- USS Henry L. Stimson (SSBN-655)
USS "Henry L. Stimson" (SSBN-655), a "Benjamin Franklin"-class
ballistic missile submarine , was the only ship of theUnited States Navy to be named forHenry L. Stimson (1867–1950), who served as Secretary of State and of War.Her keel was laid down on
4 April 1964 by theElectric Boat Division ofGeneral Dynamics Corporation inGroton, Connecticut . She was launched on13 November 1965 sponsored by Grace Murphy Dodd, wife of SenatorThomas J. Dodd , and commissioned20 August 1966 with Captain Richard E. Jortberg (commanding the Blue Crew) and Commander Robert H. Weeks (commanding the Gold Crew).Following shakedown, "Henry L. Stimson" was assigned to Submarine Squadron 16 and departed
Charleston, South Carolina , on23 February 1967 on her first deterrent patrol.In 1971, "Henry L. Stimson" began her first overhaul, at Newport News Shipyard and Drydocking. In 1973, when she returned to duty, she no longer carried
Polaris A3 missile s, but rather the newPoseidon C3 missile s. Back in service, the boat was based atRota, Spain , while her crews lived inCharleston, South Carolina .In 1980, "Henry L. Stimson" was converted pierside at
Port Canaveral, Florida , fromPoseidon missile s to Trident-I missiles. Following that conversion, the boat changed homeports to Kings Bay, Georgia, where she was based for the rest of her career.Both decommissioned and stricken from the
Naval Vessel Registry on5 May 1993 , "Henry L. Stimson" went through the Navy's Nuclear PoweredShip and Submarine Recycling Program inBremerton, Washington , and ceased to exist on12 August 1994 .References
External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08655.htm navsource.org: USS "Henry L. Stimson"]
* [http://hazegray.org/danfs/submar/ssbn655.htm hazegray.org: USS "Henry L. Stimson"]
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