It was a cold February day when the Postmaster General's wife, Mrs. John Grounouski, broke a bottle of champagne on the nose of the six hundred and thirty third submarine to be built for the US Navy. On February 1st, 1964, the twenty sixth nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine slid down the ways of the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in New London (Groton), Connecticut.
Laid down almost a year earlier on January 12th, 1963, USS Casimir Pulaski would be the 12th Lafayette Class submarine, the third class of boats that would make up the "41 For Freedom." This shot of her keel laying was taken at General Dynamics and shows the basic, almost non-descript form that all ships take as they are born.
The new crew was selected from the brightest, finest men in the submarine fleet. The new vessels were the most powerful naval weapons conceived and the navy's leadership wanted to ensure that only the best crews were gathered to man them. These proud men would become the Pulaski's "Plank Owners." The navy's tradition of Plank Owner's goes back a long ways. Here's what the navy's official literature has to say (photo courtesy of Don Ward):
While building continued, the crew trained. Here is a photo of the nuclear trained personnel who would be responsible for the maintenance of Casimir Pulaski's nuclear reactor. I have a larger version of this photo if anyone needs one (photo courtesy of Chuck Jensen).
Her crew selected, the building continued at Electric Boat's facility. After a normal pace, the ship was finally completed and awaited her launching and subsequent commissioning. Weighing 8,251 tons and with a length of approximately 425 feet, she was an impressive vessel. Her motto said it all; "Peace Through Seapower." Here she sits patiently while dignitaries, workers and other onlookers tell of her great deeds to come. The Cold War was the longest conflict in history and consumed the lives of millions. The US Navy's boomer fleet would be instrumental in maintaining a balance of peace throughout this conflict. While there would be wars and conflicts throughout the span of the Cold War, the steady patrol cycle of the American and British SSBN's provided a measure of protection to keep any hot spot from escalating into another global war.
Speeches over and done with, nose wet from champaign, the proud vessel starts her first steps which will wet her hull for the first time. Onboard are pre-commissioning - or plankowner - crewmembers and other US Navy dignitaries as well as crew family members and others.
Here she prepares for her big splash as she heads down the heavily greased slip.
Finally free of the slip, the greased hull makes a dramatic splash that signifies her transformation from shipyard creation to actual ship. For the old hands and salty veteran submariners on board, this event was probably a little anti-climatic. For those having never experienced the launching of a vessel, this moment probably equaled a trip on the best roller coaster of the day.
A Starboard side view of the launching. The ship's journey has only just begun. The Plankowner crew has been showing up for work each morning at an office or at the ship yard. The framework of steel and machinery has taken shape before their eyes and they are now able to appreciate her graceful lines and marvel at her size. She is one of the largest submarines to be built at that time (photo courtesy of Allen Brown).
Her ride finished, it's now time to get down to business. The newest US Navy warship is taken by tug back to the shipyard for further fitting out and additional details. This process will take a few months and then the Navy will be ready to take her out and see what she's made of.
Here's an extremely rare shot of the newly finished boat at her commissioning. Note the sail of another submarine off in the distance fitting out. This shot was taken at Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut (photo courtesy of Bill Pindell).
Finally, all tests and loadouts are complete. It's time to leave the garage and head out on the highway! Sea Trials!! The crew turns the key and takes their girl for a spin in the Atlantic Ocean. Notice that the hull number ("633") as well as the ship's name, are welded onto the vessel and painted. As the Cold War progresses and secrecy becomes the by-word, the hull number and name will be painted over. The oval hatch forward, is her forward escape trunk which is also the door by which torpedos will enter the boat.
Another commissioning photo from Electric Boat documenting another aspect of Pulaski's sea trials. The hull lines are graceful as she takes to the Ocean in July of 1964. By the time I reported onboard in 1985, her hull was dimpled from hundreds of dives and years of faithful service.
A better view of the front showing all six main ballast tank vents and various other openings. Note the bridge windows in the front of the sail. Also noticeable is the fact that one of the crew is in full dress whites; a brave man considering the dirt on a ship, let alone a submarine. Also notice the path that the safety track follows.
Another more level, head on view of Casimir Pulaski during her sea trials. Notice her width and the shape of her missile deck and sail. An impressive sight. She has one of her communications masts in the fully extended position.
Final fleet acceptance is done and the boat joins the fleet proper. But the testing does not stop just yet. Pulaski was launched in the shadow of another weapons system: Polaris A-3. Equipped to fire this deadly upgrade to the Polaris family, Pulaski took part in a missile shoot. Here, a Polaris A-3 SLBM leaves her tubes enroute to the test range (photo courtesy of Allen Brown).
The validity of the new system was proven and Pulaski became an accepted member of the Atlantic Fleet. Here's an undated "publicity" photo from the mid 1960's (possibly 1968) of Pulaski "doing donuts" in the ocean.
As the 1960's draw to a close and the diplomatic situation heightens, security is now the order of the day. Pulaski's proud hull numbers and name have been painted over and the welds disfigured to prevent a snooping eye from knowing which submarine is in port and which is out to sea. The four holes in the hull underneath the sail area are for CSA anti-torpedo countermeasures. The 1970's have Pulaski based out of Holy Loch, Scotland.
High speed turns are handled with ease as Pulaski heads back to her home in Holy Loch, Scotland following another successful patrol.
This view was captured as Pulaski left Holy Loch for her refueling stateside. The ship would be out of commission for a few years and return with Poseidon missiles. This weapon upgrade would make Casimir Pulaski one of the deadliest weapons ever devised by man.
Pulaski joins the line of ships awaiting work in the shipyard. The boat was decommissioned to enter the shipyard and at this stage, old crew transfer and new crew arrive. Pulaski will be torn open as new equipment is added and older gear removed. The Cold War ensures a steady supply of money to carry out these modifications; appropriations are not an issue. Refuelling complete, USS Casimir Pulaski is recommissioned and given orders to rejoin the fleet. Following conversion to Poseidon, Casimir Pulaski takes to the sea for trials and a qualifying missile shoot. At this time, hull numbers and names have been painted over on the hull. Poseidon, with it's fourteen warheads, each of them capable of hitting a target places Casimir Pulaski and her sisters in the position of being first strike weapons. For the first time since the Cuban Missile Crisis, the communist forces start to panic. There is nothing on the Russian drawing boards nor in their builder's yards that can counter the force that the Poseidon boats possess.
Acceptance of Poseidon complete, Pulaski heads back to Holy Loch. A few years later, she will leave Scotland for her upgrade to Trident I and will then be the first SSBN to be based at King's Bay, Georgia. She will be joined by a familiar face, the tender USS Simon Lake (AS-33), also from Holy Loch. Within a year or two, the tender's sister ship, USS Canopus (AS-34) will relieve her following conversion to handle the new Trident I missile.
