.jpg) | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Electric Boat division of General Dynamics Corporation, Groton, Connecticut |
| Operators |  United States Navy |
| Preceded by | USS Nautilus |
| Succeeded by | |
| Built | 1953 |
| In commission | 1957–1987 |
| History | |
 United States | |
| Awarded | 21 July 1952 |
| Builder | Electric Boat division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut |
| Laid down | 7 September 1953 |
| Launched | 21 July 1955 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs.W. Sterling Cole |
| Commissioned | 30 March 1957 |
| Decommissioned | 30 March 1987 |
| Stricken | 10 July 1987 |
| Fate | Disposed of by submarine recycling 30 September 1997 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length |
|
| Beam | 28 ft (8.5 m) |
| Draft | 23 ft (7.0 m) |
| Propulsion | S2G, replaced byS2Wa in 1960, gearedsteam turbines, two shafts, approx. 15,000 shp (11,000 kW)[1] |
| Speed |
|
| Complement | 101 officers and enlisted |
| Armament | 6 × 21-inch (533 mm)torpedo tubes |
USSSeawolf (SSN-575) was the third ship of theUnited States Navy to be named for theseawolf, the secondnuclear submarine, and the only US submarine built with aliquid metal cooled (sodium),beryllium-moderated[2][3]nuclear reactor, theS2G.[4] Her overall design (known asSCB 64A) was a variant ofNautilus, but with numerous detail changes, such as aconning tower, steppedsail, and the BQR-4passive sonar mounted in the top portion of thebow instead of further below. This sonar arrangement resulted in an unusual bow shape above the water for a U.S. submarine. Originally laid down in 1953, her distinctive reactor was later replaced with a standard pressurized water reactor, the replacement process lasting from 12 December 1958 to 30 September 1960.[5]
Seawolf was the same basic "double hull" twin-screw submarine design as her predecessorUSS Nautilus (SSN-571), but her propulsion system was more technologically advanced. The Submarine Intermediate Reactor (SIR) nuclear plant was designed byGeneral Electric'sKnolls Atomic Power Laboratory and prototyped inWest Milton, New York. The prototype plant was eventually designated S1G andSeawolf's plant asS2G.
TheAtomic Energy Commission historians' account of the sodium-cooled reactor experience was:
Although makeshift repairs permitted the Seawolf to complete her initial sea trials on reduced power in February 1957,Rickover had already decided to abandon the sodium-cooled reactor. Early in November 1956, he informed the Commission that he would take steps toward replacing the reactor inSeawolf with a water-cooled plant similar to that in the Nautilus. The leaks in the Seawolf steam plant were an important factor in the decision but even more persuasive were the inherent limitations in sodium-cooled systems. In Rickover's words they were "expensive to build, complex to operate, susceptible to prolonged shutdown as a result of even minor malfunctions, and difficult and time-consuming to repair."[6]
The S2G reactor was replaced with a pressurized water reactor similar toNautilus and designated S2Wa, the replacement process lasting from 12 December 1958 to 30 September 1960.[7]
Although fully armed,Seawolf, like the first nuclear submarine,Nautilus, was primarily an experimental vessel.Seawolf was originally thought of publicly as ahunter-killer submarine, but in fact was intended to be a one-off test platform for the SIR (aka S2G) LMFR reactor and future sonar platforms. Her future uses, after the reactor plant was replaced with a light water system, included covert operations in foreign waters, for which she was converted January 1971 – June 1973.[5]
.jpg)
Seawolf's keel was laid down 7 September 1953, by theElectric Boat division ofGeneral Dynamics Corporation inGroton, Connecticut. She waslaunched on 21 July 1955 sponsored by Mary Elizabeth (Thomas) Cole,[8] wife of New YorkCongressmanW. Sterling Cole,[9] andcommissioned on 30 March 1957.
