USS George Washington (SSBN-598)

USS George Washington (SSBN-598)
U.S. Navy · Public domain · source
Ship name	USS George Washington (SSBN-598)
Ship caption	USS George Washington underway, 1959
Ship country	United States
Ship namesake	George Washington
Ship builder	Electric Boat Company
Ship laid down	4 July 1958
Ship launched	9 March 1959
Ship commissioned	30 December 1959
Ship decommissioned	24 January 1985
Ship homeport	Naval Submarine Base New London
Ship displacement	5,900 tons (surfaced)
Ship length	381 ft
Ship beam	33 ft
Ship draft	27 ft
Ship propulsion	S5W reactor steam turbines
Ship speed	20+ kn (surfaced)
Ship complement	~110 officers and enlisted
Ship armament	Polaris A-1 (16 SLBM tubes)

USS George Washington (SSBN-598) was the United States Navy's first operational nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine and the lead ship of the George Washington class. Named for George Washington, the vessel pioneered at-sea strategic deterrent operations during the early Cold War and inaugurated the Navy's undersea leg of the United States strategic triad. Commissioned in 1959, she carried the Polaris missile on continuous deterrent patrols, interacting with institutions such as United States Navy, Strategic Air Command, Department of Defense, and NATO allies.

Construction and commissioning

Laid down by Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut on 4 July 1958, the hull took shape amid concurrent programs at Brooklyn Navy Yard and expansion at Quonset Point. Her launching on 9 March 1959 featured dignitaries from Congress, Department of the Navy, and representatives of the National Security Council; christening invoked the legacy of George Washington and drew attention from media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time (magazine). Trials involved coordination with Naval Reactors under Hyman G. Rickover and sea trials escorted by units such as USS Nautilus (SSN-571), with acceptance trials judged by panels from Office of Naval Intelligence and the Chief of Naval Operations. She was commissioned on 30 December 1959 with commanding officers connected to Submarine Force Atlantic and staff who had trained at Naval Submarine School in New London, Connecticut.

Design and specifications

The design adapted elements from USS Nautilus (SSN-571) and experimental work at Naval Reactor Facility and Electric Boat. Hull form derived from contemporary studies at David Taylor Model Basin and accommodated a 16-tube ballistic missile submarine compartment for the Polaris A-1 missile, integrating guidance links to Naval Observatory timekeeping and inertial systems developed with John H. Geissler-era contractors. Propulsion centered on a S5W reactor producing steam for twin turbines; plant design oversight by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover emphasized redundancy and pressure-vessel quality. Displacement, habitability, and acoustic treatments reflected advances tested on USS Seawolf (SSN-575), USS Skipjack (SSN-585), and research from Naval Research Laboratory. Command-and-control suites interfaced with POLARIS fire control and secure communications relay via Naval Communication Station Norfolk, Tactical Auxiliary Support ships, and Ellsberg-era cryptographic apparatus.

Operational history

Following post-commissioning trials, George Washington entered operational status within Submarine Squadron 14 and later Submarine Squadron 16, alternating homeports including New London and Rota, Spain. Early operations involved joint planning with Strategic Air Command and participation in exercises with NATO task forces, interacting with ships such as USS Forrestal (CV-59) and aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 3. Crews rotated under procedures influenced by Admiral Arleigh Burke-era fleet management; enlisted training pipelines drew from Basic Enlisted Submarine School and nuclear training at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. Public attention included coverage in Life (magazine) and visits by members of Congressional Armed Services Committee and presidential aides associated with Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy administrations.

Cold War deterrent patrols

George Washington transitioned to continuous at-sea deterrent patrols delivering the Navy's contribution to the Mutual Assured Destruction posture alongside B-52 Stratofortress wings of Strategic Air Command and Minuteman ICBM fields. Patrols out of Holy Loch and Rota placed her within operational patterns coordinated by United States European Command and United States Atlantic Command. Her deterrent patrols relied on navigation fixes provided by Transit (satellite navigation system) and communications via Very Low Frequency stations and Fleet Satellite Communications channels. Numerous patrols intersected Cold War crises such as Berlin Crisis of 1961 and events during the Cuban Missile Crisis aftermath, influencing strategic dialogues at Pentagon briefings and National Security Council meetings. Crews earned commendations traceable to standards set by Chief of Naval Operations awards and association with submarine service traditions linked to Silent Service lore.

Overhauls and refits

Periodic overhauls took place at yards including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and Newport News Shipbuilding, incorporating mid-life refits to missile systems, reactor cores, and sonar suites. Upgrades integrated advancements from Trident program research while retrofit work included plumbing of updated fire-control electronics from contractors like General Dynamics Electric Boat and Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Refit cycles were governed by Naval Ship Systems Command schedule and inspected by Naval Sea Systems Command personnel; safety protocols reflected lessons from incidents involving submarines such as USS Thresher (SSN-593) and subsequent directives issued under Submarine Safety Program. Crew complements rotated through maintenance periods with support from Navy Exchange logistics and shore-based training at Naval Station Norfolk.

Decommissioning and fate

After decades of patrols and refits, George Washington was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 24 January 1985 under policies implemented during the Reagan administration naval expansion and modernization. Decommissioning procedures followed protocols with Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversight and the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard processing defueled reactor compartments and recyclable structure. Legacy artifacts entered collections at institutions such as the National Museum of the United States Navy and historical documentation preserved by Naval History and Heritage Command and Naval Institute Press. Her service influenced subsequent classes including the Benjamin Franklin-class submarine and the Ohio-class submarine, shaping doctrines promulgated in analyses by RAND Corporation and histories published by authors associated with Naval War College scholarship.

Category:United States Navy submarines Category:Baltimore-class submarines Category:Cold War submarines