USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735)

USS "Pennsylvania" (SSBN-735), an "Ohio"-class ballistic missile submarine, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the second state.

The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 29 November 1982 and her keel was laid down on 10 January 1984. She was launched on 23 April 1988 sponsored by Mrs. Marilyn Garrett, and commissioned on 9 September 1989, with Captain Richard M. Camp commanding the Blue Crew and Captain A. Lee Edwards commanding the Gold Crew.

On 29 September 1989, "Pennsylvania" ran aground as it entered the channel during its first visit to Port Canaveral, Florida. Tugboats freed the submarine in about two hours. A Navy investigation determined that "Pennsylvania" was properly positioned in the channel, but the channel had been silted by the recent passing of Hurricane Hugo.

In 2001, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the Atlantic Fleet.

See USS "Pennsylvania" for other ships of the same name.

"Pennsylvania" in fiction

*In Tom Clancy's novel "Debt of Honor", the "Pennsylvania" is one of several submarines sent to deal with the Japanese invasion of the Marianas Islands. The 'boomer' becomes the first US nuclear submarine to sink an enemy combatant when she fires a torpedo at a JMSDF SSK-type submarine.
*The USS Pennsylvania serves as the focal point of several short stories by noted playwright and author Kenneth R. Greenfield.

External links

* [http://www.combatindex.com/hardware/images/sea/ssbn/ssbn730_01.jpgPhoto]
* [https://www.pennsylvania.navy.mil/index.asp] Official site

References