USS Alexander Hamilton SSBN 617: History, Patrols, Crews

USS Alexander Hamilton SSBN 617- The Beginning

The USS Alexander Hamilton, (SSBN-617) laid down her keel in June 1961 in Groton, Connecticut by the Electric Boat Company. The submarine was launched in August 1962.

The USS Alexander Hamilton was commissioned on June 27, 1963. The ship was staffed with two crews to man the ship alternately for maximum use. The crews named, the Blue crew and the Gold crew, were led by Commander Norman B. Bessac, in command of the Blue crew, and Commander Benjamin F. Sherman, Jr., in command of the Gold crew.

The USS Alexander Hamilton underwent two shakedown cruises for both the Blue and the Gold crews. Shortly thereafter, the ship headed for the east coast to get ready to deploy to Rota, Spain. The submarine conducted deterrent patrols through 1964 as a unit of Submarine Squadron 16. In January 1965, the USS Alexander Hamilton was transferred to Submarine Squadron 14 in Holy Loch, Scotland. She carried out patrols through June 1967. The ship returned to the United States and began her first overhaul and nuclear refueling.

The overhaul was completed in June 1968 and the ship went through shakedown training. In November 1968, she was deployed to Rota, Spain and conducted deterrent patrols for the next four years as a unit of SubRon 16. The Hamilton’s patrols were completed in November 1972 and she returned to Charleston, South Carolina.

USS Alexander Hamilton SSBN 617- Moving Along

In January 1973, the USS Alexander Hamilton began her second refueling overhaul and a conversion for capability to carry Poseidon missiles. It took over two years to complete the modifications. In April 1975, the submarine conducted shakedown and training through the remainder of the year.

The submarine completed her 32nd and 33rd deterrent patrols in Holy Loch, Scotland in early 1976. The Hamilton continued the next three patrols from the same base. Its 36th patrol concluded in Charleston, South Carolina in March 1977 where she underwent refit and training before returning once again to Holy Loch.

The USS Alexander Hamilton missile submarine completed patrols 39 and 40 from Holy Loch. The 41st patrol concluded in Charleston, South Carolina in July 1978. The submarine was sent to New London, Connecticut in September to exchange crews before starting patrol number 42 that would end in Holy Loch. The Hamilton made four more patrols from the Scotland base over the next year. The ship continued several deterrent patrols through the early 1980s through 1986.

The Navy originally planned to decommission the Hamilton as a goodwill gesture to comply with the SALT II treaty. She was sent to Groton, Connecticut to start deactivation procedures. Unexpectedly, the USS Nathaniel Green SSBN-636 was grounded so the Navy decided to change plans and overhaul the USS Alexander Hamilton to keep it in active service.

USS Alexander Hamilton SSBN 617- The End of an Era

In April 1986, the USS Alexander Hamilton was sent to Charleston, South Carolina to conduct other work and training services. In June 1986, the ship was returned to Groton, Connecticut where the submarine was used for training cruises for the United States Naval Academy.
In August 1986, the USS Alexander Hamilton was sent to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington for refueling and overhaul.

In February 1993, the Hamilton was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval register.
On February 28, 1994, the USS Alexander Hamilton was disposed of through the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program and ceased to exist.

Characteristics of the USS Alexander Hamilton

Historical Timeline of the USS Alexander Hamilton

The following are some of the USS Alexander Hamilton historical milestones during the life of the ship from 1961 through 1994:

• June 1961 – USS Alexander Hamilton keel laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, CT
• August 1962 – USS Alexander Hamilton launched
• June 1963 – USS Alexander Hamilton commissioned; carried out shakedown operations for each crew
• March 1964 – USS Alexander Hamilton departed the east coast to Rota, Spain; conducted deterrent patrols for the remainder of 1964 as a unit of SubRon 16
• January 1965 – USS Alexander Hamilton transferred to SubRon 14 in Holy Loch, Scotland; conducted patrols through June 1867 and then returned to Charleston, SC
• June 1967 – USS Alexander Hamilton moved to New London, CT to the Electric Boat Company for first overhaul and nuclear refueling procedures
• June 1968 – USS Alexander Hamilton completed overhaul and underwent post-overhaul trials and shakedown training through October 1968
• November 1968 – USS Alexander Hamilton deployed to Rota, Spain; conducted deterrent patrol in route to new base
• December 1968 – The USS Alexander Hamilton arrived in Spain; operated in SubRon 16 for the next four years; concluded 31st deterrent patrol and returned to Charleston, SC in November 1972
• January 1973 – USS Alexander Hamilton went through second refueling overhaul; converted to capability to carry Poseidon missiles; modifications took two years to complete
• April 1975 – USS Alexander Hamilton carried out shakedown operations and training; conducted 32nd and 33rd deterrent patrols in early 1976
• May 1976 – USS Alexander Hamilton completed patrol 33 at Holy Loch, Scotland; conducted next three patrols from Holy Loch; stopped in Port Canaveral, FL and New London, CT on patrol 36 and concluded in Charleston, SC in March 1977
• January 1986 – USS Alexander Hamilton decommissioned to remove ship from fleet as a goodwill gesture in compliance with terms on the SALT II treaty; ship sent to Groton, CT to begin preparations for deactivation; grounding of USS Nathaniel Green SSBN 636; Navy decides to maintenance on Hamilton to prepare for active service; sent to Charleston, SC for further maintenance
• June 1986 – The USS Alexander Hamilton returned to Groton, CT and underwent training cruises for United States Naval Academy
• October 1987 – The USS Alexander Hamilton departs Groton, CT and heads to Bremerton, WA for refueling overhaul
• February 1993 – The USS Alexander Hamilton decommissioned and struck from Naval register
• February 1994 – The USS Alexander Hamilton disposed of in Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton, WA

Crews of the USS Alexander Hamilton

An unofficial list of crew members that served on the USS Alexander Hamilton can be found on the unofficial navy website at: http://navysite.de. This list is compiled by former crewmembers that voluntarily register. Some quoted comments from former crewmembers are listed below; many more are available on the source website at the following web address: http://www.navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&ship=ssbn_617.

Kendall Conrad: (Served from November 1961 – June 1965) “Plankowner. Alpha Testing. On board when Thresher went down. First three Gold Patrols. Still keep in touch with some of those guys, Great Group. Came a TMSN left a TM2(SS).”

George Murray: (Served from November 1963 – May 1968) “Reported during PSA at Groton; rode to Chasn for loadout; then 7 Blue patrols, including MCC flood. Underground news Big Norm’s Gazette named for 1st CO Bessac. Great ship!”

Carl Cash: (Served from June 1973 – February 1977) “I went through the overhaul in Newport News Shipyard and subsequent shakedown cruise and made two deterrent patrols.”

Kevin Kalmbach: (Served September 1982 – July 1986) “Had some “interesting” times in 8 Patrols. Learned things I still use. This ship was manned by the finest people and crew in the Navy. Wish I could have known it at the time. Hope to hear from some of ya.”

Kevin Myers: (Served 1989 – April 1991) “This was the first of two subs I was on the boat was in Bremerton, WA when I arrived and Seattle was a Awesome City to visit. I did two patrols on this submarine and through our travels I saw parts of Florida and Scotland. I made lots of friends.”

Joe Blair: (Served April 1990 – October 1991) “Made final patrol on Alexander Hamilton. Took her through the Panama Canal. Port Calls in San Diego, Hawaii and finally Bangor before leaving active duty.”