Super Nuke!: A Memoir About Life as a Nuclear Submariner and the Contributions of a

Super Nuke!: A Memoir About Life as a Nuclear Submariner and the Contributions of a

ABOUT Charles Jett

Charles Jett
Mr. Jett is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the Harvard Business School.  He is the author of four books:  Super Nuke!, WANTED: Eight Critical Skills You Need To Succeed, The Doom Loop, and Field Studies.

Description

"Super Nuke" is a MEMOIR - describing in detail what once was a carefully guarded secret -- one of the most highly sophisticated, powerful and effective war machines ever designed by man--the first operational nuclear fast attack submarine specifically designed to "go up close and personal" against the Soviet Union in the Cold War -- the "Super Nuke."
The book takes you on entertaining journey about what it takes to become a nuclear qualified submarine officer, the meticulous detail in building the Super Nuke, the first three super-secret "special operations," and the successful efforts to communicate and share the lessons learned by this "Super Nuke" with the entire US Naval submarine force toward the collective effort of winning the Cold War.
This is a first hand and eyewitness account of the highly classified and spooky world of the nuclear fast attack submarine--largely invisible to the general public throughout the Cold War. It should serve to motivate young people to consider the nuclear navy as a career, to share some of the lighter and darker moments in the history of nuclear submarines, and to properly credit the significant contributions of an amazing commanding officer as well as the highly competent officers and crew who quietly and effectively served their country with honor and dignity.
Super Nuke is not a "tell all." In fact, it has been cleared for publication by the United States Navy to share a story about service and contributions of a combination of money well spent and individual competence of the highest caliber.
Put simply and not so modestly, the US Naval nuclear submarine force--both ballistic missile and fast attack submarines--quietly won the Cold War.

Synopsis "Super Nuke" is a MEMOIR - describing in detail what once was a carefully guarded secret -- one of the most highly sophisticated, powerful and effective war machines ever designed by man--the first operational nuclear fast attack submarine specifically designed to "go up close and personal" against the Soviet Union in the Cold War -- the "Super Nuke." The book takes you on entertaining journey about what it takes to become a nuclear qualified submarine officer, the meticulous detail in building the Super Nuke, the first three super-secret "special operations," and the successful efforts to communicate and share the lessons learned by this "Super Nuke" with the entire US Naval submarine force toward the collective effort of winning the Cold War. This is a first hand and eyewitness account of the highly classified and spooky world of the nuclear fast attack submarine--largely invisible to the general public throughout the Cold War. It should serve to motivate young people to consider the nuclear navy as a career, to share some of the lighter and darker moments in the history of nuclear submarines, and to properly credit the significant contributions of an amazing commanding officer as well as the highly competent officers and crew who quietly and effectively served their country with honor and dignity. Super Nuke is not a "tell all." In fact, it has been cleared for publication by the United States Navy to share a story about service and contributions of a combination of money well spent and individual competence of the highest caliber. Put simply and not so modestly, the US Naval nuclear submarine force--both ballistic missile and fast attack submarines--quietly won the Cold War.

Super Nuke Endorsements


"Charles Jett has written an entertaining and factual memoir of an important time and series of events in the history of the cold war. He has succeeded in telling the unclassified story of the journey taken by an extraordinary group of men who built the first operational "Super Nuke" and effectively shared what they developed with others in the entire US nuclear submarine force. He consolidated developments made on the Ray to create the highly useful Geographic Plot (Geo Plot) as well as the tactical doctrine for the SSN based electronic intelligence collection system, AN/WLR-6. Well done, Charlie. I am proud to have had you as a shipmate."
Albert L. Kelln
Rear Admiral, United States Navy (Ret.)
Former Commanding Officer and Plank Owner
USS RAY (SSN 653) - The original "Super Nuke"


