HMCS Ojibwa (S72)

HMCS Ojibwa (S72) was an Oberon-class submarine that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and later the Canadian Forces Maritime Command (MARCOM). Originally intended for service with the Royal Navy as HMS Onyx (S72), the submarine was transferred to Canadian ownership before completion, and entered RCN service in 1965. Ojibwa operated primarily with Maritime Forces Atlantic until her decommissioning in 1998. In 2010, Ojibwa was laid up at CFB Halifax awaiting disposal, with the Elgin Military Museum planning to preserve her as a museum vessel. On May 26, 2012, Ojibwa started her trip from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Hamilton, Ontario by way of the St. Lawrence Seaway. She stayed in Hamilton at Heddle Marine Dockyards being repainted and fitted with specialized transport cradles that would allow her to be moved across land. In November 2012, Ojibwa made the final leg of her journey by way of the Welland Canal and then Lake Erie from Hamilton to Port Burwell, Ontario, where she is now open for visitors. She is now the new focal point of a planned Museum of Naval History to be built alongside.

Construction
Ojibwa was laid down on 27 September 1962 at Chatham Dockyard, Chatham and launched on 29 February 1964. She was commissioned into the RCN on 23 September 1965 with pennant number 72. She was originally ordered for the Royal Navy as HMS Onyx (S72), but the hull was transferred to the RCN prior to completion.

Operational history
She served virtually her entire career with Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) in the North Atlantic, except for a short deployment to British Columbia with Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) in 1977 and 1997.

Decommissioning and fate
She was decommissioned from MARCOM in May 1998.

In May 2005, the Halifax Chronicle-Herald announced that MARCOM was looking to sell Ojibwa for scrap metal, along with three other Canadian Oberons. MARCOM stated that the submarines were not in suitable condition to be used as museum ships and predicted that each submarine would sell for between C$50,000 and C$60,000. Ojibwa is now in Port Burwell, Ontario and is now open for tours. A Museum of Naval History will be constructed alongside and the OJIBWA is a key attraction. On 11 June 2010, it was reported that the Ojibwa would be moved by BMT Fleet Technology Ltd to become part of the collection of the Elgin Military Museum at St. Thomas, Ontario. If so, it will be the tenth boat from a class of 27 to be preserved as a museum ship.

On Dec 2,2011, it was announced that Department of National Defence had approved the transfer of Ojibwa to Elgin Military Museum Press Release Here subject to satisfaction of financial requirements

On May 26, 2012, Tugs FLORENCE M and LAC MANITOBA and tow HM-1 helped transfer HMCS OJIBWA (S 72) from Halifax, NS, Canada to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. On November 18, 2012, HMCS OJIBWA on the barge HM08 was towed from Hamilton thru the Welland Canal to Port Burwell by the tugs LAC MANITOBA and SEAHOUND.

The sub arrived in Port Burwell on November 20 after a short journey and is now part of a new Museum of Naval History and open for visitors/tours.