History | |
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United States | |
Name | USS Portsmouth |
Awarded | 10 December 1973 |
Builder | General Dynamics Corporation |
Laid down | 8 May 1980 |
Launched | 18 September 1982 |
Commissioned | 1 October 1983 |
Decommissioned | 10 September 2004 |
Stricken | 10 September 2004 |
Homeport | Groton, Connecticut |
Fate | Stricken, To be disposed of by submarine recycling |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Los Angeles-class submarine |
Displacement | 5,755 tons light, 6,129 tons full, 374 tons dead |
Length | 110.3 m (361 ft 11 in) |
Beam | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
Draft | 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in) |
Propulsion | S6G nuclear reactor |
Complement | 12 officers, 98 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Operations: | Operation Urgent Fury |
Awards: |
USS Portsmouth (SSN-707) is a decommissioned Los Angeles-class submarine. She was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 10 December 1973 and her keel was laid down on 8 May 1980. She was launched on 18 September 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Helen Poe Goodrich, and commissioned on 1 October 1983, with Commander Donald M. Olson in command. The ceremony took place at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, just east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, her namesake city. [1]
Three weeks after commissioning Portsmouth began her first mission, supporting rescue operations in Grenada. She was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for that action. [2]
In 1984 Portsmouth entered her homeport of Groton, Connecticut, which she left for her permanent homeport at Ballast Point Submarine Base in San Diego. En route she transited through the Panama Canal and made a quick dash south for her first transit across the equator. [3]
In 1985 Portsmouth commenced her first Western Pacific operations that included port-calls in Japan and Australia and became the first American nuclear-powered warship to visit Fiji. Years later she became the first to make a liberty call to communist Chinese reunified Hong Kong.
On 10 September 2004 Portsmouth was decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia and was inactivated at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in nearby Portsmouth, Virginia, her other namesake city. She entered the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. While the submarine was only halfway through her design lifespan, her reactor core required refueling. Decommissioning was chosen as a cost-saving measure.
The ship deployed to 5th Fleet with the Nimitz Battle Group in 1995–1996. She was awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) and the COMSUBRON 11 Battle "E".
The ship deployed to 7th Fleet in 1997. The crew was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal. Upon return to homeport, the ship was again awarded the COMSUBRON 11 Battle "E", judged the most battle effective submarine in her squadron.
USS Seawolf (SSN-575) was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the seawolf, the second nuclear submarine, and the only US submarine built with a liquid metal cooled (sodium) nuclear reactor known as the Submarine Intermediate Reactor (SIR) or Liquid Metal Fast Reactor (LMFR), later designated S2G. Her overall design was a variant of Nautilus, but with numerous detail changes, such as a conning tower, stepped sail, and the BQR-4 passive sonar mounted in the top portion of the bow instead of further below. This sonar arrangement resulted in an unusual bow shape above the water for a U.S. submarine. Her distinctive reactor was later replaced with a standard pressurized water reactor, the replacement process lasting from 12 December 1958 to 30 September 1960.
USS Providence (SSN-719), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fifth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for Providence, Rhode Island. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 16 April 1979 and her keel was laid down on 14 October 1982. She was launched on 4 August 1984 sponsored by Mrs. William F. Smith, and commissioned on 27 July 1985.
USS Annapolis (SSN-760), is the tenth "improved" Los Angeles-class submarine. Homeported in San Diego, California, she is assigned to Submarine Squadron 11. USS Annapolis is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Annapolis, Maryland, site of the United States Naval Academy.
USS Argonaut (SS-475) was a Tench-class submarine operated by the United States Navy (USN). Constructed at Portsmouth Navy Yard during the second half of 1944, Argonaut was commissioned into the USN in 1945 and operated during the final year of World War II, although her only contact with the Japanese was when she sank a junk in August. During the 1950s, the submarine was modified for greater underwater endurance, and to guide the Regulus I missile. From 1963 to 1965, Argonaut operated in the Mediterranean Sea.
USS Omaha (SSN-692), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Omaha, Nebraska. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 31 January 1971 and her keel was laid down on 27 January 1973. She was launched on 21 February 1976 sponsored by Mrs. Victoria Kuncl Hruska, wife of Senator Roman L. Hruska, and commissioned on 11 March 1978, with Commander Ted A. Hamilton in command.
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 Darter (SS-576), a unique submarine based on the Tang class, but incorporating many improvements, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the darter, a type of small American fresh-water fish.
USS Skipjack (SSN-585), the lead ship of her class of nuclear-powered attack submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after the skipjack tuna.
USS Albuquerque (SSN-706), a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Albuquerque, New Mexico. 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 27 December 1979. She was launched on 13 March 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Nancy L. Domenici, and commissioned on 21 May 1983.
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 Ray (SSN-653), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the rays.
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 Batfish (SSN-681), a Sturgeon-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the batfish.
USS Springfield (SSN-761), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to bear the name. The boat was named in honor of both the cities of Springfield, Illinois and Springfield, Massachusetts.
USS Philadelphia (SSN-690), a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Philadelphia.
USS Topeka (SSN-754) is a Los Angeles-class submarine and the third United States Navy vessel to be named for Topeka, Kansas. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 28 November 1983 and her keel was laid down on 13 May 1986. She was launched on 23 January 1988, sponsored by Elizabeth Dole, and commissioned on 21 October 1989.
USS Jacksonville (SSN-699), a nuclear powered Los Angeles-class attack submarine, is the only vessel of the United States Navy to be named for Jacksonville, Florida.
USS Pasadena (SSN-752), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pasadena, California.
USS Santa Fe (SSN-763), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Santa Fe, New Mexico. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 21 March 1986 and her keel was laid down on 9 July 1991. She was launched on 12 December 1992 sponsored by Mrs. Joy Johnson, and commissioned on 8 January 1994, with Commander Rodger P. Krull in command.
USS Missouri (SSN-780) is the seventh Virginia-class attack submarine and the fourth ship in the United States Navy named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri. She was completed, and delivered, nine months early and under budget.