USS Alexander Hamilton (SSBN-617) - Operational History

Operational History

Between 28 June and 18 October 1963, Alexander Hamilton carried out two shakedown cruises, one for each of her crews. Following those operations, she conducted post-shakedown availability. After trials early in 1964, she departed the United States East Coast on 16 March 1964 to deploy to Rota, Spain, her base of operations. She conducted deterrent patrols out of that port for the remainder of 1964 as a unit of Submarine Squadron 16. In January 1965, she transferred to Submarine Squadron 14 and was rebased at Holy Loch, Scotland. Her cycle of patrols from there lasted until 2 June 1967, at which time she returned to the United States at Charleston, South Carolina. Later that month, she moved north to New London, Connecticut, and from there into the Electric Boat shipyard on 18 June 1967 to begin her first overhaul and nuclear refueling.

Alexander Hamilton completed the overhaul on 28 June 1968 and conducted post-overhaul trials, inspections, and shakedown training until early October 1968. In November, she began a deterrent patrol en route to Rota, her new base, where she arrived on 30 December 1968. For the next four years, she operated from Rota as a unit of Submarine Squadron 16.

At the conclusion of her 31st deterrent patrol, Alexander Hamilton returned to Charleston in November 1972 and in January 1973 began her second refueling overhaul, combined with a conversion to carry Poseidon missiles, at the shipyard of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. The work on those two modifications lasted for over two years. Upon its completion, she carried out shakedown in April 1975 and devoted the remainder of the year to training and various post-overhaul trials. She conducted her 32nd and 33rd deterrent patrols in the early part of 1976. Alexander Hamilton concluded the 33rd patrol at Holy Loch in May 1976 and conducted her next three deterrent patrols from that base. While on her 35th patrol, she visited Port Canaveral, Florida, and New London, Connecticut, before concluding that patrol at Charleston in March 1977. During March and April 1977, she completed refit and conducted refresher training. In July 1977, she departed Charleston for another deterrent patrol which ended with her arrival at Holy Loch in September 1977.

From Holy Loch, Alexander Hamilton conducted her 39th and 40th deterrent patrols. She departed Holy Loch in May 1978 for her 41st deterrent patrol and concluded it at Charleston in July 1978. She remained there until August 1978 when she got underway for New London. She arrived at New London early in September 1978 and, after exchanging crews, embarked upon her 42nd deterrent patrol later that month. She ended that patrol at Holy Loch in October 1978. Over the next year, she made four patrols from Holy Loch. On 31 October 1979, she departed Holy Loch on her 46th deterrent patrol, ending it at Charleston on 7 December 1979. Early in January 1980, she departed Charleston on her 47th deterrent patrol. She concluded that patrol at Holy Loch on 17 March 1980 and operated from that base for the remainder of 1980.