USS Tullibee (SSN-597)

USS "Tullibee" (SSN-597), a unique submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tullibee, any of several whitefishes of central and northern North America.

At 273 feet long and 2,300 tons displacement, USS "Tullibee" was the smallest nuclear-powered attack submarine in the US submarine fleet. The initial manning complement was 7 officers and 60 enlisted men. However before inactivation, the crew included 13 officers and over 100 enlisted men.

During her proud career, "Tullibee" was home to many dedicated Navy fighting men. She achieved much and conducted many submarine firsts. During her commissioned service she submerged and surfaced 730 times and traveled approximately 325,000 nautical miles (equal to the distance from the earth to the moon and halfway back).

Construction

"Tullibee" was the result of "Project Nobska", a study ordered in 1956 by Admiral Arleigh Burke, then Chief of Naval Operations, from the Committee on Undersea Warfare of the National Academy of Sciences. That report emphasized the need for deeper-diving, ultraquiet submarine designs using long-range sonar. "Tullibee" incorporated three design changes based on Project Nobska. First, it incorporated the first bow-mounted spherical sonar array. This required the second innovation: amidships, angled torpedo tubes. Thirdly, "Tullibee" was propelled by a very quiet turboelectric power plant based on the S2C reactor.

The contract to build "Tullibee" was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation on November 15, 1957. Her keel was laid down in Groton, Connecticut, on 26 May 1958. She was launched on 27 April 1960, sponsored by Mrs. John F. Davidson, the widow of Commander Charles F. Brindupke, and commissioned on 9 November 1960, with Commander Richard E. Jortberg in command.

Operational history

Following her shakedown in January 1961, "Tullibee" engaged in sonar evaluations and nuclear submarine tactical exercises with Submarine Developmental Group 2, operating out of Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, into 1963. During this period, the ship visited Bermuda on several occasions, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In July 1964, "Tullibee" participated in fleet exercises in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) tactics with NATO units. The submarine resumed developmental work in 1965 and operated in this capacity into the fall of that year. On 28 October, her home port was temporarily changed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, when the ship entered the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, for an extensive overhaul. She remained in drydock for 754 days, emerging on 2 January 1968.

Shifted back to New London, "Tullibee" deployed to the Caribbean Sea in January 1969 following refresher training and continued developmental work during 1969 and 1970. On 1 August 1970, "Tullibee" departed New London, bound for the Mediterranean and the ship's first service with the Sixth Fleet. During this period, she took part in NATO and Sixth Fleet exercises and made port visits to Athens, Greece; Naples, Italy; and Rota, Spain, before returning to New London on 14 December, having traveled some convert|20000|mi|km|-4 in 135 days.

In early 1971, the submarine returned to developmental exercises once more to work on SSN tactics and also made a port visit to Cape Canaveral, Florida. Participating in a major NATO exercise in the western Atlantic, "Tullibee" visited Halifax, Nova Scotia, before she received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for her contingency operations in the Mediterranean Sea during the previous year (from 9 September to 31 October 1970). For the remainder of the year 1971, "Tullibee" operated in the western Atlantic on NATO and ASW exercises. During this period, too, "Tullibee" received the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for significant improvement in the ship's battle efficiency and readiness for that fiscal year.

The submarine conducted regular operations with the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force into 1974, operating off the east coast and in the Caribbean Sea. Following one Caribbean cruise in the fall of 1974, "Tullibee" departed New London on 28 April 1975 for her second deployment to the Sixth Fleet. After operating in the Mediterranean into the fall of that year, the submarine returned to New London in October for an extended period of upkeep.

"Tullibee" subsequently participated in sonar evaluation tests with British destroyer HMS "Matapan" in the Caribbean Sea in two separate deployments between April and June 1976, before undergoing another extended upkeep period. The submarine conducted ASW operations and local operations into the fall of 1976, before she departed New London on 12 November for her third Mediterranean deployment. After serving in the Sixth Fleet into the spring of 1977, she returned to her home port on 24 April. During the remainder of the year, "Tullibee" underwent three upkeep periods interspersed with ASW exercises off the east coast of the United States. The early months of 1978 were spent in preparation for her fourth Mediterranean deployment. Departing New London in March, the submarine conducted operations with various units of the Sixth Fleet. The deployment was marred somewhat by a propulsion casualty which necessitated a two-month repair period spent at Rota, Spain. "Tullibee" returned to New London on 30 August. Operations out of that port took "Tullibee" into 1979.

On 24 July 1979, Commander Daniel J. Koczur relieved as the eighth Commanding Officer. During August 1979, "Tullibee" entered Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for its third and final major overhaul. This overhaul was the longest of the three, lasting until October of 1982 (a total of 39 months). After leaving the shipyard, the remaining months of 1982 were spent conducting various operations, which provided refresher training for the crew.

On 26 April 1983, Commander David R. Candler relieved as the ninth Commanding Officer. On two occasions between April 1983 and February 1984 difficulties with the propulsion system required the ship to return to New London for repairs. In November 1985, the ship departed New London for her fifth and final extended deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. While deployed she conducted several ASW operations for Commander Sixth Fleet and participated in a major NATO ASW exercise. "Tullibee’s" assignment to the Sixth Fleet during freedom of navigation exercises, involving combat with Libyan forces, resulted in her crew receiving a Navy Expeditionary Medal as well as her first award of a Navy Unit Commendation. The ship returned to New London, Connecticut, in April 1986 after having spent five months deployed.

On November 1986, Commander Charles R. Skolds relieved as the tenth Commanding Officer. The ship remained pier side in New London for the rest of 1986 and most of 1987 while preparing for inactivation. In September of 1987 the ship was towed to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to begin a ten month inactivation and decommissioning.

Final disposition

Decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 25 June 1988, ex-"Tullibee" entered the Navy's Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program on 5 January 1995. On 1 April 1996, the hulk had ceased to exist.

Awards

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* Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy
* Submarine Squadron Two Departmental Communications “Green C” Award for communications excellence (April 1985).

References

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/weatherman5/Tullibee.html "Tullibee" info page]