For other ships with the same name, see USS Growler.
USS Growler (SSG-577) was an early attempt by the U.S. Navy to field a cruise missile submarine that would provide a nuclear deterrent using its second series of cruise missiles. Built to deliver the Regulus Icruise missile, Growler was the second and final submarine of the Grayback class, fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named after the growler. Since Regulus I and Regulus II programs had problems, Growler and Grayback were the only two submarines built in this class as instead, the U.S. Navy veered its nuclear deterrence efforts into submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs)—the Polaris missile program.
Regulus I missile aboard USS Growler at Pier 86 in New York, its museum ship home.
16 x torpedoes (12 bow, 4 stern) Stern torpedoes anti-submarine only
What makes Growler and her sister unusual was her nuclear armament, deployed on a conventional diesel-electric submarine. Her mission was to provide nuclear deterrent capability off the Pacific coast of the Soviet Union during peak years of the Cold War, from 1958 to 1964. Additionally, special forces missions were deployed from its torpedo tubes and nuclear hangar.
Growler was laid down on 15 February 1955 by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard of Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 5 April 1958 sponsored by Mrs. Robert K. Byerts, widow of Commander Thomas B. Oakley, Jr. Growlercommissioned at Portsmouth on 30 August 1958 with Lieutenant Commander Charles Priest, Jr., in command.
Grayback (SSG-574) with Regulus 2 missile.
After training exercises off the East Coast Growler sailed south for her shakedown cruise, arriving at the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico, on 19 February 1959. After a brief run back to Portsmouth, she returned to the Caribbean Sea in March to train in launching Regulus I and Regulus II nuclear cruise missiles, assisted by USS Runner, which was one of several submarines with Regulus guidance equipment. Growler returned to Portsmouth 19 April via Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and New London, Connecticut.
Operational history
Growler then proceeded to the Pacific via Norfolk, Virginia, Key West, Florida, and the Panama Canal, putting in at Pearl Harbor on 7 September to serve as flagship of Submarine Division 12. At Pearl Harbor the guided missile sub participated in a variety of battle and torpedo exercises as well as missile practice before beginning her first Regulus Deterrent Mission. On this mission, which lasted from 12 March to 17 May 1960, Growler departed Hawaii with a full store of Regulus sea-to-surface missiles, armed with nuclear warheads, and patrolled under a strict cloak of secrecy. Their patrols could last two months or more at a stretch and required them to remain submerged for hours and even days—which pales in comparison to the patrols of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, but was a strain for the crew of a much smaller diesel boat. It is traditional that the log entries for 00:00 (midnight) on New Year's Day be made in verse. On 1 January 1961, during Growler's second patrol, Lieutenant (j.g.) Bruce Felt wrote: "Not our idea of fun and good cheers/But doing our job to ensure many New Years."
According to the documentary "Regulus: The First Nuclear Missile Submarines", the primary target for Growler in the event of a nuclear exchange would be to eliminate the Soviet naval base at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.[1] The patrols made by Growler and her sisters represented the first ever deterrent patrols in the history of the submarine Navy, preceding those made by the Polaris missile submarines.[1]
From May 1960 through December 1963, Growler made nine such deterrent mission patrols, the fourth of which terminated at Yokosuka, Japan, on 24 April 1962, as the Navy displayed one of its newest weapons.
Due to the renovations to the entire Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum complex, including USS Intrepid and Pier 86, Growler was towed to Brooklyn for repairs. Holes found rusted in the hull complicated matters and pushed repair costs past $1.5 million. Growler returned to Pier 86 in late February 2009, and was re-opened to the public on 21 May 2009, during the Intrepid museum "Fleet Week 2009" celebration.
This once-classified control room is where crews aboard the USS Growler would configure and fire the Regulus I nuclear cruise missile.
Growler today
The former USS Growler (only ships and boats that are active may use "USS") is the only nuclear missile submarine available open to the public in the United States. As the information areas about the sub on Pier 86 are spacious, visitors are encouraged to learn and take in as much information as they can in the early parts of the tour before entering the submarine. Once on board, lines can move quickly and the ability to ask questions of the staff is limited, but encouraged.
The attack periscope aboard the USS Growler still functions. Here, it's sighted the cruise ship Norwegian Bliss, docked next to it in New York City.
