USS Montpelier (SSN-765)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Montpelier.
History
United States
Name: USS Montpelier
Namesake: The City of Montpelier, Vermont
Awarded: 6 February 1987
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Laid down: 19 May 1989
Launched: 23 August 1991
Commissioned: 13 March 1993
Homeport: Groton, Connecticut
Motto:
Nickname(s): "Mighty Monty"
Status: in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type: Los Angeles-class submarine
Displacement:
  • 6,000 long tons (6,096 t) light
  • 6,927 long tons (7,038 t) full
  • 927 long tons (942 t) dead
Length: 110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)
Beam: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft: 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Propulsion: S6G nuclear reactor
Complement: 12 officers, 98 men
Armament: 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes

USS Montpelier (SSN-765), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Montpelier, Vermont. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 6 February 1987 and her keel was laid down on 19 May 1989. She was launched on 23 August 1991 sponsored by Mrs. Nancy Hayes Sununu, and commissioned on 13 March 1993 with Commander Victor Fiebig in command.

The "Mighty Monty" is stationed in Groton, Connecticut.

Service history

USS Montepelier was the first submarine to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles in Operation Iraqi Freedom. 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.[1] 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.[2]

Accident

On 13 October 2012, USS Montpelier collided with USS San Jacinto (CG-56) 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.[3] The sub's captain, Commander Thomas Winter, was relieved and the sub has since undergone $70 million in repairs.[4]

Awards

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals 23–31 March 1997
1 April – 24 June 1997
Armed Forces Service Medals 4–28 April 1995
13 March – 3 June 1995
NATO Medal March – June 1995
Navy Unit Commendation March – June 1995

January–July 2003

Navy Expeditionary Medal July – December 1998
Arctic Service Ribbon July – December 1998

References

This article includes information collected from the public domain sources Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and Naval Vessel Register.

  1. Kenny, ELizabeth, "Shipyard Boosted by Submarine’s Arrival", Portsmouth Herald, 28 May 2004.
  2. Wiltrout, Kate, "Submarine's Upgrades Completed Early, Under Budget", Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 3 August 2010.
  3. "USS Montpelier and USS San Jacinto Pierside". US Navy. 14 October 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  4. Reilly, Corinne (17 June 2014). "'Sub, dead ahead!' New Navy report dissects collision at sea". Stars and Stripes. The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Montpelier (SSN-765).
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/6/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.