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| USS Sargo (SSN-583) | |
|---|---|
| Ship name | USS Sargo (SSN-583) |
| Ship namesake | Sargo (fish) |
| Ship builder | Mare Island Naval Shipyard |
| Ship laid down | 10 February 1957 |
| Ship launched | 7 May 1958 |
| Ship commissioned | 1 December 1958 |
| Ship decommissioned | 6 February 1988 |
| Ship struck | 6 February 1988 |
| Ship class | Skate-class submarine |
| Ship type | Nuclear-powered attack submarine |
| Ship displacement | 2,300 long tons (surfaced) |
| Ship length | 270 ft |
| Ship beam | 27 ft |
| Ship propulsion | S5W nuclear reactor, steam turbines, single shaft |
| Ship speed | 20+ knots submerged |
| Ship complement | approximately 90 officers and enlisted |
USS Sargo (SSN-583) was a Skate-class submarine of the United States Navy and one of the early operational nuclear-powered submarines commissioned during the Cold War. Built at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, she operated with the United States Atlantic Fleet and United States Pacific Fleet, conducting Arctic transits, ASW training, intelligence missions, and multinational exercises. Sargo's career spanned from the late 1950s through the 1980s, reflecting technological evolution and strategic shifts in Cold War undersea operations.
The keel for the vessel was laid at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 10 February 1957 under a contract with the United States Navy. Launched on 7 May 1958 with sponsorship by Mrs. Victor A. Phillips and commissioned on 1 December 1958 with Commander E. W. ``Mike'' Armstrong in command. Construction occurred amid contemporaneous submarine programs at Electric Boat, Newport News Shipbuilding, and other yards supporting the Navy's nuclear fleet expansion after the entry of USS Nautilus (SSN-571) into service. Trials and shakedown cruises included visits to San Diego, Pearl Harbor, and naval shipyards on both coasts.
Sargo was a member of the Skate-class submarine line designed as a follow-on to USS Nautilus (SSN-571) and USS Seawolf (SSN-575), incorporating the S5W naval reactor plant developed by Westinghouse Electric Corporation and engineering improvements from Rotating Machinery, Babcock & Wilcox, and submarine contractors. Her pressure hull and hydrodynamic shape reflected design influences from Vickers-Armstrongs and earlier Gato-class submarine lessons, while systems installations linked to programs at Lockheed, General Electric, and Honeywell for electronics, sonar, and control systems. Displacement, length, beam, and single-shaft propulsion produced submerged endurance and speeds suitable for antisubmarine warfare missions with sensor suites influenced by SQS-4 and related arrays. Habitability, weapons fit, and communication gear accommodated Mark 37 torpedos and secure links to Naval Security Group elements.
After commissioning Sargo alternated operations between the United States Pacific Fleet and the United States Atlantic Fleet, engaging in training with units from Submarine Squadron 7, Submarine Development Group 1, and carrier battle groups built around ships such as USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). Deployments included patrols in the Eastern Pacific, transits to Alaska and the Arctic Ocean, and port visits to Honolulu, San Diego, Bremerton, and Pearl Harbor. Sargo participated in exercises with allied navies including the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, and navies from NATO partners, integrating tactics developed at the Antisubmarine Warfare School and evaluated at Submarine School and Naval Reactors directives. Periodic overhauls at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and refueling availabilities under Naval Reactors extended operational life.
Sargo's Arctic operations earned attention when she conducted under-ice transits and surfacing trials linked to capabilities demonstrated by USS Nautilus (SSN-571) and USS Skate (SSN-578), contributing to data used by Office of Naval Research and Naval Ship Systems Command. During the 1960s and 1970s she took part in high-profile exercises alongside Atlantic Fleet antisubmarine groups and contributed to intelligence-collection missions monitored by Naval Intelligence and coordinated with National Security Agency tasking. Incidents during her career included on-board engineering casualties addressed by Chief of Naval Operations directives and repairs overseen at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard; her crews received commendations from Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet for operational excellence. Sargo also supported multinational maneuvers such as Exercise Springboard and RIMPAC-linked drills, interacting with surface combatants from USS Missouri (BB-63), escort destroyers, and maritime patrol aircraft like the P-3 Orion.
With changing force structures and the arrival of newer classes including the Sturgeon-class submarine and Los Angeles-class submarine, Sargo was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 6 February 1988. She entered the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where defueling and dismantling activities were carried out under Naval Sea Systems Command oversight and environmental regulations overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies. Components and salvageable materials were recycled, while classified equipment and reactor components were disposed of according to Naval Reactors protocols. Her legacy endures in submarine tactics, Arctic operations doctrine, and mentions in archives maintained by the Naval History and Heritage Command.
Category:Skate-class submarines Category:Cold War submarines of the United States Category:Ships built in Vallejo, California Category:1958 ships