. Being from Michigan, I hadn’t even seen a submarine; that was unique for me. We were able to get together and make it work for 40 years now.
Congratulations on your time in service to our country and on 40 years of marriage to Admiral Greenert. We very much are honored by you being the sponsor for Rickover. Our employees got to know you better through your remarks at the Rickover keel laying ceremony back in 2018. If you would, please share your perspective about the role our shipbuilders play in keeping our nation and our sailors safe.
DG: Kevin, thank you for this opportunity. I get emotional; I don’t remember all of what I said back then, but I’ve been told that my message got out there. I have to share something with your audience that today I am a new grandmother. Our granddaughter Willow was born to my oldest son Jonathan in Italy where he and his wife and family are serving. It’s those opportunities—without their father, if your shipbuilders had not built the incredible submarines that he has been on, I wouldn’t be here saying that I have a beautiful granddaughter. We wouldn’t be the family that we are. The submarine that your shipbuilders build carries family in and out for decades. I can’t overestimate that—for decades, in and out, moves into an area, moves out of an area. But when they go down deep, that’s a lost horizon to most of us. I think we know more about people who go out in space than we do about those who serve underneath on submarines. I just can’t thank them enough for the little things they do to make sure that my husband and my family are safe. And then I can expand it to the rest of the submarine force and their families. I just can’t say how grateful I am to have an opportunity to share that.
I think there’s an enormous amount of pride and patriotism in the work that we do here at Electric Boat. You feel it before you even see it when you come to work here. We’ve got a purpose statement that we live by and that really resonates with me: we deliver the advantage that protects our Sailors, our Families, and our Freedom. You and I feel the same way about the work we do and the importance to our country, to our sailors, of course, and to all of the families who wait for either their sailors or for their shipbuilder to come home from work every day.
Changing subjects to something that is a little sad—as we head into the ceremony this weekend, we were saddened to learn that Mrs. Rickover passed away just a few weeks ago, on July 5th. A tremendous loss just before our ceremony; she was the sponsor for the first submarine named for her husband and said that she thought of the sailors on the 709 as her children. Would you give us any recollections of Mrs. Rickover you wouldn’t mind sharing?
DG: First and foremost, I have big shoes to fill, even though she was a very petite person! Her reputation as a sponsor is unparalleled, unmatched, at least that I know of. I did not know Eleonore personally until later on. The story that I’d like to share is classic Eleonore, Mrs. Rickover. When the Secretary asked me to be the sponsor, I turned to Jon and said, “I can’t say yes unless it’s OK with Mrs. Rickover. She’s legacy to me and somebody that I admire. So Jon went to visit her and ask permission, and of course she gave her blessing because that’s what she would do for the families and for the ship. She would do what she felt was best for her submarine, and she’s now given me the opportunity to help her families. When you say things like she felt that they were her children, yes, they were her children for sure. She treated them with love and respect and tried to do as much as she could for them. They say the sponsor is the heart of the submarine; she was the heart of her submarine.
And now you get to be the heart of the 795 Rickover. On Friday, you and your family will tour the boat, and we can’t wait to have you here in the yard. You also have a chance to connect with the crew. Tell us what that means to you and your family.
DG: It is family—I feel like it already. I know their limitations, I know their schedule. The crews have so much to do. You see your spouse, or your father or your mother a little bit less often. My heart is out to those that have their longer hours, their dedication. Those of us that served on submarines and their families have gone through this. They’re in my prayers; I want them to be strong and safe.
Thank you so much for joining us today. We look forward to seeing you on Friday and of course getting the ship christened on Saturday. I will say that the crew of the Rickover is fortunate to have you as their sponsor. For all of us here at Electric Boat, we’re honored to have you as the sponsor of this important submarine. Thank you for joining us Darleen.
DS: Thank you for this opportunity. To all the shipbuilders, please thank each other and your families for your contribution because it makes a difference. It was great to talk to you.
It was great to talk with you as well. That’s all for now everybody; we’ll talk again soon.
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