USS ''Montpelier'' (SSN-765), a , is the third ship of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

to be named for

Montpelier, Vermont Montpelier () is the capital city of the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Washington County. The site of Vermont's state government, it is the least populous state capital in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population w ...

. The contract to build her was awarded to

Newport News Shipbuilding 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 ...

and Dry Dock Company in

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 6 February 1987 and her keel was laid down on 19 May 1989. She was christened 6 April 1991, launched on 23 August 1991 sponsored by Mrs. Nancy Hayes Sununu, and commissioned on 13 March 1993 with Commander Victor Fiebig in command.

Service history

USS ''Montpelier'' was the first submarine to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles in

Operation Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

. She would go on to fire all 20 missiles earning her a " clean sweep" under the command of CDR William J. Frake. On 27 May 2004 ''Montpelier'' went through an 18-month Depot Modernization Period (DMP) at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The ship and crew completed this period three months ahead of schedule and, after successfully completing sea trials returned to their home port in Virginia. The boat entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 5 February 2010 for modernization, maintenance, and upgrades, expected to cost around $35 million for 640,000-man hours, and included changing the submarine's buoyancy characteristics and upgrading its sonar capabilities. The work was completed and the sub returned to the fleet on 26 July 2010, eight days earlier than scheduled. The "Mighty Monty" is stationed in Groton, Connecticut.

Accident

On 13 October 2012, USS ''Montpelier'' collided with the cruiser off the east coast of the United States near Florida. Both ships were conducting a training exercise at the time of the incident. No one on board either ship was injured. The sub's captain, Commander Thomas Winter, was relieved and the sub has since undergone $70 million in repairs.

Awards

References

External links

* Ships built in Newport News, Virginia Los Angeles-class submarines Montpelier, Vermont Nuclear submarines of the United States Navy 1991 ships Submarines of the United States {{US-submarine-stub