References
^ abRegulus: The First Nuclear Missile Submarines documentary, Spark, 2002
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For other ships with the same name see USS Growler USS Growler SSG 577 was an early attempt by the U S Navy to field a cruise missile submarine that would provide a nuclear deterrent using its second series of cruise missiles Built to deliver the Regulus I cruise missile Growler was the second and final submarine of the Grayback class fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named after the growler Since Regulus I and Regulus II programs had problems Growler and Grayback were the only two submarines built in this class as instead the U S Navy veered its nuclear deterrence efforts into submarine launched ballistic missiles SLBMs the Polaris missile program Regulus I missile aboard USS Growler at Pier 86 in New York its museum ship home HistoryUnited StatesNameGrowlerNamesakeGrowlerOrdered31 July 1954BuilderPortsmouth Naval ShipyardLaid down15 February 1955Launched15 April 1958Sponsored byMrs Robert K Byerts widow of Commander Thomas B Oakley Jr Commissioned30 August 1958Decommissioned25 May 1964Stricken1 August 1980HomeportPearl Harbor HIStatusMuseum ship at the Intrepid Sea Air amp Space MuseumBadgeGeneral characteristics USS Growler SSG 577Class and typeGrayback class submarineDisplacement2 110 tons light 3 550 tons full 1 440 tons deadLength96 69 m 317 3 ft overall 96 3 m 316 ft waterlineBeam8 2 m 27 ft extreme 7 9 m 26 ft waterlineDraught5 7 m 19 ft Propulsion3 Fairbanks Morse Diesel engines 2 Elliott electric motorsSpeed17 kn 20 mph 31 km h surfaced 12 kn 14 mph 22 km h submergedTest depth712Complement9 officers 11 chief petty officers 68 enlisted menArmament2 Regulus missile hangars 4 x Regulus I or 2 x Regulus II missiles 6 21 inch 533 mm torpedo tubes 4 bow 2 stern 16 x torpedoes 12 bow 4 stern Stern torpedoes anti submarine onlyWhat makes Growler and her sister unusual was her nuclear armament deployed on a conventional diesel electric submarine Her mission was to provide nuclear deterrent capability off the Pacific coast of the Soviet Union during peak years of the Cold War from 1958 to 1964 Additionally special forces missions were deployed from its torpedo tubes and nuclear hangar Contents 1 Construction and training 2 Operational history 3 Decommissioning and fate 4 Growler today 5 References 6 External linksConstruction and training Edit Aft view of USS Growler SSG 577 Growler was laid down on 15 February 1955 by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard of Kittery Maine She was launched on 5 April 1958 sponsored by Mrs Robert K Byerts widow of Commander Thomas B Oakley Jr Growler commissioned at Portsmouth on 30 August 1958 with Lieutenant Commander Charles Priest Jr in command Grayback SSG 574 with Regulus 2 missile After training exercises off the East Coast Growler sailed south for her shakedown cruise arriving at the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station Puerto Rico on 19 February 1959 After a brief run back to Portsmouth she returned to the Caribbean Sea in March to train in launching Regulus I and Regulus II nuclear cruise missiles assisted by USS Runner which was one of several submarines with Regulus guidance equipment Growler returned to Portsmouth 19 April via Fort Lauderdale Florida and New London Connecticut Operational history EditGrowler then proceeded to the Pacific via Norfolk Virginia Key West Florida and the Panama Canal putting in at Pearl Harbor on 7 September to serve as flagship of Submarine Division 12 At Pearl Harbor the guided missile sub participated in a variety of battle and torpedo exercises as well as missile practice before beginning her first Regulus Deterrent Mission On this mission which lasted from 12 March to 17 May 1960 Growler departed Hawaii with a full store of Regulus sea to surface missiles armed with nuclear warheads and patrolled under a strict cloak of secrecy Their patrols could last two months or more at a stretch and required them to remain submerged for hours and even days which pales in comparison to the patrols of nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines but was a strain for the crew of a much smaller diesel boat It is traditional that the log entries for 00 00 midnight on New Year s Day be made in verse On 1 January 1961 during Growler s second patrol Lieutenant j g Bruce Felt wrote Not our idea of fun and good cheers But doing our job to ensure many New Years According to the documentary Regulus The First Nuclear Missile Submarines the primary target for Growler in the event of a nuclear exchange would be to eliminate the Soviet naval base at Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky 1 The patrols made by Growler and her sisters represented the first ever deterrent patrols in the history of the submarine Navy preceding those made by the Polaris missile submarines 1 From May 1960 through December 1963 Growler made nine such deterrent mission patrols the fourth of which terminated at Yokosuka Japan on 24 April 1962 as the Navy displayed one of its newest weapons Decommissioning and fate Edit In Atlantic Basin Brooklyn 2008 Returning to Mare Island California Growler decommissioned 25 May 1964 and was placed in reserve She was initially moved to the Inactive Fleet section in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton Washington and was later relocated to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 August 1980 and was scheduled to be used as a torpedo target However on 8 August 1988 Congress awarded the hulk to Zachary Fisher Chairman of the Intrepid Sea Air amp Space Museum in New York City Due to the renovations to the entire Intrepid Sea Air amp Space Museum complex including USS Intrepid and Pier 86 Growler was towed to Brooklyn for repairs Holes found rusted in the hull complicated matters and pushed repair costs past 1 5 million Growler returned to Pier 86 in late February 2009 and was re opened to the public on 21 May 2009 during the Intrepid museum Fleet Week 2009 celebration This once classified control room is where crews aboard the USS Growler would configure and fire the Regulus I nuclear cruise missile Growler today EditThe former USS Growler only ships and boats that are active may use USS is the only nuclear missile submarine available open to the public in the United States As the information areas about the sub on Pier 86 are spacious visitors are encouraged to learn and take in as much information as they can in the early parts of the tour before entering the submarine Once on board lines can move quickly and the ability to ask questions of the staff is limited but encouraged The attack periscope aboard the USS Growler still functions Here it s sighted the cruise ship Norwegian Bliss docked next to it in New York City References Edit a b Regulus The First Nuclear Missile Submarines documentary Spark 2002 This article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here Gardiner Robert Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1947 1995 London Conway Maritime Press Ltd 1995 pp 609 610External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Growler SSG 577 USS Growler SSG 577 at Historic Naval Ships AssociationCoordinates 40 45 54 N 74 00 00 W 40 765110 N 73 999990 W 40 765110 73 999990 Regulus Missile and Submarine Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Growler SSG 577 amp oldid 1089917534, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
