USS Columbus (SSN-762)

USS Columbus (SSN-762), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Columbus, Ohio. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 21 March 1986 and her keel was laid down on 9 January 1991. She was launched on 1 August 1992 sponsored by Mrs. Margaret DeMars, and commissioned on 24 July 1993 with Commander Carl M. Smeigh, Jr. in command.

Operational history
Columbus completed a Post Shipyard Availability in June 1994 in Groton, Connecticut after initial construction and shakedown operations. In September 1994, the ship conducted an interfleet transfer to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and joined the U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force. Columbus deployed to the Western Pacific in late 1995 through early 1996 and conducted a variety of operations as a unit of the U.S. 7th Fleet along the way making port visits in Hong Kong, Subic Bay, Guam, and Yokosuka, Japan.

Columbus was the first Submarine equipped with the BYG-1 Fire Control System in December 2002. Two successful test launches of Tactical Tomahawk (Block IV) cruise missiles were conducted in late May 2003 from USS Columbus (SSN 762), underway in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. Columbus departed Pearl Harbor for another western Pacific deployment in late 2003 and visited Chinhae, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan while taking part in Annual-Ex 2003(exercise) with various units of the Japanese Navy Defense force.

Following a modernization refit at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton Washington the Columbus returned to Submarine Squadron Seven in Pearl Harbor and departed Pearl Harbor in March 2008 for a regularly scheduled six-month deployment. Deployed with the Seventh Fleet, Columbus supported national taskings and theater security cooperation efforts while making port visits in Saipan, Guam, Okinawa, Sasebo, and Yokosuka, Japan. In January 2009 Columbus won the Submarine Squadron 7 Battle Efficiency (Battle "E") award, given to the submarine crew that best demonstrates technical proficiency and continual mission readiness throughout the year. CDR David Minyard relieved CDR Doody as Commanding Officer on 8 May 2009. In July 2009, the Chief of Naval Operations announced that the ship was the Pacific Fleet winner of the Calendar Year 2008 Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy.

The Columbus returned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in August 2012 after completing a six-month deployment that included 7th fleet and national mission taskings along with port visits to Japan, South Korea, and Guam while under the command of Cmdr. David Youtt.

Awards

 * 1995
 * Pacific Fleet Golden Anchor Award
 * Red Engineering "E"
 * Yellow Medical "M"


 * 1996
 * Meritorious Unit Commendation


 * 1997
 * Supply Blue "E"


 * 1998
 * Pacific Fleet Silver Anchor Award
 * Engineering "E"
 * Deck Seamanship


 * 2002
 * Red Green Navigational “N”


 * 2003
 * Navy Unit Commendation
 * Tactical “T"
 * Communications “C”


 * 2004
 * Medical “M”


 * 2008
 * Department of the Navy Safety Excellence Award
 * Battle "E", Damage Control 'DC', Navigation 'N', Communications 'C', and Supply Blue 'E'
 * Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy