41JFK Submarine Access Elevator

Personnel Officer YN2(SS) Derek A. Bell of the Historic Ship Nautilus helped me out with the description of this exhibit. This is an elevator constructed in 1962 to allow President John F. Kennedy access to the interior of submarine USS Thomas Edison (SSBN 610). JFK had a back injury that prevented him from using vertical ladders. This tubular elevator enabled him to be lowered into the sub through one of the deck hatches while remaining standing.