I just finished a good book, The Right Thing, by Scott Waddle, Commander of the Greeneville. That was the sub that pulled the emergency surface drill off of Hawaii and collided and sank the Japanese training trawler. He writes alot about his nearly 20 years of technical training before he was put in command, including his time at Schenectady. Great book, easy reading.
You're right about TMI. They basically didn't trust the guages on the cooling system that indicated the bad valve, and then they tried work-arounds that violated their own procedures. One mistake ended up being compounded by several others as the night wore on.
I, too, have a secret affection for grits, especially with maple syrup. But I'm only willing to admit this to a southerner if they're willing to eat a plate of dandilion salad, which is one of the most loved, yet foulest tasting dishes served in the PA Dutch region. My wife loves the stuff, but it truly turns my stomach.