The submarine names are read here as an attempt to make the Polaris program harder for political leaders to cancel. Associating the boats with founders, presidents, and other figures from American history gave them political symbolism. The first five were George Washington, Patrick Henry, Theodore Roosevelt, Robert E. Lee, and Abraham Lincoln. Burke also persuaded Rickover to abandon Scorpion as the first boat's name. The later Ethan Allen and Lafayette classes continued the use of historically prominent names, including Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Daniel Webster.
Notable Point · 52:51-54:30
Polaris submarine names and cancellation politics
The naming discussion interprets figures such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as political protection for the Polaris program.