- USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636)
USS "Nathanael Greene" (SSBN-636), a "James Madison"-class
submarine , was one of three ships of theUnited States Navy to be named forMajor General Nathanael Greene , who served in theContinental Army during theAmerican Revolutionary War . Both ships of the nameUSS General Greene were also named for him.Her keel was laid down on
21 May 1962 at thePortsmouth Naval Shipyard inKittery, Maine . She was launched12 May 1964 sponsored by Mrs. Neander W. Wade, a descendant of GeneralNathanael Greene , and commissioned on19 December 1964 with Commander Robert E. Crispin in command of the Blue Crew and Commander William M. Cossaboom in command of the Gold Crew."Nathanael Greene" departed Portsmouth for shakedown on
30 December 1964 , with her Gold Crew embarked. They were relieved1 February 1965 by the Blue Crew. Her shakedown period was followed by availability at Portsmouth, after which the submarine, with Blue Crew embarked, departed Portsmouth for a missile loadout and her initialPolaris missile deterrent patrol.On
13 March 1986 "Nathanael Greene" ran aground in theIrish Sea , suffering severe damage to her rudder and ballast tanks. Deactivated while still in commission in May, she was decommissioned on15 December and stricken from theNaval Vessel Register on31 January 1987 ."Nathanael Greene's" grounding was the first serious accident involving an American nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, but her removal from service allowed the
United States to easily comply with the missile limits of theSALT II Treaty.ex-"Nathanael Greene" began the Navy's Nuclear Powered
Ship and Submarine Recycling Program inBremerton, Washington , on1 September 1998 . On20 October 2000 , she ceased to exist."Nathanael Greene's" sail has been restored and is now on display in
Port Canaveral ,Florida as a memorial to the original 41 fleet ballistic missile submarines.References
* This article includes information collected from the
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .
* [http://www.ssbn636.org/ SSBN636.org]
* [http://www.ussvi.org/mem/state-fl.htm United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.]External links
* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/SSBN636.htm NVR SSBN-636]
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