Operation Blue Nose

Naval mission to explore under the Polar ice cap in the Chukchi Sea in the Arctic using submarines.

USS BOARFISH was the flag ship and was specially equipped and trained in the U.S. Navy's effort to explore and develop submarine under-ice operational capability in the harsh arctic environment.

On August 1, 1947, USS BOARFISH conducted the first under-ice transit of an ice floe in the Chukchi Sea, which was relatively unexplored at the time, while the other ships mapped its perimeter.

At 2:39 PM at 72° 05' N 168° 42' W BOARFISH commenced a stationary dive and underwater transit of the ice floe.

Due to the high risk of placing the submarine in danger for science, RADM McCann was on board to take responsibility if something went wrong.