USS ''Flying Fish'' (SSN-673), a ''Sturgeon''-class

attack submarine An attack submarine or hunter-killer submarine is a submarine specifically designed for the purpose of attacking and sinking other submarines, surface combatants, and merchant vessels. In the Soviet Navy, Soviet and Russian Navy, Russian navies ...

, was the third ship of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

to be named for the

flying fish The Exocoetidae are a family (biology), family of Saltwater fish, marine Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish in the order (biology), order Beloniformes, known colloquially as flying fish or flying cod. About 64 species are grouped in seven genus, ge ...

, any of number of fishes whose long winglike fins make it possible for them to move some distance through the air.

Construction and commissioning

The contract to build ''Flying Fish'' was awarded to the

Electric Boat An electric boat is a powered watercraft driven by electric motors, which are powered by either on-board battery packs, solar panels or generators. While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power ...

Division of

General Dynamics General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American publicly traded aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Reston, Virginia. As of 2020, it was the fifth largest defense contractor in the world by arms sales and fifth largest in the Unit ...

Corporation in Groton,

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

, on 15 July 1966 and her

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a fluid dynamics, hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The keel laying, laying of the keel is often ...

was laid down there on 30 June 1967. She was launched on 17 May 1969, sponsored by Mrs. John W. Harvey, widow of the last commanding officer of USS THRESHER, and commissioned on 29 April 1970.

Service history

* 6/30/1967 - Keel laid at Electric Boat (EB) in Groton, CT * 5/17/1969 - Launched at EB Groton, Mrs. John W. Harvey was sponsor, widow of Thresher SSN-593 CO * 4/1/1970 - Delivered to Navy * 4/29/1970 - Commissioned at Groton, CO is CDR Donald C. Sheldon, Assigned to Subron 6 Norfolk * 2/13/1973 - CDR James D. Williams relieved CDR Sheldon as CO * 11/14/1973 - PNSY for extensive overhaul (Approx 1 year) * 5/22/1976 - CDR Thomas A. Meinecke relieved CDR Williams as CO * 4/10/1976 - Visits Bremerhaven, Germany 4–8 OCT * In 1976, she won the

Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award The Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award is presented annually by the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations to one ship in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and one in the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Generally the recipient is the ship with the highest score in ...

for the

United States Atlantic Fleet United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

. * 4/29/1977 - Surfaced at North pole at midnight and remained there for 12 hours. She was 11th to visit and 10th to surface at the pole. Dr. Waldo Lyon aboard. CDR Thomas A. Meinecke is CO (SUBICEX1-77) * 6/6/1977 - Returned to Norfolk from polar cruise. Entered Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for overhaul, late 1977. * 12/1978 completed overhaul and deployed for sea trials. Once sea trials completed joined Subron 6 stationed at D&S Piers in Norfolk, VA. * 4/1979 -6/79 - Completed torpedo range certification, Bahamas and visit Rosey Roads, Puerto Rico. * 10/79-12/79 - Deployed to northern Atlantic for "Spec Op," awarded Navy Expeditionary Medal. * 4/1980 USS Flying Fish awarded Battle Efficiency "E," for operations excellence. * 7/8/1980 - CDR Steven J. Loucks relieved CDR T. A. Meinecke as CO, 7/1980 - Deployed to Mediterranean. * 12/10/1980 - Returned to Norfolk after 5 months med deployment, visiting ports including Athens, Greece, Naples, Italy, La Spezia, Italy, and Ashdod, Israel * 4/12/1981 - USS Flying Fish provided for Atlantic Ocean security for first Space Shuttle launch. * 10/1981 - 12/1981 Deployed to northern Atlantic for "Spec Op," awarded Navy Expeditionary Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation. * 4/1/1983 - CDR Joseph T. Lario relieved CDR Steven J. Loucks as CO * 6/30/1983 - In port, Port Everglades, FLA * 7/23/1984 -Returned to Norfolk after 5 months med deployment, visiting La Spezia, Italy and Ashdod, Israel * 6/10/1985 - Arrived New London for Refresher training * 2/6/1986 - CDR Robert L. Hendricks relieved CDR. J.T. Lario as CO * 7/15/1986 - Began overhaul at Puget Sound NSY * 1/15/1988 - Completed overhaul at Puget sound NSY * 11/5/1988 - Rejoined Subron 6 at Norfolk Naval Base after 2 1/2 years extended overhaul at PSNSY * 4/3/1989 - CDR Stanley J Mack assumes command * 3/5/1990 - Returned to Norfolk from 6 mo. Med Cruise * 10/11/1991 - CDR Louis T Roumaya relieved CDR Stanley J Mack as CO at Naval station Norfolk * 7/13/1993 (?) - Green Peace activists attempt to board the sub as a protest to nuclear power. 12 manage to climb aboard but are beaten back by the crew. * 11/24/1993 - CDR Wiley Robert Deal, Jr. assumes command * 11/14/1994 - Returned to Norfolk from 4-month med and S. Atlantic cruise, visited Toulon, La Maddalena, Gibraltar. Roosevelt Roads, Curaçao and Bridgeport, Barbados May 1995 Mine laying exercises, Joint Service Special Warfare operations - Operational Test Launch of Tomahawk cruise missile. * 7/10/1995 - Inactivation at Norfolk * 10/20/1995 - Placed "in reserve, in commission" from the active fleet for decommissioning. Recycling start date * 5/16/1996 - Decommissioned at Puget Sound NSY, She had nine commanding Officers and steamed 600.000 miles. Strike date. * 10/15/1996 - Recycling completed

Decommissioning and disposal

''Flying Fish'' was decommissioned on 16 May 1996 and stricken from the

Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...

the same day. Her scrapping via the Nuclear-Powered

Ship and Submarine Recycling Program The Ship-Submarine Recycling Program (SRP) is the process that the United States Navy uses to dispose of decommissioned nuclear vessels. SRP takes place only at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) in Bremerton, Washington, but the preparations ...

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, officially Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF), is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres (0.7 km2) on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington in uninterrupted ...

Bremerton Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 43,505 at the 2020 census and an estimated 44,122 in 2021, making it the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, was completed on 15 October 1996.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Flying Fish (Ssn-673) Ships built in Groton, Connecticut Sturgeon-class submarines Cold War submarines of the United States Nuclear submarines of the United States Navy 1969 ships