“Charlie Jett succeeds in providing an unclassified account of what it was like to be a nuclear qualified submariner who had the unique experience of building and serving aboard the first operational "Super Nuke" - the most modern fast attack nuclear submarine designed specifically to face the Soviet Navy during the Cold War. He describes the contributions of the commissioning crew in developing sonar techniques and operational tactics and how these lessons were ultimately and effectively communicated to later "Super Nukes." Charlie provided the initial idea and was instrumental in establishing and implementing a new concept of training which significantly improved the operational readiness of the nuclear attack submarine force. He created the "Geographic Plot" to improve operational safety and wrote the tactical doctrine for a new and sophisticated nuclear attack submarine electronic intelligence gathering system. "Super Nuke" is a good read for those who have an interest in life as a submarine officer and how these marvelous machines and their crews contributed to winning the Cold War.”
The Honorable John H. Dalton, USNA ‘64
Former Nuclear Submariner and
70th Secretary of the Navy

"This is a most interesting work on the U.S. Navy’s program to combat the Soviet submarine threat during the long Cold War. Charlie was in at the beginning and accurately describes the significant efforts, both in individual sacrifice and technical development that led to U.S. undersea superiority. As a junior officer his individual accomplishments were most significant. The submarine efforts were probably the most important U.S. competitive strategy that drove the Soviets to the poor house and led to the demise of the Soviet Union."
Bruce DeMars
Admiral, United States Navy (Ret.)
Former Commanding Officer, USS CAVALLA (SSN 684) - a subsequent "Super Nuke"
Former Director of Naval Reactors


Charlie's description of our first encounter on the Pargo is accurate and his proposal for SSN pre-deployment training was a challenge which we readily accepted prior to our initial deployment. The concept was solid, the training excellent and timely, and the result over the years was to vastly improve the mission readiness for "Super Nukes" that followed. This book provides an entertaining, unclassified and accurate description of how those early lessons learned were effectively communicated and contributed to subsequent SSN missions. Well Done!
Steven A. White
Admiral, United States Navy (Ret.)
Former Commander USS PARGO (SSN 650) - A subsequent "Super Nuke"
Former Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic
Former Chief of Naval Material


"Charles Jett has written a factual and unclassified account of what is required of a young officer to become a qualified nuclear submariner and the hard work necessary to be on the commissioning crew of the first "Super Nuke" 637 class submarine. I was proud to be one of his shipmates. Well Done, Charlie!"
JD Williams
Vice Admiral, United States Navy (Ret.)
Former Commanding Officer, USS FLYING FISH (SSN 673)-A subsequent "Super Nuke"
Former Commander US Sixth Fleet


"Charlie Jett has done an amazing job of describing the huge roll that our Submarine Force played in winning the Cold War, and he did it without compromising security. I was particularly impressed by the way Charlie captured the aura, attitude and stress of the crew under extremely trying situations whenever in close proximity of Soviet naval units. When those units were submerged submarines, the stress level goes up exponentially due to the possibility of a collision. This 'Super Nuke' contributed significantly to the security of the country. Well done, Ensign Jett!"
Donald C. Tarquin
Captain, United States Navy (Ret.)
Former Prospective Commanding Officer Instructor – Pacific
Former Commanding Officer USS DRUM (SSN 677 ) – A subsequent “Super Nuke”


"The officers and crew of the USS RAY were simply the best in the spooky business of fighting the Cold War. Charlie Jett tells his personal story about getting into the Navy, being recruited for the nuclear powered submarine program, and being assigned to the newest and most powerful operating submarine in the world. He presents an accurate and unclassified account of the collective efforts of a fabulous crew to build this marvelous machine and succeed in its missions. He describes the untold story about how the early pioneering developments in sonar and tactics accomplished by this "Super Nuke" were communicated to all subsequent fast attack nuclear submarines and contributed significantly toward winning the Cold War. It was a pleasure to serve with him. Thank you, Charlie, for telling our story. Super-Nuke!!"
Owen “Coyote" Carlson
STCM(SS), United States Navy (Ret.)
Plank Owner - USS RAY (SSN 653) - The original "Super Nuke"