History of the USS Billfish SSN 676

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

USS Billfish SSN-676: History, Patrols, Crews

Commissioning

The USS Billfish, (SSN-676 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, named after the fish with bill-shaped jaws.

The Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp.’s Groton (Conn.) Shipyard received the contract to build the Billfish on July 15, 1966. Her keel was a laid on Sept. 20, 1968; she was launched on May 1, 1970. The Billfish officially joined the ranks of the U.S. Navy’s Atlantic Fleet on March 12, 1971, when it was commissioned with Commander Richard M. Hughes in command.

Underway

After commissioning, the Billfish was assigned to Submarine Development Group Two, located in Groton. While part of the group, the Billfish took part in its first deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, won a Battle “E” for operational excellence and received the Meritorious Unit Commendation in 1973 and 1974.

After an overhaul that lasted all of 1975 at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the Billfish was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet’s Submarine Squadron 10. She would be one of the U.S. Navy’s representatives at the Queen of England’s Silver Jubilee, held at Portsmouth, England, and conduct several patrols shadowing the Soviet submarine fleet over the next several years. In the process, the Billfish received another Battle “E” in 1978, Engineering “E”s for three straight years (1976-78) and an Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) “A” for outstanding performance in that area.

The Billfish made several patrols in the Arctic Ocean and, in 1987, participated in a joint U.S.-British exercise at the North Pole. The Billfish, USS Sea Devil and HMS Superb all surfaced at the North Pole at the same time, marking the first international surfacing at the pole. During the same operation, the Billfish stayed submerged under the polar ice cap for 67 days, a record at that time.

In 1988, the Billfish was assigned to Submarine Squadron Four and transferred her homeport to Charleston, S.C. Six years later, however, a transfer to Submarine Squadron Two led to a return to Groton.

The Billfish was one of the few Sturgeon-class submarines to have the capability to operate with a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), a small craft used for in rescue of submarines in distress and clandestine missions.

Decommissioning

The Billfish was decommissioned on July 1, 1999 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. She entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bremerton, Wash., and was declared scrapped on April 26, 2000.

Characteristics of the USS Billfish
Displacement: 3995 tons light, 4291 tons full, 296 tons dead
Length: 89 m (292 ft)
Beam: 9.7 m (32 ft)
Draft: 8.8 m (29 ft)
Propulsion: S5W reactor
Complement: 14 officers, 95 men
Armament: 4 × 21 in (533 mm) Vickers Torpedo Tubes capable of launching torpedoes, SubRoc, Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles, and mines.

Career:
Namesake: the Billfish
Ordered: July 15, 1966
Builder: The Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation at Groton, Connecticut.
Laid down: Sept. 20, 1968
Launched: May 1, 1970
Commissioned: March 12.1971
Decommissioned: July 1, 1999
Struck: July 1, 1999
Fate: Sent to the Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bremerton, Washington.

Timeline:
July 1966: Contract to build USS Billfish awarded
September 1968: Keel of USS Billfish laid
May 1970: USS Billfish launched
March 1971: USS Billfish commissioned
1973, 1974: USS Billfish wins Meritorious Unit Commendations
1987: USS Billfish, USS Sea Devil and HMS Glorious surface simultaneously at the North Pole
July 1999: USS Billfish decommissioned
April 2000: USS Billfish scrapped

Crewmembers of the USS Billfish:
An unofficial list of crew members that served on the USS Billfish 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.

Dave Lemke (served 1978-81): “Best time of my life was off duty with you guys, worst time of my life was on duty.”
Dave Jackson (served February 1978-May 1980): “Hot running fast boat…lots of cold water time.”
P.J. Clarke (served May 1980-May 1982): “Served onboard with some of the best. Did a Med run, three southern runs and God knows how many local ops.”

Sources:
http://ussbillfish.com/id75.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Billfish_(SSN-676)
http://navysite.de/ssn/ssn676.htm

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