USS Greenling (SSN-614)

USS "Greenling" (SSN-614), a "Thresher"-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the greenling, an elongate, fine-scaled fish found from Kamchatka to California. Her keel was laid down on 15 August 1961 by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut.

On 10 April 1963, "Thresher", the lead ship of Greenling's class, was lost due to severe design flaws in her non-nuclear piping systems. Because she was still early in the construction process, "Greenling" was one of three selected "Thresher"-class submarines selected for conversion to the "improved "Thresher" class." She was launched on 4 April 1964 sponsored by Mrs. H.C. Bruton. On 29 April, she was towed to Quincy, Massachusetts, for lengthening and submarine safety program (SUBSAFE) modifications. Modifications included increased buoyancy and adding 13 feet 9 inches of length to the hull, providing improved living and working conditions for the crew and space for additional equipment. Before construction of "Greenling" was completed, she and her sister ships were redesignated the "Permit" class, after the eldest surviving member of the class. "Greenling" was commissioned on 3 November 1967 with Commander Guy H.B. Schaffer in command.

On 27 May 1968, Greenling's fleet training exercise was interrupted by the search and rescue operation for USS "Scorpion" (SSN-589). Her Commanding Officer was designated the Commander of the SAR Task Element, which included of three nuclear and four diesel submarines. That assignment continued until 12 June 1968.

"Greenling" was decommissioned on 18 April 1994 and was subsequently disposed through the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 30 September 1994. Equipment from Greenling's control room was salvaged and used to construct a simulation of a submarine control room as an exhibit at the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington.

References

This article includes information collected from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and the Web site http://www.ussgreenling.com/