USS Pargo (SSN-650) in the Arctic, in September 1993. | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USS Pargo (SSN-650) |
Namesake | The pargo, a fish of the genus Lutjanus also known as the red snapper |
Ordered | 26 March 1963 |
Builder | General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut |
Laid down | 3 June 1964 |
Launched | 17 September 1966 |
Sponsored by | Mrs. James L. Holloway, Jr. |
Commissioned | 5 January 1968 |
Decommissioned | 14 April 1995 |
Stricken | 14 April 1995 |
Motto | For Land, For Honor, For Courage |
Fate | Scrapping via Ship and Submarine Recycling Program begun 1 October 1994, completed 15 October 1996 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Sturgeon-class attack submarine |
Displacement | 4,600 long tons (4,674 t) |
Length | 292 ft (89 m) |
Beam | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
Draft | 28 ft 8 in (8.74 m) |
Installed power | 15,000 shaft horsepower (11.2 megawatts) |
Propulsion | One S5W nuclear reactor, two steam turbines, one screw |
Speed | Over 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
Complement | 107 |
Armament |
|
USS Pargo (SSN-650), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the pargo, also known as the red snapper, a fish of the genus Lutjanus found in the West Indies.
The contract to build Pargo was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 26 March 1963 and her keel was laid down there on 3 June 1964. She was launched on 17 September 1966, sponsored by Mrs. Jean Gordon Holloway (née Hagood), the wife of retired Admiral James L. Holloway, Jr. (1898–1984), and commissioned on 5 January 1968 with Commander Steven A. Whitein command.
Assigned to Submarine Development Group 2 with her home port at New London, Connecticut. Pargo was altered for acoustics at Groton then was involved in acoustic trials that resulted in alterations to all U.S. submarines. After acoustic trials the Pargo spent much of its time doing arctic research, surfacing at the north pole several times. Pargo participated in the search for the missing attack submarine USS Scorpion (SSN-589) from 27 May to 7 June 1968. She spent the rest of 1968 conducting various trials in the Caribbean Sea and off New London.
The Pargo made her 650th dive on 29 March 1978.
The "Pargo" entered dry dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (Bremerton, WA) in February 1985 for an 18-month overhaul. 30 months later the boat was back in service, having upgrades to all non-nuclear systems.
The "Pargo" conducted the first civilian oceanographic submarine cruise of the Arctic Ocean in 1993.
Pargo was decommissioned on 14 April 1995 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. Her scrapping via the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton, Washington, began on 1 October 1994 and was completed on 15 October 1996.
USS Minneapolis–Saint Paul (SSN-708), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the first vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the metropolitan area of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota, although each city had been honored twice before. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 31 October 1973 and her keel was laid down on 20 January 1981. She was launched on 19 March 1983 sponsored by Mrs. Penny Durenberger, and commissioned on 10 March 1984, with Commander Ralph Schlichter in command.
USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720) is a Los Angeles-class submarine and is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
USS Sand Lance (SSN-660), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship and the second submarine of the United States Navy to be named for the sand lance, a member of the family Ammodytidae.
USS Pogy (SSN-647), a Sturgeon-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the pogy, or menhaden.
USS Louisville (SSN-724), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Louisville, Kentucky. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 11 February 1982 and her keel was laid on 24 September 1984. She was launched on 14 December 1985—sponsored by Mrs. Betty Ann McKee, wife of Admiral Kinnaird McKee, Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion —and commissioned on 8 November 1986 with Captain Charles E. Ellis in command.
USS Hawkbill (SSN-666), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the hawksbill, a large sea turtle. The name perpetuated the inadvertent misspelling of "hawksbill" in the naming of the first ship of that name, USS Hawkbill (SS-366), a Balao-class submarine launched in 1944. USS Hawkbill (SSN-666) was the eighteenth of 39 Sturgeon-class nuclear-powered submarines that were built.
USS New Hampshire (SSN-778), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, is the fourth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the state of New Hampshire. She is the first of the Virginia-class Block-II submarines to enter service. Her name was awarded to the submarine after a letter-writing campaign by the third-graders from Garrison Elementary School and sixth graders from Dover Middle School in Dover to their members of Congress, the state governor, and the Secretary of the Navy.
USS Connecticut (SSN-22) is a Seawolf-class nuclear powered fast attack submarine operated by the United States Navy. Connecticut is the fifth active United States Ship to be named for the U.S. state of Connecticut, going back to 1776. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 3 May 1991 and her keel was laid down on 14 September 1992. She was launched on 1 September 1997, sponsored by Patricia L. Rowland, wife of the Governor of Connecticut, John G. Rowland, and commissioned on 11 December 1998.
USS Whale (SSN-638) was a Sturgeon-class submarine nuclear-powered attack submarine of the United States Navy. She was the second ship of that name, after the whale family of aquatic mammals.
USS Sturgeon (SSN-637), was the lead ship of her class of nuclear-powered attack submarines. She was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sturgeon.
USS L. Mendel Rivers (SSN-686), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine in commission from 1975 to 2001, is the only ship of the United States Navy thus far to have been named for L. Mendel Rivers (1905–1970), a U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 1st Congressional District (1941–1970).
USS Bergall (SSN-667), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bergall, a small fish found along the Atlantic coast of North America from the Chesapeake Bay to Labrador.
USS Trepang (SSN-674), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the trepang, Holothuroidea, a marine animal with a long, tough, muscular body.
USS Sunfish (SSN-649), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the ocean sunfish, a marine species having a deep body truncated behind, and high dorsal and anal fins.
USS Seahorse (SSN-669), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second submarine and third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the seahorse.
USS Silversides (SSN-679), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the silverside, a small fish marked with a silvery stripe along each side of its body.
USS Cavalla (SSN-684), a Sturgeon-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the cavalla, a salt water fish. Although it was a Sturgeon class design, Cavalla was a modified "long hull" boat, approximately 10 feet (3.0 m) longer than the earlier ships in its class.
USS Flying Fish (SSN-673), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flying fish, any of number of fishes whose long winglike fins make it possible for them to move some distance through the air.
USS Billfish (SSN-676), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the billfish, a name used for any fish, such as gar or spearfish, with bill-shaped jaws.
USS Olympia (SSN-717) is a Los Angeles-class submarine of the United States Navy. She is the 30th Los Angeles class nuclear powered fast attack submarine.