USS ''James Monroe'' (SSBN-622), a ballistic missile

submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...

, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Founding Father and U.S. president James Monroe. She served with the United States Navy from 1963 to 1990.

Construction and commissioning

The contract to build ''James Monroe'' was awarded to

Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, is the largest industrial employer in Virginia, and sole designer, builder and refueler of United States Navy aircraft carriers and one of two providers of U.S. Navy ...

Newport News, Virginia Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...

on 3 February 1961 and her keel was laid down there on 31 July 1961. She was launched on 4 August 1962, sponsored by Mrs. Miriam Thorne Gilpatric, wife of Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell L. Gilpatric, and commissioned on 7 December 1963, with

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

William H. Sandford in command of the Blue Crew and Commander Warren R. Cobean, Jr., in command of the Gold Crew.

Operational history

Following

shakedown Shakedown may refer to: * Shakedown (continuum mechanics), a type of plastic deformation * Shakedown (testing) or a shakedown cruise, a period of testing undergone by a ship, airplane or other craft before being declared operational * Extortion, ...

off Florida's Cape Kennedy, ''James Monroe'' spent the early months of 1964 in ballistic missile tests. She departed for her first deterrent patrol in June 1964. On 17 January 1967, ''James Monroe'' completed her twelfth deterrent patrol, having operated from both

Holy Loch The Holy Loch ( gd, An Loch Sianta/Seunta) is a sea loch, a part of the Cowal peninsula coast of the Firth of Clyde, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The "Holy Loch" name is believed to date from the 6th century, when Saint Munn landed there afte ...

, Scotland, and Rota, Spain. Preparations for the arrival of the submarine squadron went forward with haste throughout the remainder of 1978 and into 1979. Commander

Submarine Squadron 16 Submarine Squadron 16 is a United States Navy unit that served in World War II and the Cold War before being deactivated in the 1990s. It was reactivated in 1997 and now is responsible for the maintenance and operation of two guided-missile subma ...

greeted the submarine tender , when she arrived at Kings Bay on 2 July 1979. Four days later, USS ''James Monroe'' entered Kings Bay and moored alongside ''Simon Lake''s starboard side to begin a routine refit in preparation for another nuclear weapons deterrence patrol.

Decommissioning and disposal

''James Monroe'' was decommissioned on 25 September 1990 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. Ex-''James Monroe'' entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton, Washington. Recycling of Ex-''James Monroe'' was completed on 10 January 1995.

References

External links

* * Lafayette-class submarines Cold War submarines of the United States Nuclear submarines of the United States Navy 1962 ships Ships built in Newport News, Virginia Ships named for Founding Fathers of the United States {{US-submarine-stub