Christopher Joseph Lutz

Era: Cold War

Military Branch: Navy

I joined the Navy in 1968 and was trained to be a hospital corpman. In December of 1969, I was transferred to Submarine Support Atlantic Fleet and the nuclear submarine tender USS Simon Lake stationed at Holy Loch Scotland.

I was assigned to Commmander Submarine Squadron 14, Commander Submarine Flotilla Six and was assigned to the medical dept aboard the tender. Holy Loch was the most forward site the U.S. maintained during the Cold War and provided logistical support the the Polaris submarines on patrol in the North Atlantic, and needless to say, it was a top secret site.

We worked 7 days a week and 24 hrs a day providing support to the boats and crews. The only thing at Holy Loch more awesome than the elements was the nuclear firepower gathered there. On a typical day on-site, we were working among enough nuclear warheads that if detonated at one time would have been equal to approximately 5,000 Hiroshimas!!! I spent 23 years on active duty and retired as a Chief Petty Officer in 1992. I still consider my assignment at Holy Loch as my most important one.