Interviewed by:

Jane Marks and Katie Ferris

"...everybody owes something to the country but that doesn't mean the country owes you ... "

~ Richard Tyldesley (9:08)

Richard Tyldesley's Story:

Growing up in Boston, Richard Tyldesley always wanted adventure. After going to Wentworth Institute for two years, Mr. Tyldesley decided to join the Navy in 1963, both for his country, and the excitment that went along with that. Going into the submarine service, Mr. Tyldesley had to undergo intense training, which included going into pressure chambers, and doing escape drills out of the submarine. He then continued onto the Theodore Roosevelt, a ballistic missile submarine. Not yet qualified to navigate the submarine, Mr. Tyldesley was part of the seamen gang, steering and driving the sub. Following this, he continued into nuclear submarine navigation school for about four months where Mr. Tyldesley was taught about "top secret" navigation equipment.

After passing all the tests, Mr. Tyldesley joined the crew of the George Washington Carver where he made seven patrols, having a home base in New London, Connecticut. He went back and forth between New London, where he would stay for three months, and the open ocean. Mr. Tyldesley would also be placed in Holy Loch, Scotland, where another sumarine base was located and where he was able to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

But life on a submarine certainly had its stressful moments. Going through drills was definitly some of the scariest times as the crew never knew if it was just a drill, or something more. For the first 4 or 5 minutes, everyone would go to their battle stations and wonder whether a nuclear war had been started. If it had been, it meant the obliteration of not only the submarine itself, but the world as they knew it. Finally, the captain would announce to everyone that it was indeed, just a drill.

Being part of navigation meant that Mr. Tyldesley was always busy, six hours on watch and then off for twelve hours. But he was able to have some communication with his wife in the way of "family grams". These "family grams" would only come once a month, and had to be ten words or less, which meant it was difficult to really say anything.

At the end of Mr. Tyldesley's seven year career in the Navy, he was married and had one son and began work as a fields engineer in the subburbs of Boston. Mr. Tyldesley and his family then found an apartment there in Bedford and he moved to the next step of his life. Today, Mr. Tyldesley has retired and still keeps in touch with men he had been on patrol with through Facebook. Throughout his Navy career, Mr. Tyldesley has always believed, and still believes today, that people have an obligation to their country. Mr. Tyldesley has shown time and time again, his honor, integrity and bravery both on and off the submarine.