Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Arthur L. Rehme Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: Defense Atomic Support Agency; USS Thresher (SSN 593); Submarine Squadron Seven (COMSUBRON Seven); Surgical Team Bravo, Amphibious Squadron One; Submarine Squadron Fifteen
- Location of Service: New London, Connecticut; Norfolk, Virginia; Portland, Oregon; Richland, Washington; Camp Mercury, Nevada; Sandia Base, New Mexico; Los Alamos, New Mexico; Arco, Idaho; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Chelsea, Massachusetts; Greenville, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Vietnam
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/37677
In medical school in 1954, Arthur Rehme expected to be drafted, so he chose to enlist instead, in the Naval Reserves. He volunteered for submarine duty, not realizing that to qualify, he would have to learn everything about the boat's operations. Personally interviewed by Admiral Hyman Rickover, he joined the nuclear program. Rehme helped commission a state-of-the art submarine called the Thresher, but according to Rickover's policy, he could spend only six months aboard any boat. That saved his life when, in 1963, the Thresher went down with all hands, half of them sailors Rehme knew. Rehme had a varied career, including a stint aboard a ship off the coast of Vietnam and treating returning POWs from that war, including John McCain.
Interview / Recording
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PlayJoining Navy Reserves and volunteering for submarine medicine program; had to learn everything about submarine to qualify for service; applied to nuclear program; interviewed by Admiral Hyman Rickover; assigned to new submarine, Thresher; helped captain commission the boat; Rickover felt doctors should come off a sub after six months, so Rehme was transferred to Pearl Harbor; when Thresher went down in 1963, he knew fifty percent of the men aboard; that changed his mind about leaving the Navy; the XO on Rehme's next boat, the Sea Dragon, had been transferred to command of the Thresher. 00:01:07.0 - 00:04:42.9
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PlayWas in Hawaii until 1964; treated a lot of inexperienced civilian divers; spent three years in Chelsea Naval Hospital treating Vietnam casualties; to Vietnam for ten months on a ship off the coast; treated casualties right from the battlefield as a kind of MASH unit; to Jacksonville, where he became chief of orthopedics at naval hospital; treating returned POWs, including John McCain; retired from Navy Oct. 1, 1978. 00:04:47.3 - 00:08:28.0
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PlayIn submarine school did not realize he had to learn everything about the boat; close quarters; learning deep-sea diving in Washington, DC, in the muddy Anacostia River; got into best physical condition of his life. 00:10:32.7 - 00:15:51.0
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PlayHow he came to go to submarine school; applied without telling his wife, who was not happy that he hadn't discussed it with her. 00:18:19.2 - 00:19:47.9
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PlayTraining in Idaho at Nuclear Reactor Testing Station; didn't care about learning how a reactor works; wanted to go to Pearl Harbor to get on the new Scamp, but there were delays and he finally accepted position on Thresher in New London, CT; first day on boat, marveling at its specs; told his wife he was happy to be on such a boat; first sea trial with Admiral Rickover and other bigwigs; test dive deeper than anyone had been; gauges indicated hull was cracking but they proved to be giving false readings; went out again without the VIPs for a real deep dive; huge cheer when they reached record depth; final sea trial with Rickover, who asked Rehme for some medicine for his cold; later thanked Rehme, a rare occurrence with Rickover. 00:20:04.2 - 00:27:35.3
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PlayHow the Thresher disaster happened; weld on hull broke loose, shorted out the electrical panel and the reactor; should be able to blow ballast tanks but that was not possible on Thresher; after tragedy, design changes, including more ballast; talks about personal loss for him from the tragedy. 00:29:27.5 - 00:31:29.3
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PlayOnly limitation on how long a nuclear submarine can stay underwater is the food supply; 2-3 months was the limit; Rehme helped screen men for psychological problems; submarine is like a family; people get along better on submarines, more closeness between officers and enlisted men; on Thresher, both sides came to him to be able to talk about their problems. 00:31:50.7 - 00:35:24.0
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PlayNo regrets about going into the military; had he died on the Thresher, he would have died enjoying what he was doing. 00:48:47.8 - 00:49:28.2
More Resources
About this Item
Title
- Arthur L. Rehme Collection
Names
- Kent, Judith J.
- William S. Kent
- Flagler County Public Library
- Rehme, Arthur L.
Home State
- Florida
Headings
- - Rehme, Arthur L.
- - Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Navy.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- White
Status
- veteran
Service History
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: Defense Atomic Support Agency; USS Thresher (SSN 593); Submarine Squadron Seven (COMSUBRON Seven); Surgical Team Bravo, Amphibious Squadron One; Submarine Squadron Fifteen
- Location of Service: New London, Connecticut; Norfolk, Virginia; Portland, Oregon; Richland, Washington; Camp Mercury, Nevada; Sandia Base, New Mexico; Los Alamos, New Mexico; Arco, Idaho; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Chelsea, Massachusetts; Greenville, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Vietnam
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Dates of Service: 1957-1978
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2005-12-01; 2009-11-05)
- Video: MiniDV [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-12-01)
- Manuscript: Printed matter [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
- Photograph: Mixed (Multiple types of photographs) [6 items] -- Photograph (collected 1957-1978)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/37677
Cite as
- Arthur L. Rehme Collection (AFC/2001/001/37677), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Arco, Idaho
- Camp Mercury, Nevada
- Chelsea, Massachusetts
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Los Alamos, New Mexico
- New London, Connecticut
- Norfolk, Virginia
- Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
- Portland, Oregon
- Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- Richland, Washington
- Sandia Base, New Mexico
- Vietnam
Service Unit
- Amphibious Squadron One
- Defense Atomic Support Agency
- Submarine Squadron Fifteen
- Submarine Squadron Seven (Comsubron Seven)
- Surgical Team Bravo
- USS Thresher (Ssn 593)