USS Flying Fish (SSN-673)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Flying Fish.

USS Flying Fish (SSN-673) off Norfolk, Virginia, ca. 1972–1973.
History
United States
Name	USS Flying Fish
Namesake	The flying fish
Ordered	15 July 1966
Builder	Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation at Groton, Connecticut
Laid down	30 June 1967
Launched	17 May 1969
Sponsored by	Mrs. John W. Harvey
Commissioned	29 April 1970
Decommissioned	16 May 1996
Stricken	16 May 1996
Honors and awards	Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for U.S. Atlantic Fleet 1976
Fate	Scrapping via Ship and Submarine Recycling Program completed 15 October 1996
General characteristics
Class and type	Sturgeon-class attack submarine
Displacement	3,978 long tons (4,042 t) light 4,270 long tons (4,339 t) full 292 long tons (297 t) dead
Length	292 ft 3 in (89.08 m)
Beam	31 ft 8 in (9.65 m)
Draft	28 ft 8 in (8.74 m)
Installed power	15,000 shaft horsepower (11.2 megawatts)
Propulsion	One S5W nuclear reactor, two steam turbines, one screw
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) surfaced 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) submerged
Test depth	1,300 feet (396 meters)
Complement	109 (14 officers, 95 enlisted men)
Armament	4 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes

USS Flying Fish (SSN-673), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flying fish, any of number of fishes whose long winglike fins make it possible for them to move some distance through the air.

Construction and commissioning

The contract to build Flying Fish was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 15 July 1966 and her keel was laid down there on 30 June 1967. She was launched on 17 May 1969, sponsored by Mrs. John W. Harvey, widow of the last commanding officer of USS THRESHER, and commissioned on 29 April 1970.

Service history

• 6/30/1967 - Keel laid at Electric Boat (EB) in Groton, CT
• 5/17/1969 - Launched at EB Groton, Mrs. John W. Harvey was sponsor, widow of Thresher SSN-593 CO^[1]
• 4/1/1970 - Delivered to Navy
• 4/29/1970 - Commissioned at Groton, CO is CDR Donald C. Sheldon, Assigned to Subron 6 Norfolk
• 2/13/1973 - CDR James D. Williams relieved CDR Sheldon as CO
• 11/14/1973 - PNSY for extensive overhaul (Approx 1 year)
• 5/22/1976 - CDR Thomas A. Meinecke relieved CDR Williams as CO
• 4/10/1976 - Visits Bremerhaven, Germany 4–8 OCT^[2]
• In 1976, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the United States Atlantic Fleet.

• 4/29/1977 - Surfaced at North pole at midnight and remained there for 12 hours. She was 11th to visit and 10th to surface at the pole. Dr. Waldo Lyon aboard. CDR Thomas A. Meinecke is CO (SUBICEX1-77)^[3]
• 6/6/1977 - Returned to Norfolk from polar cruise. Entered Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for overhaul, late 1977.
• 12/1978 completed overhaul and deployed for sea trials. Once sea trials completed joined Subron 6 stationed at D&S Piers in Norfolk, VA.
• 4/1979 -6/79 - Completed torpedo range certification, Bahamas and visit Rosey Roads, Puerto Rico.
• 10/79-12/79 - Deployed to northern Atlantic for "Spec Op," awarded Navy Expeditionary Medal.
• 4/1980 USS Flying Fish awarded Battle Efficiency "E," for operations excellence.
• 7/8/1980 - CDR Steven J. Loucks relieved CDR T. A. Meinecke as CO, 7/1980 - Deployed to Mediterranean.
• 12/10/1980 - Returned to Norfolk after 5 months med deployment, visiting ports including Athens, Greece, Naples, Italy, La Spezia, Italy, and Ashdod, Israel
• 4/12/1981 - USS Flying Fish provided for Atlantic Ocean security for first Space Shuttle launch.
• 10/1981 - 12/1981 Deployed to northern Atlantic for "Spec Op," awarded Navy Expeditionary Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation.
• 4/1/1983 - CDR Joseph T. Lario relieved CDR Steven J. Loucks as CO
• 6/30/1983 - In port, Port Everglades, FLA
• 7/23/1984 -Returned to Norfolk after 5 months med deployment, visiting La Spezia, Italy and Ashdod, Israel
• 6/10/1985 - Arrived New London for Refresher training
• 2/6/1986 - CDR Robert L. Hendricks relieved CDR. J.T. Lario as CO
• 7/15/1986 - Began overhaul at Puget Sound NSY
• 1/15/1988 - Completed overhaul at Puget sound NSY
• 11/5/1988 - Rejoined Subron 6 at Norfolk Naval Base after 2 1/2 years extended overhaul at PSNSY
• 4/3/1989 - CDR Stanley J Mack assumes command
• 3/5/1990 - Returned to Norfolk from 6 mo. Med Cruise
• 10/11/1991 - CDR Louis T Roumaya relieved CDR Stanley J Mack as CO at Naval station Norfolk
• 11/24/1993 - CDR Wiley Robert Deal, Jr. assumes command
• 11/14/1994 - Returned to Norfolk from 4-month med and S. Atlantic cruise, visited Toulon, La Maddalena, Gibraltar. Roosevelt Roads, Curaçao and Bridgeport, Barbados

May 1995 Mine laying exercises, Joint Service Special Warfare operations - Operational Test Launch of Tomahawk cruise missile.

• 7/10/1995 - Inactivation at Norfolk
• 10/20/1995 - Placed "in reserve, in commission" from the active fleet for decommissioning. Recycling start date
• 5/16/1996 - Decommissioned at Puget Sound NSY, She had nine commanding Officers and steamed 600.000 miles. Strike date.
• 10/15/1996 - Recycling completed

Decommissioning and disposal

Flying Fish was decommissioned on 16 May 1996 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. Her scrapping via the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, was completed on 15 October 1996.

References

1. "USS Flying Fish SSN673". Archived from the original on 9 April 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
2. https://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=32729&dt=2082&dl=1345 ^{[bare URL]}
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2015.

•  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.
• NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive Flying Fish (SSN-673)