GROTON, Conn. — Jimmy Carter’s connection to Connecticut goes back to the days shortly after World War II. In the 1980s he played a part in the history of FOX61, and two decades later, helped to save the New London Sub Base.
The 39th president had originally intended to have a career in the United States Navy. He graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1946 and after serving as a training officer for two years he decided to attend Submarine School in Groton.
According to Today in Connecticut History, Carter graduated from the sub training program in December of 1948. He served for several years on submarines fueled by diesel fuel as they roamed the Pacific Ocean.
After his time on the high seas, Carter applied and was accepted to be part of the nuclear submarine program. He was returned to Groton.
Carter was promoted to lieutenant and worked on becoming the engineering officer for the USS Seawolf, which was under construction just downriver at Electric Boat. He would have continued in the Navy, but his father died, and Carter decided to return to Georgia and take over the family business.
Many years later, in the last year of his presidency, Carter visited the state on a whirlwind tour. Air Force One touched down at Bradley International Airport mid-morning on Oct. 16, 1980. After greeting people at the airport, the president rode with Gov. Ella Grasso, U.S. Senators Abraham Ribicoff, Chris Dodd, and U.S. Representative William Cotter in a motorcade to the old Newington Children’s Hospital. He met patients, workers, state officials and local leaders.
The campaign against GOP candidate Ronald Reagan was in its final days. Carter spoke with members of the Hartford Courant editorial board, which would eventually endorse Reagan. He was interviewed by Pat Sheehan, who later would be the anchor on the FOX61 News at 10. He also spoke with Bill Hales, the editor of the Hartford Inquirer.
Carter moved on to the Old State House where he made a campaign speech to 150 people. After the speech, he returned to Bradley and flew to New York City. All told he was in the state for about four hours.
Four years later, Carter and his wife Rosalynn were among the guests of honor at the gala celebrating the night WTIC-TV signed on the air: Sept. 17, 1984. Carter joined Arnold Chase who spearheaded the building of the station along with Gov. Bill O’Neill, actor Eddie Albert (Albert starred in two shows the station aired in reruns, ‘Green Acres’ and ‘Switch’), and others as the station celebrated its first night on the air.
In 1985, Central Connecticut State University awarded him the university's first honorary degree and made him a Doctor of Humane Letters.
After he left office, Carter returned several times for events surrounding the construction and commissioning of the submarine named in his honor. The USS Jimmy Carter started construction in 1996 and was christened in 2004. He and his wife were on hand for the celebration. The USS Jimmy Carter was the last of the Seawolf class submarines, named after the nuclear sub he served on decades earlier.
The following year, Carter played what observers said was a crucial role in keeping the Sub Base in Groton open. In 2005, efforts were underway to scale back military bases across the country. The Base Realignment Commission, or BRAC, outlined military operations around the nation that were no longer needed. New London Submarine Base was identified as one of the bases slated for closure. Community and elected officials rallied in a well-organized, multi-faceted effort and used statistics to make their point to retain the base. They charted how the closure would impact the entire state of Connecticut through the loss of businesses and jobs.
In May 2005, the community and government officials got word that the facilities in Groton would be closed. The final hearing would be held in August.
Carter, who had made Groton his home in the 1940s and 50s, spoke up about the impact on the region, and the base’s proximity to submarine builder Electric Boat as important reasons to keep the base open.
Reflecting back on that time a decade later, the New London Day wrote Carter said a West Coast sub base, Kings Bay, could be expanded to accommodate ships and people, and jobs.
"However, I am concerned about the adverse economic impact on the New London area, the abandonment of a huge installation of facilities, and, less quantitatively, a loss of some of the proud submariners’ heritage of our historic association with service and training in New London," wrote Carter.
Former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd believes Carter’s letter on Aug.15, 2005, made all the difference.
The vote nine days later, was 7 to 1 with one abstention to keep the base open.
Doug Stewart is the Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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