USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636), probably during her sea trials off New England in 1964-1965. |
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| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | USS Nathanael Greene |
| Namesake: | Nathanael Greene (1746-1782), a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War |
| Ordered: | 21 July 1961 |
| Builder: | Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine |
| Laid down: | 21 May 1962 |
| Launched: | 12 May 1964 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Neander W. Wade |
| Commissioned: | 19 December 1964 |
| Decommissioned: | 15 December 1986 |
| Struck: | 31 January 1987 |
| Fate: | Scrapping via Ship-Submarine Recycling Program began 1 September 1998 and completed 20 October 2000 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | James Madison-class submarine |
| Displacement: | 7,250 long tons (7,366 t) surfaced 8,250 long tons (8,382 t) submerged 6,700 long tons (6,808 t) light |
| Length: | 425 ft (130 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draft: | 31 ft 5 in (9.58 m) |
| Installed power: | 15,000 shp (11,185 kW) |
| Propulsion: | One S5W pressurized-water nuclear reactor, two geared steam turbines, one shaft |
| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) surfaced 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) submerged |
| Test depth: | 1,300 ft (400 m) |
| Complement: | Two crews (Blue Crew and Gold Crew) of 14 officers and 126 men each |
| Armament: | • 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes forward • 16 × ballistic missile tubes |
USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636), a James Madison-class fleet ballistic missile submarine, was one of three ships of the United States Navy to be named for Major General Nathanael Greene (1746–1782), who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.a
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Nathanael Greene's keel was laid down on 21 May 1962 at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 12 May 1964, sponsored by Mrs. Neander W. Wade, a descendant of Nathanael Greene, and commissioned on 19 December 1964 with Commander Robert E. Crispin in command of the Blue Crew and Commander William M. Cossaboom in command of the Gold Crew.
Nathanael Greene departed Portsmouth for shakedown on 30 December 1964, with her Gold Crew embarked; it was relieved on 1 February 1965 by the Blue Crew. Her shakedown period was followed by repairs and alterations at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, after which the submarine, with her Blue Crew embarked, departed the shipyard for ballistic missile loading and her initial Polaris missile deterrent patrol.
In 1970-1971 the Nathanael Greene was refueled and received its conversion to launch Poseidon missiles at Newport News Shipbuilding. Following Yard period and Shakedown, the Greene proceeded to Cape Canaveral for a test missile launch. In March 1972 the Greene departed for her first deterrent patrol following conversion ending up in Holy Loch, Scotland.
On 13 March 1986 Nathanael Greene ran aground in the Irish Sea, suffering severe damage to her rudder and ballast tanks. Her grounding was the first serious accident involving a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. She was deactivated while still in commission in May 1987.
Nathanael Greene was decommissioned on 15 December 1986 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 31 January 1987. Her removal from service allowed the United States to comply easily with the ballistic missile limits of the SALT II strategic arms limitation treaty.
Nathanael Greene entered the U.S. Navy's Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bremerton, Washington, on 1 September 1998. Her scrapping was completed on 20 October 2000.
Nathanael Greene's sail has been restored and is now on display in Port Canaveral, Florida as a memorial to the original "41 for Freedom" fleet ballistic missile submarines.
^a Both ships of the name USS General Greene also were named for him.
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