Mark 13 Torpedo - Nuclear Variant

[Atomic Coyote]

I imagine this probably never got beyond the napkin stage, but very curious if anyone has more detail on this. From a 2006 USNI article by Norman Polmar; https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2006/august/atomic-fish

The first mention of a nuclear-armed torpedo occurred before nuclear weapons existed. In 1943 then-Captain William S. Parsons, head of the ordnance division of the Manhattan Project, proposed providing a gun-, or uranium-, type, nuclear warhead in the Mk 13 aircraft-launched torpedo. In later variants, the Mk 13 was a 2,250-pound weapon with a 600-pound high-explosive warhead.1

The thought of a Silverplate Avenger is moderately amusing.

 

[moin1900]

Ordnance Division Staff suggested using nuclear depth charges and torpedoes against german and japanese naval targets (harbours and fleets).

Not a Silverplate Avenger but
"THIN MAN" bomb prototype model drop test was carried out with a GRUMMAN TBF AVENGER.

Google Books

Sources:
"Atomic Tragedy: Henry L. Stimson and the Decision to Use the Bomb Against Japan"
by Sean L. Malloy

"Atomic Bomb Island: Tinian, the Last Stage of the Manhattan Project"
by Don A. Farrell

"The Silverplate Bombers: A History and Registry of the Enola Gay and Other B-29s Configured to Carry Atomic Bombs"
by Richard H. Campbell

 

[Yellow Palace]

Given that seawater ingress could make a Mark 1 nuclear weapon achieve a critical configuration, the idea of intentionally putting one in the water seems.... unwise.