Commissioning
The USS Parche, (SSN-683 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 small fish.
The contract to build the Parche was awarded Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Miss., on June 25, 1968. Her keel was laid down on Dec. 10, 1970; she was launched on Jan. 13, 1973. The Parche was commissioned and joined the ranks of the Atlantic Fleet on Aug. 17, 1974, with Commander Richard N. Charles in command. It was given the motto “Par Excellence”.
Underway
Though the Parche was officially designated an attack submarine, its mission was unique among Sturgeon-class vessels. It was a “special projects” submarine, equipped with special eavesdropping gear designed to monitor activities of possible threats. Its activities were considered highly secret; its page on the Naval Vessel Registry makes no mention of its activities after its commissioning.
From 1974 to 1976, the Parche was homeported in Charleston, S.C. It was transferred to Mare Island, Calif., and the Pacific Fleet. While at Mare Island, the Parche received substantial modifications for its mission.
While the Pentagon will not discuss the activities of the Parche, there is substantial evidence indicating the submarine made at least seven missions into Soviet waters in the Barents Sea between 1978 and 1986 to plant recording pods on Soviet communications cables. The data gathered from these taps included information on how the Soviets planned to fight the United States in the event of a nuclear war. It is also thought the Parche was used to recover the remains of test-fired Soviet missiles.
Between 1987 and 1991, the Parche was in drydock at Mare Island for an extensive overhaul. A 100-foot extension was added to her hull to add space for additional crew and equipment. The Parche was equipped with new signals-collecting antennas, electronic gear and other equipment. While not confirmed, the submarine may have also been equipped with upward and forward facing short-range sonar, armored spotlight and closed-circuit television cameras.
After returning to the Pacific Fleet, the Parche continued to operate in anonymity. There are unconfirmed reports it retrieved the remains of test-fired Chinese missiles launched into the sea near Taiwan in 1995 and 1996.
While most Sturgeon-class submarines were retired in the 1990s, the Parche continued in operation well into the 21st Century. When it was finally retired, the Parche was the most decorated vessel in the history of the U.S. Navy, receiving a total of nine Presidential Unit Citations, 10 Navy Unit Citations and 13 Navy Expeditionary Medals. The reasons for those awards are all classified.
Decommissioning
On Oct. 19, 2004, the Parche was decommissioned. It entered the Navy’s Nuclear Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bermerton, Wash., to be scrapped, but the sail of the submarine was moved to a maritime park in downtown Bremerton in the summer of 2006.
Characteristics of the USS Parche (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Displacement: 6038 tons light, 6475 tons full, 437 tons dead
Length: 90.8 m (298 ft), extended to 122.4 m (401 ft)
Beam: 9.7 m (32 ft)
Draft: 8.8 m (29 ft)
Propulsion: S5W reactor
Speed: 20+ knots (37 km/h)
Complement: 14 officers, 98 men, expanded to 22 officers, 157 men
Armament: 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Motto: Par Excellence
Career:
Ordered: June 25, 1968
Laid down: Dec. 10, 1970
Launched: Jan. 13, 1973
Commissioned: Aug. 17, 1974
Decommissioned: Oct. 19, 2004
Fate: completed submarine recycling
Timeline:
June 1968: Contract to build USS Parche awarded
December 1970: Keel of USS Parche laid
January 1973: USS Parche launched
August 1974: USS Parche commissioned
1976: USS Parche transferred to the Pacific Fleet
1978-1986: USS Parche involved in classified activities
1987-1991: USS Parche undergoes massive overhaul
October 2004: USS Parche decommissioned
Crewmembers of the USS Parche:
An unofficial list of crew members that served on the USS Parche 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.
Jim Wamsher (served January 1983-February 1987): “Also served Oct. 1994-Oct. 1999.”
Dana Gage (served July 1984-March 1989): “Never got to be a ‘stay in puke’.”
Joseph Alvores (served October 1984-Septemer 1995): “We were never there.”
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Parche_(SSN-683)
http://www.navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&ship=SSN_683
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/981123/archive_005243.htm
