Admiral Rickover commented on individual responsibility at the joint hearings on the Thresher disaster. His remarks follow:

– Brian Fitzgerald

Hearings Before the
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy
Congress of the United States
Eighty-Eighth Congress
on
The Loss of the U.S.S. “Thresher”
Tuesday, July 23, 1963
Washington, D.C.

CHET HOLIFIELD, California, Vice Chairman
HENRY M. JACKSON, Washington
WILLIAM H. BATES, Massachusetts
CLINTON P. ANDERSON, New Mexico
THOMAS G. MORRIS, New Mexico
Rickover, Vice Adm. Hyman G., Assistant Chief, Bureau of Ships (Nuclear Propulsion)

Admiral RICKOVER. Much of the effort of the court was directed to finding out who was responsible for the design of the Thresher- who made the fundamental technical decisions, who authorized deviations from plans, and who authorized deviations from the specifications. The inadequate ballast tank blowing system is a case in point: Who is responsible? With the present Navy system, this is an almost impossible question to answer. The nearest you can come is to say that “The Navy is responsible.” In other words all you can do is to point to a collectivity. In my own area, for example, when the adequacy of a scram procedure is questioned—”It is Rickover’s procedure.” And this is as it should be. In this connection, I believe you will be interested in the following testimony I gave this committee on June 15, 1961:

Senator JACKSON. * * * One of the problems concerning the committee is the pinpointing of responsibility in the event of nuclear accidents. We had the one at Arco, the SL-1. How can the Joint Committee ascertain what individual or individuals are responsible for a specific project?

Admiral RICKOVER. * * * Responsibility is a unique concept: it can only reside and inhere in a single individual. You may share it with others, but your portion is not diminished. You may delegate it, but it is still with you. You may disclaim it, but you cannot divest yourself of it. Even if you do not recognize it or admit its presence, you cannot escape it. If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance, or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else. Unless you can point your finger at the man who is responsible when something goes wrong, then you have never had anyone really responsible * * *.

Representative BATES. Did you say that “off the cuff”?

Admiral RICKOVER. Most of it, yes.

Representative BATES. That is pretty well said.

Senator ANDERSON. I think you did say it all “off the cuff.”

Admiral RICKOVER. I don’t remember whether I did or not. 1 think you were there, sir. I think that last sentence:

Unless you can point your finger at the man who is responsible when something goes wrong, then you have never had anyone really responsible—

expresses the real dilemma and it is not going to be changed by the military services. Of that, I can assure you. It will only be changed by Congress.

Congress, after all, does share this responsibility. You have a concurrent responsibility. Your responsibility doesn’t end once you have appropriated the money.

Representative MORRIS. I am glad you brought that out, Admiral.

Representative HOLIFIELD. I believe this is true.

Representative MORRIS. Not only with respect to the military but with the civilian agencies also. With civilian agencies, you may waste money, but with the military, you may waste the country’s life.