ARMED FORCES: The Watch Is Set

When the band had finished and the speeches were over, square-jawed Commander James Osborn, 41, stepped forward on the deck, read the commissioning orders and said: "I am ready to hoist the colors." Up went the Stars and Stripes and the commissioning pennant on the first U.S. submarine of a new class to join the fleet—the history-making Polaris sub George Washington.* Skipper Osborn next turned smartly to his executive officer, snapped a gloved salute. "Mr. Hannifin," he ordered, "set the watch."

With this brief ceremony at Electric Boat's Wet Dock D in Groton, Conn., the U.S. last week took a...

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