USS Henry Clay (SSBN-625)
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 USS Henry Clay (SSBN-625) on 6 December 1967. |
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | USS Henry Clay |
| Namesake: | Henry Clay (1777–1852), an American statesman and orator |
| Ordered: | 3 February 1961 |
| Builder: | Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company |
| Laid down: | 23 October 1961 |
| Launched: | 30 November 1962 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Green B. Gibson |
| Commissioned: | 20 February 1964 |
| Decommissioned: | 5 November 1990 |
| Struck: | 5 November 1990 |
| Motto: | Preservation of the Nation |
| Fate: | Scrapping via Ship-Submarine Recycling Program completed 30 September 1997 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Lafayette-class fleet ballistic missile submarine |
| Displacement: | 7,250 long tons (7,370 t) surfaced 8,250 long tons (8,380 t) submerged |
| Length: | 425 ft (130 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draft: | 31 ft 6 in (9.60 m) |
| Propulsion: | 1 × S5W reactor |
| Speed: | 20 knots (37 km/h) surfaced 25 knots (46 km/h) submerged |
| Complement: | Two crews (Blue Crew and Gold Crew) of 13 officers and 130 enlisted each |
| Armament: | • 4 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes for Mark 48 torpedoes • 16 × vertical tubes for Polaris or Poseidon ballistic missiles |
USS Henry Clay (SSBN-625), a Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Henry Clay (1777–1852), the American statesman and orator.
Contents |
[edit] Construction and commissioning
The contract to build Henry Clay was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 3 February 1961 and her keel was laid down there on 23 October 1961. She was launched on 30 November 1962 sponsored by Mrs. Green B. Gibson, and commissioned on 20 February 1964, with Commander Thomas A Bryce in command of the Blue Crew and Commander John C. Lewis in command of the Gold Crew.
[edit] Operational history
Henry Clay conducted shakedown off the coast of Florida beginning on 28 February 1964. She completed her first submerged Polaris missile firing on 6 April 1964 and returned to Newport News on 29 May 1964. She then moved to her new home port, Charleston, South Carolina, and departed for her first deterrent patrol on 17 August 1964.
By January 1967, Henry Clay had completed 11 deterrent patrols. As of mid-1967, she was assigned to Submarine Squadron 14.
- History from 1967 to 1986 needed.
During December 1986, Henry Clay made a port call at Plymouth, England, while being operated by her Gold crew, the only port call her Gold Crew made between April 1985 and October 1987.
In 1987, Henry Clay's Gold Crew underwent an unannounced Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination (ORSE). She received an EXCELLENT grade, the only submarine in the United States Atlantic Fleet other than the attack submarine USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709) up to that date to receive an EXCELLENT on an unannounced ORSE.
- History from 1987 to 1990 needed.
[edit] Decommissioning and disposal
Henry Clay was decommissioned on 5 November 1990 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. She entered the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton, Washington, for scrapping, which was completed on 30 September 1997.
[edit] References
- This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive Henry Clay (SSBN-625)
- USS HENRY CLAY SSBN-625 HOME PAGE
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