12-30 History |
fortyrod |
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Great Sage of the Sea Posts: 853 | Subject: 12-30 History 12-30-1959 Commissioning of first fleet ballistic missile submarine, USS George Washington (SSBN)598), at Groton, CT. | ||
Thomas Courtien |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1890 Location: Patterson, New York | Subject: RE: 12-30 History I was aboard the 598 once in Rota while serving on the tender in 1973. She carried the A-3 Polaris and I had to help the crew with some maintenance work. My recollection is that she seemed at that time old and tired compared to the newer 657 and 658 boats that I served on. Still it was the lead boat of a fleet of an American engineering feat which I still find amazing - firing missiles from underwater and actually hitting a target area 2,500 miles away. | ||
Ric |
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Plankowner Posts: 9165 Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: 12-30 History George Washington was originally laid down as the attack submarine USS Scorpion (SSN-589). During construction, she was lengthened by the insertion of a 130 ft long ballistic missile section and renamed George Washington; another submarine under construction at the time received the original name and hull number. Inside George Washington's forward escape hatch, a plaque remained bearing her original name. Because the ballistic missile compartment design of George Washington was intended to be reused in later ship classes, the section inserted into George Washington was designed with a deeper test depth rating than the rest of the submarine. | ||
Runner485 |
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COMSUBBBS Posts: 2672 Location: New Jersey | Subject: RE: So what you're saying is that, if the forward end of the boat went way below it's crush depth and imploded, if you were in the missile compartment you would be safe and float to the surface???? | ||
Tom McNulty |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1455 | Subject: RE: 12-30 History I didn't know that. I thought it was just the missile tubes themselves. The thought process was it would contain the missiles intact in case the boat sank. Then they wouldn't crush and release all those nasty things into the ocean. Howsomeever, I don't know what the test depth is/was. | ||
Sewer Pipe Snipe |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1796 Location: Albany, GA. | Subject: RE: 12-30 History One could venture to say "Yes you do, you just ain't talking!" | ||