USS Blueback (SS-581)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Blueback.

USS Blueback (SS-581)
USS Blueback (SS-581) in the 1960s
History
United States
NamesakeBlueback
Awarded29 June 1956
BuilderIngalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi[1]
Laid down15 April 1957[1]
Launched16 May 1959[1]
Sponsored byMrs. Kenmore McManes, wife of Rear Admiral McManes
Commissioned15 October 1959[1]
Decommissioned1 October 1990
Stricken30 October 1990[1]
StatusDonated to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeBarbel-class diesel-electric submarine
Displacement
  • 1,744 long tons (1,772 t) light[1]
  • 2,146 long tons (2,180 t) full
  • 2,637 long tons (2,679 t) submerged[1]
  • 402 long tons (408 t) dead
Length219 ft 6 in (66.90 m) overall[1]
Beam29 ft (8.8 m)[1]
Draft25 ft (7.6 m) max[1]
Propulsion
Speed
  • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) submerged[1]
Endurance
  • 30 minutes at full speed
  • 102 hours at 3 knots (6 km/h; 3 mph)
Test depth
  • 712 ft (217 m) operating
  • 1,050 ft (320 m) collapse
Complement8 officers, 69 men
Armament6 × 21 in (533 mm)[1] bow torpedo tubes, 18 torpedoes
USS Blueback
USS Blueback (SS-581) is located in Portland, Oregon
USS Blueback (SS-581)
LocationOregon Museum of Science and Industry
Coordinates45°30′28″N 122°40′01″W / 45.507832°N 122.666878°W / 45.507832; -122.666878
NRHP reference No.08000947
Added to NRHP18 September 2008[2]

USS Blueback (SS-581) is a Barbel-class submarine that served in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1990, and subsequently was made into an exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. She was the second Navy submarine to bear the name.

Blueback was laid down by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation of Pascagoula, Mississippi on 15 April 1957. She was launched on 16 May 1959 sponsored by Virginia McManes, wife of Rear Admiral Kenmore M. McManes, and commissioned on 15 October 1959, Lieutenant Commander Robert H. Gautier in command. She was the last non-nuclear submarine to join the United States Navy and was the final conventionally powered combat capable submarine to be decommissioned, which left the United States Navy with a fully nuclear submarine fleet, with the exception of the research submarine USS Dolphin which served until 2007.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
  2. ^ "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 9/29/08 through 10/03/08". National Park Service. 10 October 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2010.