History of the USS Cavalla SSN 684

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

USS Cavalla SSN-684: History, Patrols, Crews

Commissioning

The USS Cavalla, (SSN-684 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 contract to build the Cavalla was awarded to General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat Division at Groton, Conn., on July 24, 1968. Her keel was laid on June 4, 1970; she was launched on Feb. 19, 1972. She was commissioned and joined the ranks of the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet on Feb. 9, 1973, with Commander Bruce DeMars at the helm. She was given the motto “Any Mission, Any Time”.

Underway

For the first five years of her career, the Cavalla served as part of the Atlantic Fleet. In 1978, however, she was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and, after an extensive overhaul became part of Submarine Squadron One at Pearl Harbor in 1980.

Along with normal patrols of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Cavalla took part in several operations that made it unique among Sturgeon-class submarines. In 1983, it became the first submarine to successfully complete Dry Deck Shelter (DDS) operations, which allowed personnel to operate outside of the submarine while it was submerged.

During a deployment to the Western Pacific in 1986, the Cavalla provided DDS support to SEAL teams undergoing certification, for which it received the Meritorious Unit Commendation. In 1995, she was the first U.S. submarine to deploy to the Arctic Ocean with civilian scientists aboard. A year later, the Cavalla took part in the first U.S.-Japanese Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle operation.

By the time of its decommissioning, the Cavalla had been awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation twice, the Navy Unit Commendation twice, the Battle Efficiency “E” three times, the National Defense Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon.

Decommissioning

The Cavalla was decommissioned on March 30, 1998 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on the same day. It entered the Navy’s Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bemerton, Wash., and on Nov. 17, 2000 was declared scrapped.

Characteristics of the USS Cavalla
Displacement: 4193 tons light, 4498 tons full, 305 tons dead
Length: 90.8 m (298 ft)
Beam: 9.7 m (32 ft)
Draft: 8.8 m (29 ft)
Propulsion: S5W reactor
Complement: 12 officers, 98 men
Armament: 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Motto: "Any Mission, Any Time"

Career:
Ordered: July 24, 1968
Laid down: June 4, 1970
Launched: Feb. 19, 1972
Commissioned: Feb. 9, 1973
Decommissioned: March 30, 1998
Fate: submarine recycling
Stricken: March 30, 1998

Timeline:
July 1968: Contract to build USS Cavalla awarded
June 1970: Keel of USS Cavalla laid
February 1972: USS Cavalla launched
February 1973: USS Cavalla commissioned
1980: USS Cavalla joins Submarine Squadron at Pearl Harbor
1983: USS Cavalla becomes first submarine to successfully complete DDS operations
1995: USS Cavalla is first American submarine to take civilian scientists to the Arctic Circle
1996: USS Cavalla takes part in first joint U.S.-Japanese DSRV operation
March 1998: USS Cavalla decommissioned

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

Patrick Englehart (served June 1981-June 1984): “Enjoyed my time. Proud to have been in. Loved the West Pacs and my time in Pearl.”
William Jamerson (served December 1982-April 1985): “I am where I am today because of this boat.”
Mark Parsons (served November 1982-May 1983): “Short but sweet.”

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cavalla_(SSN-684)
http://www.navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&ship=SSN_684
http://www.cavalla.org/ssn684_a.htm

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