USS Andrew Jackson (SSBN-619)

USS "Andrew Jackson" (SSBN-619), a "Lafayette"-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the seventh President of the United States.

The contract to build her was awarded to Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 23 July 1960 and her keel was laid down on 26 April 1961. She was launched on 15 September 1962 sponsored by Mrs. Estes Kefauver, and commissioned on 3 July 1963, with Commander Alfred J. Whittle in command of the Blue Crew and Commander James B. Wilson in command of the Gold Crew.

Following commissioning, the submarine sailed via the Panama Canal to the East Coast. On 1 October and 11 October, during shakedown training out of Cape Canaveral, Florida, she successfully launched Polaris A-2 missiles; and, on 26 October, she sent Polaris A-3X missiles into space in the first submerged launching of its type; and she repeated the feat on 11 November. Five days later and six days before his assassination, on 16 November 1963, President John F. Kennedy — embarked in USS|Observation Island|EAG-154 — observed "Andrew Jackson" launch another Polaris A-2 missile from a point off Cape Canaveral and congratulated Comdr. Wilson and his crew for "impressive teamwork."

"Andrew Jackson" was decommissioned on 31 August 1989 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 31 August 1989. Ex-"Andrew Jackson" entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton, Washington, and on 30 August 1999 ceased to exist.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a8/andrew_jackson-ii.htm
*NVR