USS Ray (SSN-653) - Service History

Service History

With her home port at Norfolk, Virginia, Ray underwent shakedown training and weapons and sonar testing until 6 October 1967, when she deployed to conduct Atlantic Ocean submarine operations until 12 December 1967.

In 1968 Ray again deployed for submarine operations in the Atlantic, from 8 April to 10 June and again from 13 November to 20 December.

Ray January through May 1969 in attack submarine training and fleet exercises off the United States East Coast and in the Caribbean Sea. She departed Norfolk on 6 June 1969 on a special operation before proceeding to Holy Loch, Scotland, where she arrived on 26 June 1969. She departed Holy Loch on 31 July 1969 and returned to Norfolk on 12 August. For the remainder of 1969 and into 1970, Ray trained in the Atlantic with other units of the fleet.

Ray spent most of 1970 operating in the Atlantic out of Norfolk. Her operations were concentrated primarily upon training and testing. In December 1970, she entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia, for a 14-month overhaul period. After its completion, she departed Norfolk on 5 March 1972 and engaged in various tests and exercises—notably two North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercises, "Strong Express" and "Escort Deep" -- during the remainder of 1972. She returned to Norfolk on 12 December 1972.

Ray departed Norfolk in late February 1973 to conduct a Mediterranean Sea cruise which lasted until mid-summer, at which time she returned to Norfolk and normal Atlantic operations.

On 20 September 1977, due to a combination of equipment failure and crew inexperience, Ray struck a coral mountain while submerged in the Mediterranean Sea. Her sonar equipment was destroyed and her auxiliary diesel engine was knocked off its mounts. Repairs required a year of work at Charleston Naval Shipyard in Charleston, South Carolina.

Ray participated in a six-month Mediterranean cruise as a part of the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) aircraft carrier battle group from October 1989 to April 1990. She participated in various exercises and underwater operations which included operating in the Gulf of Sidra inside what Libya claimed was the "Line of Death" that formed the boundary of Libyan territorial waters, a territorial claim the United States did not recognize. She pulled into several liberty ports during this cruise, including La Maddalena in Italy, Cannes and Toulon in France, and Gibraltar. After her return to Charleston, she underwent routine repairs in drydock the Charleston Naval Shipyard.