USS Guardfish (SSN-612)

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Career

Awarded:	9 June 1960
Laid down:	28 February 1961
Launched:	15 May 1965
Commissioned:	20 December 1966
Fate:	submarine recycling
Stricken:	4 February 1992
General Characteristics
Displacement:	3770 tons
Length:	279 feet
Beam:	32 feet
Draft:	29 feet
Speed:	16 knots
Complement:	99 officers and men
Armament:	four 21-inch torpedo tubes

USS Guardfish (SSN-612), a Thresher-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the guardfish, a voracious green and silvery fish with elongated pike-like body and long narrow jaws.

The contract to build her was awarded to New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey on 9 June 1960 and her keel was laid down on 28 February 1961. She was launched on 15 May 1965 sponsored by Mrs. Kenneth E. Belieu, wife of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and commissioned on 20 December 1966 with Commander Gulmer A. Hines, Jr. in command.

25 years of history go here

Command History USS GUARDFISH (SSN-612) was built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey. The Keel was laid on 28 February 1961, and the ship was launched on 15 May 1965. On 20 December 1966, USS GUARDFISH was placed in commission. Commander G. A. Hines, Jr., USN, assumed command. GUARDFISH departed Camden, New Jersey, on 15 February 1967, and commenced shakedown training, conducting exercises in the San Juan, Puerto Rico area. Upon completion of these exercises, GUARDFISH transited the Panama Canal and joined the Pacific Fleet as a unit of Submarine Squadron Seven, homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She participated in several submarine operations in the Pacific, steaming over 40,000 miles in her first year at sea.

On 13 January 1968, Commander H. A. Benton, USN, assumed command. After conducting a variety of submarine missions and exercises including her first six month Western Pacific deployment, GUARDFISH returned to Atlantic waters to commence an overhaul at Ingalls Nuclear Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, Mississippi.

On 4 November 1970, Commander D.C. Minton III, USN, assumed command. After overhaul, the ship returned to the Pacific as a unit of Submarine Squadron SEVEN. GUARDFISH participated in various submarine operations in the Pacific, for which she received the Navy Unit Commendation.

On 15 December 1972, Commander B. G. Balderston, USN, assumed command. On 31 March 1973, Commander W. S. Rich, USN, assumed command. On 14 August 1974, GUARDFISH completed her 612th successful dive. GUARDFISH also underwent refueling at Mare Island Shipyard in 1974 and went on WestPac. GUARDFISH departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in June 1975, to change homeport to Vallejo, California.

On 9 July 1975, Lieutenant Commander G. H. Kanady, Jr., USN, assumed command. GUARDFISH entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard in August 1975 for regular overhaul, and returned to sea in July 1977, changing homeport to San Diego, California, as an operational unit of Submarine Squadron THREE. In January 1979, GUARDFISH completed a six month deployment to the Western Pacific.

On 9 February 1979, Commander R. E. Vaughan, USN, assumed command. GUARDFISH departed on a six month Western Pacific Deployment in 1980 and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for operations during its deployment.

On 2 July 1982, Commander D. A. Oltraver, USN, assumed command. The ship won the ASW "E" and Communications "C" in both 1982 and 1983, and was awarded the Silver Anchor Award in the spring of 1984 for her outstanding retention program. GUARDFISH entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard for regular overhaul in September 1983 and completed the overhaul in August 1985.

On 24 August 1985, Commander T. W. Hack, USN, assumed command. GUARDFISH returned from a most successful six month Western Pacific Deployment in January 1987, for which she was awarded her third Navy Unit Commendation. GUARDFISH was also awarded the Silver Anchor Award for 1985 and 1986, and won the Submarine Squadron Three Battle Efficiency "E", ASW "A" , Supply "E" and the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for most improved ship in battle efficiency in the Pacific Fleet for Fiscal Year 1987.

On 7 November 1987, Commander J. B. Bryant, USN, assumed command. GUARDFISH conducted two Western Pacific deployments and a three month Selective Restrictive Availability between September 1988 and October 1990. The ship earned the Deck Seamanship Award for three consecutive years, 1988 through 1990, and was awarded the Silver Anchor and Battle "E" Awards in Fiscal Year 1989.

On 17 November 1990, Commander P. M. Higgins, USN, assumed command. GUARDFISH conducted a Northern Pacific Deployment before changing homeport in June 1991 to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington. The ship entered an inactivation availability in July 1991, and was decommissioned on 4 February 1992. GUARDFISH earned the Silver Dolphin flag in 1991 for Enlisted Warfare Qualification excellence.

SPECIFICATIONS Displacement: 3750 (surf.), 4400 (subm.); Length: 279'; Beam: 31.7'; Speed: 15 K. (surf.), 20+k. (subm.); Depth: 400+; Weapons: 4-21" tt fwd.; Complement: 12 officers - 94 enlisted men; Class: PERMIT

USS GUARDFISH SSN-612 CAPTAINS CDR G. A. HINES DEC66 - JAN68 CDR H. A. BENTON JAN68 - NOV70 CDRD. C. MINTON, III NOV70 - DEC72 CDR B. G. BALDERSTON DEC72 - MAR73 CDR W. S. RICH MAR73 - JUL75 LCDR G. H. KANADY JUL75 - FEB79 CDR R. E. VAUGHAN FEB79 - JUL82 CDR D. A. OLTRAVER JUL82 - AUG85 CDR T. W. HACK AUG85 - 07NOV87 CDR J. B. BRYANT 07NOV87 - 09NOV90 CDR P. M. HIGGINS - 09NOV90-DECOMM

Guardfish was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 4 February 1992. Her hulk entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program and ceased to exist on 9 July 1992.