Recent U.S. Submarine History ~ Bill Smelser Homepage

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Recent History of U.S. Submarines
I will begin this story in the 1960's with the Thresher/Permit Class (SSN 593-SSN 621) and the subsequent Sturgeon Class (SSN 637-SSN 687)

The U.S. "lost" the USS Thresher in 1963 during a "deep dive test" when the hull gave way causing the boat to flood beyond recovery, so the name of the class actually was transferred to the USS Permit since the Thresher was the first of it's class. The USS Permit was the first submarine that was built with the new SUBSAFE program, a strong system of testing to ensure strength of the hulls, etc...

The U.S. Submarine force has grown and expanded and improved in the last 50 years with remarkable progress. In the mid 1970's, the U.S. Submarine Force transitioned again with technology with the advent of the Los Angeles Class fast attack submarines, and the Ohio Class Ballistic Submarines.

With the end of the Cold War, the end of the 1980's brought the newest flight of submarines, the SEAWOLF Class to the U.S. Submarine Force. Originally intended to be 29 submarines over 10 years, it was later reduced to a plan for 12. However, the entire fleet was cancelled in 1995 with only 3 boats built (USS Seawolf SSN 21, USS Connecticut SSN 22 and USS Jimmy Carter SSN 23).

The cancellation of the Seawolf class led to the U.S.' newest class of submarines, the Virginia Class. In 2003, the Virginia class of submarines began with USS Virginia SSN 774 and is about to commission their 8th submarine (USS California SSN 781) on 10/29/11.

When I joined the U.S. Navy in December, 1989 and subsequently the U.S. Submarine force in the Summer of 1990, I had no idea that Gulf War I was imminent and my service would be so "valuable" and memorable. I remember when my buddy John Barrier and I were in MS A School for cooking in the Navy and we were given the option to pursue service aboard submarines, we went down the road to Sub Base San Diego (where I would later spend much of my career). We were able to tour the USS Permit (SSN 594) and we both decided within minutes of that tour that we wanted to use our skills aboard submarines where we could cook entire meals for the entire crew of 100-120. We thought this much more challenging and fulfilling than making 3000-5000 portions of GRAVY or Dinner Rolls aboard an Aircraft Carrier.

I was unaware of the significance of the USS Permit in the history of U.S. Submarine Forces (more later). John and I both signed up for Sub School and proceed to Groton, Connecticut, where we would both pass with flying colors and be assigned to submarines. My friend John was from Olathe, KS (outside of Topeka) and really, really wanted to get orders to the USS Topeka. However, as fate would dictate, I finished first in our sub school class which gave me my choice of orders/duty station. I chose San Diego and was promptly given orders to the USS Topeka (SSN 754) which was in dry dock there in Groton preparing for final Sea Trials (before transition over to San Diego). Least to say, John was a little upset with me. It didn't help that he received orders to a Ballistic Sub out of Bremerton, Washington where it rains 300 days/year!

So, here is a quick summary of recent U.S. Submarine "classes", the boats in those classes and some links to "history" pages on Wikipedia.

