USS Archerfish SSN 678

Veterans & Mesothelioma > Asbestos on Navy Ships > Submarines of the United States Navy: (Post-World War II Era) > USS Archerfish

USS Archerfish SSN-678: History, Patrols, Crews

Commissioning

The USS Archerfish, (SSN-678 submarine, nuclear-powered) was a member of the Sturgeon class of nuclear fast attack submarines. She was the second U.S. Navy vessel, and second submarine, named after a species of fish known for incapacitating their prey by shooting them down with squirts of water from the mouth.

The contract to build the Archerfish was awarded to the Electronic Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp.’s Groton (Conn.) Shipyard on June 25, 1968. Her keel was laid down on June 19, 1969 and she was launched on Jan. 16, 1971. She joined the ranks of the Atlantic Fleet with her commissioning on Dec. 17, 1971, with Commander Ralph Bird in command.

Underway

As part of her shakedown cruise, the Archerfish took part in a NATO exercise codenamed “Pink Lace” in the Atlantic June 5-15, 1972. Her first long-term deployment began in January 1973, with the Archerfish heading for the Mediterranean Sea. Her first deployment to the North Atlantic came in January 1974, with the Archerfish taking part in special operations during her two-month patrol.

The Archerfish took part in four other exercises, including the large-scale Operation “Agate Punch”, and one other North Atlantic deployment before entering the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on July 7, 1976, for an overhaul. The submarine would stay in Norfolk after the overhaul was completed, as the Archerfish’s homeport was changed from New London, Conn.

In 1978, the Archerfish took part in another NATO exercise, codenamed “Northern Wedding.” In Marcy 1979, the submarine began its first deployment to the Arctic Circle. She would travel more than 9000 miles under the polar ice cap and surface 23 times, including once at the North Pole. It would make two other deployments to the Arctic, known as Ice-Exs, in 1986 and 1988.

The Archerfish would later return to her old homeport of New London, where it would remain based for the rest of its career.

Decommissioning

The Archerfish was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on March 31, 1998. The submarine entered the Navy’s Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bermerton, Wash., and was declared scrapped on Nov. 6, 1998.

Characteristics of the USS Archerfish
Displacement:

4206 tons (light)
4505 tons (full)
299 tons (dead)

Length: 90.8 m (298 ft) Beam: 9.7 m (32 ft) Draft: 8.8 m (29 ft) Propulsion:

one S5W nuclear reactor
two 11.2MW steam turbines
one shaft

Speed:
Surfaced:
20+knots
Submerged:
30+knots

Range: Unlimited Test depth: 1320ft Complement:

14 officers
98 men

Armament:

sub harpoon anti ship missile
tomahawk land attack missile
tomahawk anti ship missile
4x21in amidship tubes
15 reloads plus 4 sub harpoon or up to 8 tomahawks instead of equivalent of number of torpedoes or sub harpoons.

Minelayering configuration:

Mk67 mobile or Mk60 CAPTOR mines instead of torpedoes

Career:

Namesake: Archerfish
Ordered: June 25, 1968
Builder: Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation at Groton, Connecticut
Laid down: June 19, 1969
Launched: Jan.16, 1971
Commissioned: Dec. 17, 1971
Decommissioned: March 31, 1998
Struck: March 31, 1998
Fate: Ship-Submarine Recycling Program

Timeline:

June 1968: Order for construction of USS Archerfish placed
June 1969: Keel of USS Archerfish laid
January 1971: USS Archerfish launched
December 1971: USS Archerfish commissioned
January 1973: USS Archerfish begins first Mediterranean deployment
January 1974: USS Archerfish begins first deployment to North Atlantic
March 1998: USS Archerfish decommissioned
November 1998: USS Archerfish scrapped

Crewmembers of the USS Archerfish:
An unofficial list of crew members that served on the USS Archerfish 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 at Navysite.de

John Shortt (served October 1972-October 1976): “Med and multiple Northern runs.”
Evan Saricopoulous (served January 1972-July 1973): “Came on board just after commissioning. Made first Med run.”
Charles Noble (served October 1972-April 1976): “Med Run, Northern Runs, Sitting Duck, Oceanographic Surveys, Autec, Naples, Faslane, Rota. Great fun, great friends. A lot of hard work and practice. Good boat!”

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Archerfish_(SSN-678)
http://navysite.de/ssn/ssn678.htm

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