Rickover brings Carter into naval nuclear power

Barracuda gave Carter a chance to demonstrate more than routine seamanship. He produced detailed reports, supplied useful technical data, followed requests precisely, and adapted to unfamiliar equipment. Those habits brought him to Hyman Rickover's attention as the captain organized the American nuclear submarine program. Carter joined the effort in 1952 and served with the Naval Reactors branch of the Atomic Energy Commission in Washington. He later ranked Rickover behind only his parents as a personal influence, showing how strongly the program's standards shaped him.