Talk:Hyman G. Rickover

Semi-protected edit request on 18 September 2022

Please change "Shortly after marrying, Rickover wrote to his parents of his decision to become an Episcopalian, remaining so for the remainder of his life.[21][22]" to add that while it was widely believed Adm Rickover may have converted, he ultimately did not. Adm Rickover never converted to Christianity, as verified in an interview with Chaplain Kahn, the chaplain who officiated Adm Rickover's funeral. From Admiral Hyman Rickover Engineer of Power by Marc Wortman (2022), "Whenever Rickover was asked about his his religion, he typically snapped 'It's none of your damn business!' Even his son, Robert, believed he had converted. But Eleonore [Rickover's wife] was emphatic with Kahn that her husband had never converted from Judaism." (pg. 260) Wortman's source was both Robert Rickover and Chaplain Kahn, both of whom he interviewed for the book. Diceman818 (talk) 20:09, 18 September 2022 (UTC)

 Not done such detailed statements about an article subject's religion is not particularly relevant in a military bio such as this, unless you can demonstrate otherwise. Furthermore, you haven't provided any reliable sources to support your request. - wolf 05:59, 19 September 2022 (UTC)

If it is not relevant, then please remove that he had converted to Episcopalianism. The source used is not credible. Also, I did provide a source, the recent Rickover biography by Wortman. He conducted interviews with Rickovers family for his book. Diceman818 (talk) 00:50, 25 September 2022 (UTC)

The source you provided seems conflicted, it could support either position. The current statement is supported by two sources, which one do you claim as "not credible", and on what basis? Again, I personally don't see the relevance of the admiral's religion, but any change would probably need consensus. - wolf 02:29, 25 September 2022 (UTC)

As someone who interviewed with Rickover, and went to sea with him once and spent time in maneuvering with him, I'm inclined to go with no-mention at all on the religion topic, as there is no solid reference for his religious choice, which I think we can all agree would have to come from the Admiral himself. That said, Rickover's religion has some historical meaning, context & consequence, as there are any number of examples of where his Judaism was the central issue, including his treatment at the Naval Academy. Not overriding that fact, the legend is *not* true that the Admiral had a perforated page for his photo in the yearbook of his senior year at the USNA -- that distinction befell another midshipman, also Jewish. There is some actual evidence -- requiring interpretation, as even physical evidence often does -- that Rickover did not convert to Christianity, including this most recent article, which refers to Admiral Rickover's personal library and associated papers, which are now residing at the Naval Academy's Nimitz Library: USNI Proceedings -- "Admiral Hyman Rickover: The Voracious Reader"

Specifically:

The other book gifted to him that deserves mention is Rabbi Philip Bernstein’s, What the Jews Believe. Rickover, born a Jew in Tsarist Russia, in what is now Poland, was prickly when asked about religion. “It’s none of your damn business!” he often said.11 His personal life and his personal beliefs were not the public’s concern; only the work and his results mattered.

Yet in Bernstein’s book, and in no other gifted religious text, Rickover made pencil marks.

The book gets only two marks, but they are interesting, for Rickover married two women in his life, both Christians. First, on page three, Rickover captures a sentence in which Rabbi Bernstein tells readers his book is not going to argue the supremacy of one faith over another, in this case Judaism over Christianity. Thus, Rickover notes in brackets: “An ancient Rabbi said, ‘There’s a place in God’s kingdom for the righteous for all nations.’’’12

Next, on page four, Rickover marked a much larger paragraph in brackets and included a pencil mark, down the margin, parallel to the paragraph:

If Christians were asked about their beliefs, most of them could refer to authoritative catechisms, creeds, and confessions. But the Jew has no such answer to give. For there is no creed which all Jews accept. . . . Religion for the Jew is primarily, though not entirely, a way of life here and now. . . . Its chief reward is the good life itself. Most Jews have asserted to the judgment of an olden rabbinic teacher, who, after describing our earthly life as an antechamber, added, “One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is better than the whole life of the world to come.”13

Summing up: It's probably best to refer to examples of anti-Semitism at the Naval Academy (which Rickover certainly had no fondness for in later life) during Rickover's time there, as this bias is a historical fact, and relevant. It also bears specifically mentioning that any conversion -- or not -- on his part to Christianity is conflicted by the evidence. In other words, his post-marriage and for-life religion is unknown...perhaps exactly as the Admiral would have wanted it, as he clearly saw it as being "...none of your damn business."

Sincerely, --72.177.111.253 (talk) 16:31, 18 November 2022 (UTC)

Alleged holding up of civilian nuclear power development by the U.S. Navy.

It has often been said that the U.S. Navy held up civilian nuclear development by its holding of various patents and by pleading national security in relation to compact (small) nuclear reactors. The article on Admiral Rickover should cover this, as if (if) it happened, he would have been involved in it. 2A02:C7C:E085:8D00:E0A5:3AD4:A6F:E243 (talk) 20:09, 20 March 2023 (UTC)

You would need to provide sourcing to support this before it could be added. It would need to specifically name him for it to be added to this article. Even if this occurred while he was Director of Naval Reactors, that doesn't necessarily mean he had any significant role in what you're alleging. There were people above him in the Navy and the DoD, as well as the AEC/DoE, Congress, etc., etc., that could, (and likely would) have more of a say in such an affair. You need to research this and present more information, with sources, if you want this added to this and/or any other article here. - wolf 22:14, 20 March 2023 (UTC)

Date of birth

https://www.rp.pl/historia-swiata/art38325771-nowe-fakty-o-ojcu-atomowej-marynarki-wojennej 172.58.148.116 (talk) 14:35, 16 April 2023 (UTC)

 Not done - If this some kind of edit request, you need to say as much, usually in a "please change 'X' to 'Y'" format. Also make sure to include a reliable source. (I don't speak Polish so I'm not sure if your link qualifies.) - wolf 18:53, 16 April 2023 (UTC)

Furthermore, that date and source contradicts the US Navy's biography of him. [1] Toddst1 (talk) 22:28, 17 April 2023 (UTC)

The lead gives 24 December 1899, but the reference (3) cited says 27 January 1900. Reference 37 says "Even his birth date, officially January of 1900, is not fixed with certainty to everyone’s satisfaction." It seems to me that ref 3 is the official birth date. Chemical Engineer (talk) 23:13, 8 December 2023 (UTC)

Lead section

Please do the following changes (noted in bold)

• Hyman George Rickover (born Chaim Godala Rickover; January 27, 1900 – July 8, 1986)

Based on this and this. Also format the spouse(s) section. 81.32.142.91 (talk) 14:22, 28 October 2023 (UTC)