| USS James Monroe (SSBN-622) | |
|---|---|
 USS James Monroe (SSBN-622) | |
| Career (United States of America) |  |
| Namesake: | James Monroe (1758-1831), fifth President of the United States (1817-1825) |
| Ordered: | 3 February 1961 |
| Builder: | Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company |
| Laid down: | 31 July 1961 |
| Launched: | 4 August 1962 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Roswell L. Gilpatric |
| Commissioned: | 7 December 1963 |
| Decommissioned: | 25 September 1990 |
| Struck: | 25 September 1990 |
| Motto: | "Watchful Waiting" |
| Fate: | Scrapping via Ship-Submarine Recycling Program completed 10 January 1995 |
| Status: | Recycled |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Lafayette-class submarine |
| Type: | Ballistic missile submarine (hull design SCB-216)[1] |
| Displacement: |
7,250 long tons (7,370 t) surfaced 8,250 long tons (8,380 t) submerged |
| Length: | 425 ft (130 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draft: | 31 ft 6 in (9.60 m) |
| Propulsion: |
1 × S5W reactor 2 × Westinghouse geared turbines 15,000 shp (11,000 kW)[1] |
| Speed: |
20 knots (37 km/h) surfaced 25 knots (46 km/h) submerged |
| Complement: | Two crews (Blue Crew and Gold), 13 officers and 130 enlisted men each |
| Sensors and processing systems: | BQS-4 sonar[1] |
| Armament: |
4 × 21 in (533 mm) Mark 65 torpedo tubes with Mark 113 firecontrol system,[1] for Mark 48 torpedoes 16 × vertical tubes for Polaris or Poseidon ballistic missiles |
USS James Monroe (SSBN-622), a Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for James Monroe. She served with the United States Navy from 1963 to 1990.
Construction and commissioning[]
The contract to build James Monroe was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 3 February 1961 and her keel was laid down there on 31 July 1961. She was launched on 4 August 1962 sponsored by Mrs. Roswell L. Gilpatric, and commissioned on 7 December 1963, with Commander William H. Sandford in command of the Blue Crew and Commander Warren R. Cobean, Jr., in command of the Gold Crew.
Operational history[]
Following shakedown off Cape Kennedy, Florida, James Monroe spent the early months of 1964 in ballistic missile tests. She departed for her first deterrent patrol in June 1964. On 17 January 1967, James Monroe completed her twelfth deterrent patrol, having operated from both Holy Loch, Scotland, and Rota, Spain.
Decommissioning and disposal[]
James Monroe was decommissioned on 25 September 1990 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. Ex-James Monroe entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton, Washington. Recycling of Ex-James Monroe was completed on 10 January 1995.
References[]
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links[]
- This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
- Photo gallery of USS James Monroe (SSBN 622) at NavSource Naval History
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The original article can be found at USS James Monroe (SSBN-622) and the edit history here.