ENJOY!!! ~ BILL

USS Thresher/Permit Class 1960's-1994	USS Sturgeon Class 1960's-2004	USS Los Angeles Class 1976-present	USS Ohio Class 1974-present	USS Virginia Class 2003-present
*USS Thresher SSN 593*	*USS Sturgeon SSN 637*	*USS Los Angeles SSN 688*	*USS Ohio SSGN 726*	*USS Virginia SSN 774*
*USS Permit SSN 594*	*USS Whale SSN 638*	*USS Baton Rouge SSN 689*	*USS Michigan SSGN 727*	*USS Texas SSN 775*
*USS Plunger SSN 595*	*USS Tautog SSN 639*	*USS Philadelphia SSN 690*	*USS Florida SSGN 728*	*USS Hawaii SSN 776*
*USS Barb SSN 596*	*USS Grayling SSN 646*	*USS Memphis SSN 691*	*USS Georgia SSGN 729*	*USS North Carolina SSN 777*
*USS Pollack SSN 603*	*USS Pogy SSN 647*	*USS Omaha SSN 692*	*USS Henry Jackson SSBN 730*	*USS New Hampshire SSN 778*
*USS Haddo SSN 604*	*USS Aspro SSN 648*	*USS Cincinnati SSN 693*	*USS Alabama SSBN 731*	*USS New Mexico SSN 779*
*USS Jack SSN 605*	*USS Sunfish SSN 649*	*USS Groton SSN 694*	*USS Alaska SSBN 732*	*USS Missouri SSN 780*
*USS Tinosa SSN 606*	*USS Pargo SSN 650*	*USS Birmingham SSN 695*	*USS Nevada SSBN 733*	*USS California SSN 781*
*USS Dace SSN 607*	*USS Queenfish SSN 651*	*USS New York City SSN 696*	*USS Tennessee SSBN 734*	*USS Mississippi SSN 782*
*USS Guardfish SSN 612*	*USS Puffer SSN 652*	*USS Indianapolis SSN 697*	*USS Pennsylvania SSBN 735*	*USS Minnesota SSN 783*
*USS Flasher SSN 613*	*USS Ray SSN 653*	*USS Bremerton SSN 698*	*USS West Virginia SSBN 736*	*USS North Dakota SSN 784*
*USS Greenling SSN 614*	*USS Sand Lance SSN 660*	*USS Jacksonville SSN 699*	*USS Kentucky SSBN 737*	*USS John Warner SSN 785*
*USS Gato SSN 615*	*USS Lapon SSN 661*	*USS Dallas SSN 700*	*USS Maryland SSBN 738*	*TBA SSN 786*
*USS Haddock SSN 621*	*USS Gurnard SSN 662*	*USS LaJolla SSN 701*	*USS Nebraska SSBN 739*	*TBA SSN 787*
*xxx*	*USS Hammerhead SSN 663*	*USS Phoenix SSN 702*	*USS Rhode Island SSBN 740*	*SSN 788*
*xxx*	*USS Sea Devil SSN 664*	*USS Boston SSN 703*	*USS Maine SSBN 741*	*SSN 789*
*xxx*	*USS Guitarro SSN 665*	*USS Baltimore SSN 704*	*USS Wyoming SSBN 742*	*SSN 790*
*xxx*	*USS Hawkbill SSN 666*	*USS City of Corpus Christi SSN 705*	*USS Louisiana SSBN 743*	*SSN 791*
*xxx*	*USS Bergall SSN 667*	*USS Albuquerque SSN 706*	*xxx*	*SSN 792*
*xxx*	*USS Spadefish SSN 668*	*USS Portsmouth SSN 707*	*xxx*	*SSN 793*
*xxx*	*USS Seahorse SSN 669*	*USS Minn/St Paul SSN 708*	*xxx*	*SSN 794*
*xxx*	*USS Finback SSN 670*	*USS Hyman Rickover SSN 709*	*xxx*	*SSN 794*
*xxx*	*USS Narwahl SSN 671*	*USS Augusta SSN 710*	*xxx*	*SSN 795*
*xxx*	*USS Pintado SSN 672*	*USS San Francisco SSN 711*	*xxx*	*SSN 796*
*xxx*	*USS Flyfish SSN 673*	*USS Atlanta SSN 712*	*xxx*	*SSN 797*
*xxx*	*USS Trepang SSN 674*	*USS Houston SSN 713*	*xxx*	*SSN 798*
*xxx*	*USS Bluefish SSN 675*	*USS Norfolk SSN 714*	*xxx*	*SSN 799*
*xxx*	*USS Billfish SSN 676*	*USS Buffalo SSN 715*	*xxx*	*SSN 800*
*xxx*	*USS Drum SSN 677*	*USS Salt Lake City SSN 716*	*xxx*	*SSN 801*
*xxx*	*USS Archerfish SSN 678*	*USS Olympia SSN 717*	*xxx*	*SSN 802*
*xxx*	*USS Silversides SSN 679*	*USS Honolulu SSN 718*	*xxx*	*SSN 803*
*xxx*	USS Redfish SSN 680 USS William H Bates	*USS Providence SSN 719*	*xxx*	*SSN 804*
*xxx*	*USS Batfish SSN 681*	*USS Pittsburgh SSN 720*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*USS Tunny SSN 682*	*USS Chicago SSN 721*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*USS Parche SSN 683*	*USS Key West SSN 722*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*USS Cavalla SSN 684*	*USS Oklahoma City SSN 723*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*USS Glenard P. Lipscomb SSN 685*	*USS Louisville SSN 724*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*USS L. Mendel Rivers SSN 686*	*USS Helena SSN 725*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*USS Richard B Russell SSN 687*	*USS Newport News SSN 750*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*USS Richard B Russell SSN 687*	*USS Newport News SSN 750*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*688i Class>>>*	*USS San Juan SSN 751*	*<<<688i Class*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Pasadena SSN 752*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Albany SSN 753*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Topeka SSN 754*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Miami SSN 755*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Scranton SSN 756*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Alexandria SSN 757*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Asheville SSN 758*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Jefferson City SSN 759*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Annapolis SSN 760*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Springfield SSN 761*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Columbus SSN 762*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Santa Fe SSN 763*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Boise SSN 764*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Montpielier SSN 765*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Charlotte SSN 766*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Hampton SSN 767*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Hartford SSN 768*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Toledo SSN 769*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Tucson SSN 770*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Columbia SSN 771*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Greenville SSN 772*	*xxx*	*xxx*
*xxx*	*xxx*	*USS Cheyenne SSN 773*	*xxx*	*xxx*

Recent History of U.S. Submarines

USS Thresher/Permit Class1960's-1994

USS Sturgeon Class1960's-2004

USS Los Angeles Class1976-present

USS Ohio Class1974-present

USS Virginia Class2003-present

USS Thresher SSN 593

USS Sturgeon SSN 637

USS Los Angeles SSN 688

USS Ohio SSGN 726

USS Virginia SSN 774

USS Permit SSN 594

USS Whale SSN 638

USS Baton Rouge SSN 689

USS Michigan SSGN 727

USS Texas SSN 775

USS Plunger SSN 595

USS Tautog SSN 639

USS Philadelphia SSN 690

USS Florida SSGN 728

USS Hawaii SSN 776

USS Barb SSN 596

USS Grayling SSN 646

USS Memphis SSN 691

USS Georgia SSGN 729

USS North Carolina SSN 777

USS Pollack SSN 603

USS Pogy SSN 647

USS Omaha SSN 692

USS Henry Jackson SSBN 730

USS New Hampshire SSN 778

USS Haddo SSN 604

USS Aspro SSN 648

USS Cincinnati SSN 693

USS Alabama SSBN 731

USS New Mexico SSN 779

USS Jack SSN 605

USS Sunfish SSN 649

USS Groton SSN 694

USS Alaska SSBN 732

USS Missouri SSN 780

USS Tinosa SSN 606

USS Pargo SSN 650

USS Birmingham SSN 695

USS Nevada SSBN 733

USS California SSN 781

USS Dace SSN 607

USS Queenfish SSN 651

USS New York City SSN 696

USS Tennessee SSBN 734

USS Mississippi SSN 782

USS Guardfish SSN 612

USS Puffer SSN 652

USS Indianapolis SSN 697

USS Pennsylvania SSBN 735

USS Minnesota SSN 783

USS Flasher SSN 613

USS Ray SSN 653

USS Bremerton SSN 698

USS West Virginia SSBN 736

USS North Dakota SSN 784

USS Greenling SSN 614

USS Sand Lance SSN 660

USS Jacksonville SSN 699

USS Kentucky SSBN 737

USS John Warner SSN 785

USS Gato SSN 615

USS Lapon SSN 661

USS Dallas SSN 700

USS Maryland SSBN 738

TBA SSN 786

USS Haddock SSN 621

USS Gurnard SSN 662

USS LaJolla SSN 701

USS Nebraska SSBN 739

TBA SSN 787

xxx

USS Hammerhead SSN 663

USS Phoenix SSN 702

USS Rhode Island SSBN 740

USS Thresher/Permit Class
1960's-1994

USS Sturgeon Class
1960's-2004

USS Los Angeles Class
1976-present

USS Ohio Class
1974-present

USS Virginia Class
2003-present