USS North Dakota (SSN-784)

North Dakota (SSN-784) will be a Virginia-class submarine. She will be the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the state of North Dakota. The contract to build her was awarded to Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Groton, Connecticut on 14 August 2003. This ship is the first of the Block III subs which will feature a revised bow, including some technology from cruise missile submarines.

Her name was announced on 15 July 2008. and her keel was laid down on 11 May 2012. She was floated on 15 September 2013 and is scheduled to be named on 2 November 2013, sponsored by Katie Fowler, wife of Vice Admiral Jeff Fowler.

Construction and Manning
The PCU North Dakota is undergoing initial construction and manning at Electric Boat Shipyard. Her initial manning Command Team is: Commanding Officer CDR Doug Gordon, Executive Officer LCDR Jeremiah Minner and Chief of the Boat ETCM(SS) Tim Preabt.

Ship's Crest
The Ship's Crest was launched on 24 August 2012 by Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley in the Great Hall at the North Dakota State Capitol. The final crest is the culmination of a design process that started with entries submitted by the ship's crew and North Dakota residents and ended with an impressive and extremely symbolic icon.

USS North Dakota proudly displays the ship's motto, "Strength from the Soil, Reapers of the Deep." "Strength from the soil" is taken from the State of North Dakota Coat of Arms and the Governor's Flag representing the connection between North Dakota and the State of North Dakota. "Reapers of the Deep" has a double meaning. It represents both the fighting spirit of the submarine warrior and the ties to the state's farm heritage of reapers, who cut grain in the fields.

The green ribbon on which the motto resides represents the agricultural community as well as the colors of the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University.

The overall shape of the crest is that of an Indian arrowhead, similar to that used on the North Dakota Coat of Arms. This represents the American Indian heritage of North Dakota.

Flanking the Indian arrowhead shape and acting as its serrated cutting edge is wheat. This represents the North Dakota farming community.

Prominently displayed on the crest are gold and silver six shooter revolvers. The front sights of the revolvers are formed by the gold and silver dolphins, representing the officer and enlisted submarine warfare community. Additionally, the revolvers represent the two tomahawk payload tubes the ship carries in arsenal. North Dakota is the first submarine to carry these payload tubes, each capable of carrying six Tomahawk Cruise Missiles.

The red and green eyes of the submarine dolphins mounted on the six shooter revolvers pays tribute to the port and starboard running lights of the professional mariner.

Across the revolver hand grips are the words "Rough Riders." This is a salute to the state's connection to President Roosevelt. The "Rough Riders" were volunteers from the plains during the Spanish American War. Members of the North Dakota National Guard as well as President Roosevelt's Rough Riders served in combat for one year in the Philippines, supporting its occupation following the Spanish American War.

Across the skyline is the silhouette of the first USS North Dakota (BB-29). BB-29 is additionally represented as one of the two gold stars flanking the words, "USS NORTH DAKOTA." SSN-784, the second warship to proudly bear the name, represents the second gold star in this banner.

At the base of the arrowhead outline are two horse heads, representing the Nakota horses that roamed the prairies of North Dakota.

In the night sky is the Constellation Orion. Orion, the hunter, signifies the warrior heart of the people of North Dakota and the war fighting crew of North Dakota.

Wrapping across the crest is a banner with two Native American tomahawks, representing the state's Native American Indian heritage and Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, one of the weapons capabilities North Dakota can employ.

Finally, prominently pushing through the ship's crest is a Virginia Class Submarine representing the sailors who man this great warship.