John Francis Ropek this nuclear submarine, Ropek was involved in pioneering oceanographic studies under the polar ice cap of the North Pole, resulting in the report "Characteristics of Polar Ice Observed During the 1957 Arctic Cruise of the USS Nautilus" (Defense Technical Information Center 1958). As a scientist he published many technical papers, such as "US Navy Hydrographic Office synoptic and prognostic wave charts" (US Navy Hydrographic Office 1955), and "An Application of Naval Oceanographic Development to Inland Waters" (Defense Technical Information Center 1967). Later, Ropek was deputy director of the prediction division of the Naval Oceanographic Office. Late in life he lived
Skate-class submarine Skate-class submarine The "Skate"-class submarines were the United States Navy's first production run of nuclear-powered submarines. They were an evolution of the in everything except their propulsion plants, which were based on the operational prototype . The four "Skate" class boats re-introduced stern torpedo tubes. Although among the smallest nuclear-powered attack submarines ever built, the "Skate" class served for many years, with the last being decommissioned in 1989. USS "Skate" was the first submarine to surface at the North Pole, on 17 March 1959. "Skate" and "Sargo" were built with the S3W reactor, "Swordfish" and "Seadragon" also had the S3W