I also enjoyed the sparring, realizing very quickly that I have neither the technical background or experience to get involved. Acoustics, theory, "what ifs" and actual submarine service seem to be the qualifiers. I like listening to experts, and especially when they differ in opinion. I've learned a lot just by reading the posts, and have a great appreciation for both viewpoints. I hope both engage in future "lively" discussions.
I too have learned a lot from the give and take discussion of Bruce and Rubber Ducky. I only served in the system from 1969 to 1982 mostly in maintenance. Not a lot presented on the level of the discussion.
Please write it up and give us some knowledge of the depth of the system. nice article for the Annual News Letter.
Marshall
My greatest regret is that we didn't have ready access to Mr. Rule. Here is a man who knew what was what, but studied it enough to explain it. Mr.Rule, we have never met to my knowledge, but that is my loss.
You have my deepest sympathies for having to be exposed to Nick McConnell for as long as you did. Just kidding Nic.
Thanks to all who have dedicated their lives and professional lives for the betterment of the all.
Re: To Bruce Rule and Rubberducky (Response to Sandy)
Sandy:
Thank you for the favorable comment.
I remember Nick well; worked with him when I returned to ONI as a consultant and have noted his postings on this site.
On one occasion, we had collaborated on an analysis the results of which were of interest to the Model Basin. Nick was to give the brief, for which I was grateful (more on that later). We went there with the head civilian in the department who, as Nick was briefing, took issue with him: basically criticizing him in front of the Model Basin personnel, a very unprofessional action and completely uncalled for since Nick was handling a complex subject matter with technical aplomb. As I remember, I told the head civilian something to the effect that “That's enough.”
Later, working with others who also found this individual a problem, we convinced the command they should advertise his position. They did and, of course, selected someone else. The incumbent was transferred elsewhere within the command, an indirect way of removing someone who was just not suitable for the position he held.
As many briefs as I gave during more than 40 years, I was never comfortable but once I got rolling, I could brief anyone from the White House (ALFA) to ADM Rickover.
One technique I used was to take along some item (artifact) that would be of intense interest to the audience, occupying them until I got “rolling.” Nothing I ever used worked better than a piece of the GOLF (K-129) pressure-hull, about a foot square with a thickness of 0.88 inches, it must have weighed 40 pounds. I was quite surprised I was allowed to do that. It allowed those in the audience a “hands-on” experience. It was placed on the stage and was such a diversion that it often was difficult to get the audience back in their seats.
One of the few briefs I actually enjoyed giving was for many years an annual trip to Whippany, NJ, where a presentation on the latest intell was given to the engineers at Bell Labs, Joe Kelly's “brain trust” and with whom George Miller and I enjoyed a wonderful synergistic relationship. We - George most of the time - developed information the Lab engineers turned into system hardware, most notably the SV system. One of those engineers was Dan McMillin with whom I still exchange emails and who has posted an article on this site: “A Story of Two Flags A Lesson Learned.” (Bell Labs got - and deserved - all the latest, a lot of it even before it was published.)
