USS Batfish SSN-681: History, Patrols, Crews
Commissioning
The USS Batfish, (SSN-681 submarine, nuclear-powered) was a member of the Sturgeon class of nuclear fast attack submarines. It was the second U.S. Navy vessel, and second submarine, to be named after the fish. The first USS Batfish (SSN-310) served with distinction in World War II.
On June 25, 1968, the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp.’s Groton (Conn.) Shipyard received the contract to build the Batfish. Her keel was laid on Feb. 9, 1970; she was launched 20 months later, on Oct. 9, 1971. She joined the ranks of the Atlantic Fleet with her commissioning on Sept. 1, 1972, with Commander Richard E. Enkeboll in command of the Batfish’s original crew.
Underway
The Batfish made headlines for the wrong reasons early in her career. On Jan. 22, 1973, while leaving her homeport of Charleston, S.C., the Batfish ran aground and suffered damage to its bottom. After being freed by tugs, the Batfish returned to port for extensive repairs.
For the better part of three decades, the Batfish tracked the activities of Soviet (and later Russian) submarines in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. Though most of her work was done without fanfare, one 1978 patrol known as “Operation Evening Star” has become legend in the submarine community. On March 17, 1978, the Batfish was operating 200 miles above the Arctic Circle when it detected a Yankee I – class Soviet ballistic missile submarine operating nearby. The Batfish began trailing the Soviet submarine, losing it for only twice for brief periods of time over the next 50 days. In the process, the Batfish collected troves of information on Soviet submarine operating methods.
The Yankee I never knew it had been detected; indeed, the Soviets had no idea the incident had occurred until the 1980s, when Navy Petty Officer John Walker sold them information detailing it.
Decommissioning
Based in Charleston for virtually her entire career, the Batfish was decommissioned on March 17, 1999 and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. The Batfish entered the Navy’s Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bermerton, Wash., and on Nov. 22, 2002, was declared scrapped.
Characteristics of the USS Batfish
Displacement: 4195 tons light, 4501 tons full, 306 tons dead
Length: 89 m (292 ft)
Beam: 9.7 m (32 ft)
Draft: 8.8 m (29 ft)
Propulsion: Westinghouse S5W reactor, S3G3 Modified Core
Complement: 14 officers, 98 men
Armament: four 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Career:
Ordered: June 25, 1968
Laid down: Feb. 9, 1970
Launched: Oct. 9, 1971
Commissioned: Sept. 1, 1972
Decommissioned: March 17, 1999
Stricken: March, 17 1999
Fate: submarine recycling
Timeline:
June 1968: USS Batfish ordered
February 1970: Keel of USS Batfish laid
October 1971: USS Batfish launched
September 1972: USS Batfish commissioned
January 1973: USS Batfish runs aground off of Charleston, S.C.
March-May 1977: USS Batfish trails Soviet Yankee I-class submarine for 50 days without detection
March 1999: USS Batfish decommissioned
November 2002: USS Batfish scrapped
Crewmembers of the USS Batfish:
An unofficial list of crew members that served on the USS Batfish 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 Navysite.de.
James Mann (served September 1973-February 1977: “I am proud to have served and God bless all who followed.”
Lorne Day (served 1996-98): “Without a doubt the best boat I have ever served on. The guys were awesome and we were doing great things.”
Christopher Dino (served 1985-91): “Good memories….from time to time I am reminded of various crew members and wonder how/what they are doing.”
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Batfish_(SSN-681)
