Dave Harrahy was in a bind. Accepted to MIT, he had no way to pay for it. That’s when he learned about military scholarships. In exchange for four years of service after graduation, the government gave him an ROTC scholarship. Four years later, in 1982, he had his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering, paid in full by the Navy. He also had a four year commitment to honor.

During the summer after his sophomore year, the Navy had Dave experience its various operations, including surface ships and submarines. Surface ships did not have the technology the submarines did: “I had my engineering degree and I was looking for advanced technology. When I got out, I could work at a nuclear power plant and make good money.”

Also, “On a surface ship engineers can spend their entire careers in the engine room. They never get to drive the boat.” Dave became a submariner, stationed in Pearl Harbor, and he got to drive the boat, the USS San Francisco. It takes two to drive it, and of the 120 people on board, only 14 or 15 of them are officers. The executive officer and the commanding officer are not going to drive, and of those remaining, not all are qualified. So, “I drove it a lot - at least six out of every 24 hours.”

Driving the boat was like we see on TV. Dave, a lieutenant and the officer of the deck would command “Helm all ahead Full,” bells would chime, the helmsman would respond “All ahead Full, aye Sir” and turn a manual knob with markings for each speed: Stop, 1/3, 2/3, Standard, Full, and Flank.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing. When a submarine prepares to pull into port it surfaces, the officer on deck (in this case Dave) and a lookout go up top and drive the boat from outside. Dave looked to the bow and, as usual, dolphins were jumping in the boat’s bow wake. As he looked at the dolphins he saw air bubbles escaping from one of the ballast tanks. If air can leak out, water can leak in. He had to get that tank to close and seal properly and quickly. He said, “We had to be on time because we were picking up an admiral in Pearl Harbor. This is where trust in your boatmates comes in.”

Dave and the lookout strapped themselves to the conning tower, and their boatmates below began opening and closing the tank to try to get it to seal. If things went south, water would rush into the tank, unless their crew mates below could get it closed fast, as best they could. If not, the boat would go under, taking Dave and the lookout with it. Like two Captain Ahabs, bound to their nuclear whale.

It took three or four tries, but it worked. The admiral never knew.

How is life on a submarine? “The food was pretty good, better than on the surface boats. We had 24 hour access to an ice cream machine.”

The crew worked six out of every 18 hours, with training and drills packed into the twelve. “We were always incredibly busy.” Sleep was in bunks, three levels mounted on a wall about 6 feet 6 inches high. They distilled their own water and were limited to three minute showers. “One time the distiller broke and we had to go a week without showers. That was rough.”

The key to running a submarine is to remain undetected. Once the boat leaves port it submerges, remaining under water until it reaches its destination. Some submarines can run for more than thirty years before needing to refuel, but the limiting factor is humans – carrying enough food to keep them fed.

Dave once spent 59 days submerged. “Once you open the hatches and bring fresh air in, everyone gets a cold. There are different germs in the fresh air. Also, you stink for a few days, even after showering. It’s a smell related to a chemical used to scrub the carbon dioxide out of the air. You don’t notice it when you’re on the boat because your nose becomes numb to it.”

After completing his four years, Dave served another three as a Foreign Submarine Liaison Officer. He met foreign submarines as they came into port. “I’ve ridden three different Japanese submarines, and one from Australia.”

Dave feels strongly about nuclear energy. “If you’re serious about combating climate change, take a serious look at nuclear power. It’s the best source of carbon-free, 24 hour electricity.” As to those opposed to nuclear power, “the sad part is that they never compare nuclear power to other things. How many workers die in coal mines every year? How many die installing wind turbines? I’ve learned that the best engineering solution often gets overridden by economics. Then the economics get overridden by politics.”

Dave moved to Nederland in 1994, so his dogs could have more open space. They are great dogs. And, as many of you know, Dave is a great neighbor.

[BELLA LORENA: Ti amo più che mai. Ti amerò per sempre.]