In the advent of the nuclear era, the US military harnessed the atom’s unfathomable power to propel its leading-edge fleet of submarines. But among the first batch of nuclear models, one stood out: USS Triton.The only one in her class, Triton was the epitome of naval power. As such, she would be tasked with a mission no other vessel could achieve – one the legendary sailor Ferdinand Magellan could have never even dreamed of.Captain Edward L. Beach was at the helm when the submarine was commissioned. As he put it: (QUOTE) “As I was reporting to the Triton, I remember saying, ‘This ship is an unusual one. We’ve got to do something special with it. What could it be?’ […] Suddenly … a phone call came, asking me if I could be in Washington tomorrow.”