Wayne T. Price | Florida Today

Some people – probably most of us – might be offended if someone referred to us as “bubbleheads.” Not Rob Mulligan of Rockledge, a Harris Corp. engineer and Navy submarine veteran.

Mulligan, 48, served on a nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Louisville (SSN-724) for more than four years as an Electronics Technician specializing in radar classification. For him, and other submarine crew members, ‘bubblehead’ was not a pejorative, rather they saw it as a moniker that represented the uniqueness of the job.

"That was a nickname we weren’t insulted by," said Mulligan, "Being a bubblehead was part of who we are. It’s something we took pride in."

The Louisville, with a crew of about 130, is a Los Angeles-class fast-attack sub that made history. On Jan. 19, 1991, as part of Operation Desert Storm, Mulligan and his crew launched Tomahawk missiles at targets in Iraq. It was the first time a submarine in combat launched Tomahawks, and the crew was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation. The Louisville now is based at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

As Saturday’s commissioning of the USS Indiana nuclear-powered submarine at Port Canaveral nears, FLORIDA TODAY chatted with Mulligan and asked about his experience as a submariner and living and working on a vessel that was about as long as a football field and only 33-feet wide.

U.S Navy

First off, why the Navy?

I went into the Navy because of the technical opportunities. The Navy has some of the most sophisticated electronic systems out there.

Why did you select the Navy’s submarine program?

I went into submarines because it was unique. Being from Idaho I’d never been on a submarine and so when I had a chance I thought that would be pretty cool and an opportunity that most people don’t get. People get to fly. They get to go on ships. But they don’t get to go on a submarine.

Did you have to qualify?

You have to have a certain score on what’s called the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) to serve on a submarine – a test they give you during recruiting. Basically, they’ll assign anyone to a regular ship but you have to have a certain aptitude to serve on a submarine. And submarine service is voluntary. The Navy would never tell someone "you have to serve on a submarine."

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David R. Krigbaum,

Do a lot of people volunteer?

Oh no. It’s a specialized part of the Navy. Most people don’t like the idea of not seeing the sun and being under hundreds of feet of water. It’s a certain lifestyle that some people aren’t equipped for. And the second you say you can’t take it, the next place a submarine pulls in you're taken off. You’ll never be on a submarine again.

{{props.notification}} {{props.tag}} {{props.expression}} {{props.linkSubscribe.text}} {{#modules.acquisition.inline}}{{/modules.acquisition.inline}} ... Our reporting. Your stories. Get unlimited digital access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now

From the time you signed up for the Navy, how long was it before you began serving on a submarine?

About 15-16 months, because of the technical schools that had to be attended prior to assignment.

What happens when you first join a submarine crew?

You have to get qualified on submarines and that usually takes about a year. Until you do, you’re called a "non-qual." You’re not treated as an equal as a "non-qual" and back in the day there was hazing where you weren’t respected until you were qualified. They might disrespect you.

When you first join a submarine you’re support crew. You can be assigned to support the cooks for two months of "cranking." You basically have to wash dishes, clean up, get drinks for people, handle all the trash and things like that.

I got qualified in about five months, mainly because I didn’t like being treated as a "non-qual."

What was your first under water experience like?

It wasn’t too big of a thing. The tough part was the first time I slept on board. The bunk is about the size of a coffin – it’s closed on all sides except for one, which has a curtain. I had a dream that first night I was in coffin and was hitting walls everywhere I turned and started hyperventilating. The first couple nights I had to sleep with my hand outside of the bunk but after that I acclimated and never had a problem again.

I still sleep in a very confined space and don’t spread out on the bed.

Do people tend to get sea sick like they might on ship or a boat?

When you’re under water there is absolutely no motion. I’ve been under typhoons and you don’t feel a thing. You only have motion on the surface. Now when a submarine is on the surface – like coming into port or going out of port – it rolls around more than a regular ship because it has a round hull. I have become sea sick on the surface before.

What was the duty schedule like on your submarine?

Most people, they’re on for six hours and off for 12 hours. I had a specialized job, which was to classify radars, and was the only one on board doing it. By being able to tell what type of radar was out there I could tell what ships were out there – whether they’re military ships, commercial ships or fishing boats. But you can only do that job when you’re at periscope depth or on the surface.

I was always on call. I would have to stop whatever I was doing and go do my job within a matter of seconds to prepare for periscope depth operations.

What was the longest you were under water in one stretch?

Fifty-nine days. It’s a different world under water.

Did it bother you psychologically?

It bothered some people but it didn’t really bother me. It was like Groundhog's Day. To me you just get into a routine of doing the same thing over and over. But some people did get on edge, had a short fuse and were less tolerant of each other.

If you wanted to blow off some steam and work out to stay in shape, there obviously is no gym. What could you do?

Some submarines might have an elliptical machine or a stationary bike along the walkway in the engine room. We had some free weights down in the vertical launch area just to do curls and exercises like that. You might find a pipe running somewhere to do pull ups.

What did you do for recreation while on a submarine?

Now you have iPads and things like that where the crews are more spoiled. Back then we didn’t even have DVD players. We had a Betamax VCR in the crews’ mess and about 400 movies we watched during our down time.

We’d also play card games like spades, hearts, and poker. Sometimes people would find a corner to sit in and read a book, but it was hard to find a spot to yourself.

What was it like going topside after being under water for almost two months.

It was always great to get out of the confines of a submarine. People wanted to be line handlers to ensure that they’re the first ones topside.

Provided

What about meals? Good food?

Submarines have some of the best food in the Navy. The best food we ever had is when we left Rockingham, Australia right after Desert Storm. They gave us lobster and steak for the trip back. Every once in a while they’d make something I didn’t like, so I’d just eat peanut butter and honey.

What Hollywood movie involving submarines is most realistic?

Good question. I actually saw "The Hunt for Red October" before I got on my submarine. In "The Hunt for Red October’" a submarine was chasing another through an underwater canyon. A submarine doesn’t do that. The land under water is consistently changing, particularly in the Pacific Ocean. It may be one way one day and three months later it could have a volcano that has created a speed bump in the depths of the ocean.

"UB 571" is pretty good.

What do you miss most about submarine life?

I miss the camaraderie. I miss being there with your crew and your friends and knowing that you’re in it together, you’re there for each other and you know who has your back. And I miss the special operations, doing things most people don’t get a chance to do.