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U.S.S. WILL ROGERS
(SSBN-659)PEACE THROUGH POWER
Click to view crew list
USS WILL ROGERS (SSBN-659) - a Benjamin Franklin-class fleet ballistic missile submarine
In Commission 1967 to 1993SSBN-659 Deployments - Major Events
| Add a SSBN-659 Shellback Initiation | Add a SSBN-659 Deployment - Major Event | ||||
| Month | Year | to | Month | Year | Deployment / Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAR | 1965 | - | Keel Date: 20 MAR 1965 at General Dynamics Electric Boat Groton CT | ||
| JUL | 1966 | - | Launch Date: 21 JUL 1966 | ||
| APR | 1967 | - | Commissioned: 1 APR 1967 | ||
| JAN | 1969 | - | JAN | 1972 | West Pac-Viet Nam |
| JAN | 1971 | - | JAN | 1974 | West Pac |
| JUN | 1974 | - | AUG | 1974 | North Atlantic-Med-Indian Ocean |
| NOV | 1978 | - | NOV | 1978 | Dependents Cruise |
| JUN | 1981 | - | SEP | 1981 | Caribbean |
| JAN | 1985 | - | JAN | 1985 | Sea Trials |
| MAY | 1986 | - | MAY | 1986 | Missile test launch |
| MAR | 1990 | - | Shellback Initiation - 13 MAR 1990 - Atlantic Ocean | ||
| FEB | 1992 | - | FEB | 1992 | Panama Canal |
| FEB | 1992 | - | FEB | 1992 | Shellback Ceremony - Pacific Ocean |
| APR | 1993 | - | Decommissioned: 12 APR 1993 | ||
SSBN-659 General Specifications
Class: Benjamin Franklin-class fleet ballistic missile submarine
Named for: Will Rogers (1879–1935)
Complement: 140 Officers and Enlisted
Displacement: 7320 tons
Length: 425 feet
Beam: 33 feet
Flank Speed: 16 knots surfaced
Final Disposition: Scrapping via Ship and Submarine Recycling Program begun 2 November 1992 completed 12 August 1994
USS WILL ROGERS (SSBN-659)
Will
Rogers (SSBN-659)-the
41st and last Polaris submarine-was
laid down on 20 March 1965 at Groton, Conn., by the General Dynamics Corporation's Electric Boat Div.; launched on 21 July
1966; sponsored by
Mrs.
Hubert H. Humphrey, the wife of the Vice President of the United States; and commissioned on 1 April 1967, Capt. R. Y. Kaufman
and Comdr. W. J. Cowhill
in command of the Blue and Gold crews, respectively.
Following
shakedown, Will Rogers culminated her initial training and work-up by conducting a successful Polaris shot in the Atlantic missile range off
Cape Kennedy, Fla., on 31 July 1967.
In October of that year, she made her
first deterrent deployment.
Will
Rogers was based
out of Groton, Conn., until 1974 when she shifted to a forward deployment at Rota, Spain. She
conducted additional deterrent deployments from
Rota over the next four years, into 1978, bringing the total number of patrols made to 35
[Note: The above USS WILL ROGERS (SSBN-659) history may, or may not, contain text provided by crew members of the USS WILL ROGERS (SSBN-659), or by other non-crew members, and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]