_underway.JPG)
Like all of the original nuclear subs, the project manager at Electric Boat was the general manager of the company, Bill Jones. During the parallel construction of the first nuclear submarines, the Navy, theAtomic Energy Commission, its independent labs, and the shipyard all worked together to learn together.[citation needed]
For the yard, the Power Plant Project manager was a separate function on these original nuclear subs. Dennis B. Boykin III would lead EB's power plant installation, and return to the project two years later for the reactor conversion. His counterpart at the Office of Naval Reactors, Gardner Brown, did the same.[citation needed]
LieutenantJames Earl "Jimmy" Carter, the only US President toqualify in submarines, was to be her Engineering Officer, but had resigned his commission upon the death of his father in 1953.[10]
Seawolf departedNew London, Connecticut, on 2 April for hershakedown cruise offBermuda and returned on 8 May. Between 16 May and 5 August, she made two voyages toKey West and participated in intensivetraining exercises. On 3 September, she steamed across the North Atlantic to participate inNATOexercises. The submarine surfaced offNewport, Rhode Island, on 25 September after cruising 6,331 nautical miles (11,725 km; 7,286 mi) nonstop. The next day, President of the United StatesDwight D. Eisenhower embarked and was taken for a short cruise onboard her.[citation needed]
Seawolf cruised to theCaribbean Sea for an exercise in November. In December, she began an availability period that lasted until 6 February 1958. She then participated in exercises along the east coast until early August.[citation needed]
Seawolf submerged on 7 August and did not surface again until 6 October. During this period, she logged over 13,700 nautical miles (25,400 km; 15,800 mi). She received theNavy Unit Commendation[11]: 344 for demonstrating the ability of the nuclear-powered submarine to remain independent of the atmosphere for the period of a normal war patrol.[citation needed]
Seawolf returned to Electric Boat Company inGroton, Connecticut, on 12 December 1958, for conversion of her power plant from aS2G sodium-cooledLMFR to aS2WaPWR. She was out of commission until 30 September 1960. The Office of Naval Reactors had determined that the unique superheated steam powerplant was too difficult to maintain, since the superheaters were rarely operational. Constructed of rolled steel (vs forged steel), the superheaters were usually unable to allow the plant to operate at full capacity.[citation needed]
On 18 April 1959, the Navy disposed of the radioactive S2G plant by sealing it in a 30-foot (9.1 m) high stainless steel containment vessel, towing it out to sea on abarge, and then sinking the barge at a point about 120 miles (190 km) due east of Maryland in 9,100 feet (2,800 m) of water. Twenty-one years later, the Navy was unable to relocate the container, but said that the radioactive materials inside should decay before the containment vessel deteriorated.[12][13][14]
Seawolf began a three-week period of independent operations on 25 October, and returned to fleet operations in November and December. On 9 January 1961,Seawolf sailed toSan Juan, Puerto Rico, to participate in local operations. On 25 January, she was ordered to locate and track the Portuguese passenger linerSanta Maria which had been seized by pirates two days earlier. The submarine made contact with the liner off the coast ofBrazil on 1 February. AfterSanta Maria surrendered inRecife, the submarine returned to San Juan and continued east coast operations.[citation needed]
On 7 July,Seawolf began a two-month oceanographic voyage which took her toPortsmouth, England, before returning the vessel to New London on 19 September 1961.[citation needed]
In 1963,Seawolf participated in the search for the lost submarineUSS Thresher and in various local and fleet operations until April 1964. On 28 April,Seawolf stood out of New London en route to theMediterranean Sea and a3+1⁄2-month deployment with theSixth Fleet. During the period, she operated withaircraft carrierUSS Enterprise, guided missilecruiserLong Beach, and guided missiledestroyerBainbridge as a part of the world's first nuclear task force. More local East Coast exercises followed until 5 May 1965. On that date, the submarine entered thePortsmouth Naval Shipyard forrefueling and an extensive overhaul bringing her up to theSUBSAFE standard put in place after the loss ofThresher. This overhaul lasted until September 1966.[citation needed]
Seawolf sailed fromPortsmouth, New Hampshire, on 24 August 1967 forNew London, Connecticut, which was again her home port. The following month, she sailed to the Caribbean Sea for refresher training and weapons trials. She had to have a propeller replaced atCharleston, South Carolina, in early October and then conducted sea trials in theBahama Islands for the remainder of the month. The end of the year 1967 found her back at her home port.[citation needed]
Seawolf was operating from that port when she grounded off the coast ofMaine on 30 January 1968,[citation needed] badly crushing herstern.[11]: 99 She was towed back toNew London, Connecticut, for repairs and did not put to sea again until 20 March 1969, when she began sea trials. The submarine was in the Caribbean Sea during June and July conducting underwater sound and weapons systems tests.Seawolf was deployed with theSixth Fleet from 29 September to 21 December 1969.[citation needed]
Seawolf operated along the East Coast until 9 November 1970 when her home port was changed toVallejo, California, and she sailed for the West Coast. The submarine transited thePanama Canal on 17 November and changed operational control to Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. In the Pacific, Seawolf would serve as a "spy submarine", trailing other submarines, retrieving test weapons from the seabed, andtappingSovietsubmarine communications cables.[11]
Upon arrival atMare Island Naval Shipyard, she entered drydock on 8 January 1971 for overhaul and conversion to a special project platform. The sense of the euphemistic 'special project platform' can be gleaned from photos of the ships from before and after the renovation. The 52-foot (16 m) hull extension forward of the sail held intelligence gathering equipment that supported covert operations, including an "aquarium" for launching variable depth sonar and retrieval equipment. For precise maneuvering, she gained jet thrusters. A saturation diver lockout was installed inside the hull, and a new gondola underneath the hull[citation needed] held retractable "skegs" (short for "sea keeping legs") for bottom station keeping.[11]: 241 The ship remained there until 21 June 1973, when she moved up the coast toBangor, Washington. She would remain a special projects boat untildecommissioning.[citation needed]
Seawolf returned to Mare Island on 4 September 1973.[citation needed] But despite the frequent rebuilds, age was beginning to wear on the craft. Records describe frequent fires andreactor scrams,life-support oxygenation failures, and crewmembers on amphetamines to maintain stamina.[11]: 223
In 1974,Seawolf completed post-conversion testing and evaluation period and conducted her first Pacific Fleet deployment, operating independently for a period of three months. For its performance of duty, she was awarded a secondNavy Unit Commendation. In 1975,Seawolf came under the exclusive direction of Submarine Development Group One, and for outstanding performance in 1974–1975, was awarded a Battle Efficiency "E."[citation needed]
In 1976,Seawolf received her second consecutive Battle Efficiency "E" and the Engineering "E" for Excellence. During her second Pacific Fleet deployment, she conducted independent submerged operations for three months and demonstrated superior endurance by remaining submerged for 89 consecutive days, a U.S. Navy record.[citation needed] She received her thirdNavy Unit Commendation.[11]: 344–349
In 1977,Seawolf received her third Battle Efficiency "E" and her second Engineering "E" for Excellence. During her third Pacific Fleet deployment, she conducted 79 consecutive days of independent submerged operations and received her fourthNavy Unit Commendation[11]: 350 and theNavy Expeditionary Medal. In 1978,Seawolf conducted her fourth Pacific Fleet deployment.[citation needed]
_and_retired_submarines_at_Puget_Sound_1993.JPEG)
On February 29, 1980, aturbine generator failed duringsea trials, causing a major fire in the Engine room, sending the ship back to drydock for two months, to enable a "soft patch" hull cut to remove one of the ship's large diesel engines which had melted on the end nearest the casualty.[11]: 235
In August 1981,Seawolf deployed on her fifth Pacific Fleet deployment. By that point, the struggles to maintain the aged boat had stressed crew morale close to breaking. Between missions, crewmembers had participated in makeshift target practice on mudflats near the base, or indulged inrecreational marijuana contrary to naval regulations (and possibly as a scheme to make themselves ineligible for duty).[11]: 254–255 Nevertheless, the boat proceeded to tap a submarine communications cable in theSea of Okhotsk, where she found herself trapped by an extreme storm. Although most submarines are isolated from surface weather byboundary layer effects, thetyphoon was sufficiently strong to shakeSeawolf so that herskegs dug into the seabed, and clog the reactorheat exchanger withsand. In freeing herself, the ship ripped away from the underbelly gondola, leaving interior parts free to bang against the hull. Without classic submarine silence, the submarine was easily detected by a Sovietfishing trawler, but managed to outlast the ship into international waters.[11]: 242–246 Seawolf returned to homeport in October 1981, and received theNavy Expeditionary Medal.
In 1983,Seawolf conducted her sixth Pacific Fleet deployment of 76 days and returned toMare Island Naval Shipyard in May 1983. She was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal, another Battle Efficiency "E," another Engineering "E," a Supply "E," and a Damage Control "DC." In 1984,Seawolf conducted a 93-day deployment to the Western Pacific, returned in July, and continued her high operating tempo with numerous local operations. She was awarded her third consecutive Supply "E," a Communications "C," and the Deck Seamanship Award.[citation needed]
In April 1986,Seawolf conducted her last Western Pacific deployment and returned to Mare Island in June 1986 to prepare for decommissioning. Decommissioned 30 March 1987,Seawolf was stricken from theNaval Vessel Register the following 10 July. The former submarine began the Navy'sShip-Submarine Recycling Program on 1 October 1996 and completed it on 30 September 1997.[citation needed]
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy "E" Ribbon (3 awards)
National Defense Service MedalThe press caption read:Mrs. W. Sterling Cole, wife of the congressman from New York, wields the bottle of champagne as she christens the atomic submarine Seawolf today. She failed to break the bottle and it slipped out of her hand.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, the former Mary Elizabeth Thomas, of Arlington...
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
