USS John Marshall
USS John Marshall (SSBN-611)
| |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USS John Marshall (SSBN/SSN-611) |
Namesake | Named for John Marshall (1755–1835), the Chief Justice of the United States. |
Ordered | 1 July 1959 |
Builder | Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company |
Laid down | 4 April 1960 |
Launched | 15 July 1961 |
Sponsored by | Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy |
Commissioned | 21 May 1962 |
Decommissioned | 22 July 1992 |
Reclassified | Attack submarine, SSN-611, 12 January 1981[1] |
Stricken | 22 July 1992 |
Fate | Disposed of via Ship and Submarine Recycling Program 29 March 1993 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type |
|
Displacement | 6,900 tons surfaced 7,900 tons submerged |
Length | 410 feet 4 inches (125.07 m) |
Beam | 33.1 feet (10.1 m) |
Draft | 27 feet 5 inches (8.36 m) |
Propulsion | S5W reactor – two geared steam turbines – one shaft |
Speed | 16 knots surfaced, 21 knots (24 mph; 39 km/h) submerged |
Test depth | 1,300 feet (400 m) |
Complement | 12 Officers and 128 Enlisted (two crews Blue and Gold) |
Armament |
|
USS John Marshall (SSBN-611) was an
Construction and commissioning
John Marshall's keel was laid down on 4 April 1960 by
Robert W. Stecher commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Robert D. Donavan commanding the Gold Crew.Service as a fleet ballistic missile submarine, 1962 – 1980
John Marshall began her sea trials on 8 April 1962. On 21 May, John Marshall joined the
From 4 April 1963 to 30 November 1966, the Blue and Gold crews conducted a total of seventeen deterrent patrols from Holy Loch, Scotland.
On 13 December 1966, John Marshall started her first major overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding. The overhaul was completed in April 1968. After the post-overhaul shakedown, she loaded ballistic missiles at
She conducted her 26th through 37th deterrent patrols from Rota. She was awarded her first Meritorious Unit Commendation as a result of an operation conducted in March 1971 that demonstrated the effectiveness and dependability of the fleet ballistic missile system. In June 1973, she returned to New London, Connecticut, for a dependents cruise, then conducted two deterrent patrols from Charleston, South Carolina.
On 1 November 1974, John Marshall began her second
Service as an attack submarine, 1981 – 1992
On 12 January 1981,
John Marshall arrived in
, Portugal. She returned to Charleston on 21 May 1982, twenty years to the day after she was commissioned.In September 1983, John Marshall again transferred to the Pacific Fleet and arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton, Washington, on 29 September to start her third overhaul. She (along with her sister, USS Sam Houston (SSBN-609))[4] was modified to support operations. This included the installation of additional troop berthing, the removal of some ballistic missile tube bases, and the conversion of other ballistic missile tubes into
On 15 December 1986, John Marshall began her transit for her second deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. The deployment included several exercises and a demonstration of her unique
In September 1987, John Marshall conducted a special operational demonstration near
On 1 May 1989, after conducting a variety of exercises with aircraft carrier battlegroups and other submarines, John Marshall departed for her third Mediterranean deployment. It was the first time a submarine had deployed anywhere in the world with two dry deck shelters on board, adding a unique flexibility and endurance to the fleet commander for
John Marshall conducted three special warfare training exercises in the Caribbean Sea in 1990, including a highly successful exercise that featured the employment of submarine-launched mobile mines.
On 26 January 1991, John Marshall departed Norfolk for her fourth and final deployment to the Mediterranean. Equipped once again with two dry deck shelters, she operated in direct support of
In September 1991, John Marshall served as flagship for the largest submarine special warfare exercise since World War II. Over 191 personnel, including three flag officers, U.S. Navy SEALs, and United States Army special forces, embarked to conduct joint special operations during Exercise Phantom Shadow.
John Marshall transited to the Pacific in early 1992 to begin deactivation at
Commemoration
John Marshall's ship's bell is on display at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.
In 2012, BIC issued a series of lighters commemorating the United States Armed Forces, with proceeds benefiting the
Notes
- ^ NavSource Online (at http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08611.htm) claims the reclassification occurred on 1 May 1981.
- ^ Adcock, Al. (1993), U.S. Ballistic Missile Submarines, Carrolltown, Texas: Squadron Signal, p. 20
- ^ NavSource Online (at http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08611.htm) dates the reclassification 1 May 1981.
- ^ a b Adcock, Al. (1993), U.S. Ballistic Missile Submarines, Carrolltown, Texas: Squadron Signal, p. 17
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.