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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch on left contributed by Mike Smolinski, Patch on right by Darryl L. Baker.

Grayback (SSG-574) (APSS-574)
Post Keel Laying - Commissioning

Radio Call Sign: November - Charlie - Mike - Juliet

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Mock Up & Models
Construction to Keel Laying
Active Service - Sinking (1986)

Grayback Class Missile Submarine: Laid down, 1 July 1954, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Launched, 2 July 1957; Commissioned, USS Grayback (SSG-574), 7 March 1958; Decommissioned, 25 May 1964, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Converted to a Transport Submarine and recommissioned, USS Grayback (APSS-574) in 1968; Decommissioned, 16 June 1984; Final Disposition, sunk as a target near Subic Bay, PI, 13 April 1986.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 2,670 t., Submerged: 3,638 t.; Length 322'; Beam 30' 1"; Draft 16' 4"; Speed, Surfaced 20.5 kts, Submerged 15 kts; Complement 9 Officers 75 Enlisted; Armament, up to four Regulus I missiles, or two Regulus II missiles, or two Regulus Is and one Regulus II; eight 21" torpedo tubes, 1 Regulus missile launcher; Propulsion, diesel-electric, town propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
1.1m	Gauging frame height and alignment on tapered sections of the inner hull, 19 Nov. 1954.	U.S. Navy photo # 23717-11-54, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.2m	Conical section of inner hull showing adapter rings in the cradles, 9 Dec. 1954.	U.S. Navy photo # 23944-12-54, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
871k	Sixth section at ways 2, 22 Dec. 1954.	U.S. Navy photo # 24040-12-54, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.1m	Torpedo tube barrel section. Lands and liners are welded before assembly in jig on 1 Feb. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 24404-2-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.1m	Stern room pressure hull section showing adapter wings for positioning section in cradle for welding on 18 Mar. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 24903-3-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.2m	Torpedo tube barrel, cage and breech sections in final assembly on 25 Apr. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 25177-4-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.0m	Section frame 9 to 15 ready for shipment after disassembly of bow section on 21 July 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 26062-7-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.1m	Torpedo tube tubes assembly after welding (Starboard Nest)on 18 Oct. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 26856-10-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.1m	Port nest torpedo tube tubes ready for welding to bulkhead inserts (looking forward) showing method of marking sequence of increments on 24 Oct. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 26923-10-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.1m	Bow torpedo tube tubes (starboard nest) – staging set-up for assembly of appendages on 30 Oct. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 26986-10-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.1m	Tubes in position for installation (starboard nest) on 18 Nov. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 27209-11-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.0m	Port and starboard torpedo tubes nests installed shell plating removed (photo from port side) on 23 Nov. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 27240-11-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
927k	Shell section installed around torpedo tubes nests (photo from port side) on 25 Nov. 1955.	U.S. Navy photo # 27277-11-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
141k	The bow of Grayback (SSG-574) on the ways at Mare Island on 3 April 1956. Note that she is configured as an attack submarine at this date.	U.S. Navy photo # 28741-4-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
255k	Bow view of Grayback (SSG-574) on the ways at Mare Island on 3 April 1956. Note that she is configured as an attack submarine at this date. The Sargo (SSN-583) is under constrution on the ways to the right.	U.S. Navy photo # 30138-7-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
245k	Stern view of Grayback (SSG-574) on the ways at Mare Island on 3 April 1956. The Sargo (SSN-583) is under constrution on the ways to the left.	U.S. Navy photo # 30139-7-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
232k	Section 3 of the Sargo (SSN-583) is shown being moved up the building ways at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 19 Jun 1956. The Grayback (SSG-574) is shown on the building ways to the right.	US Navy photo # NY9 29805-6-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.1m	The bow section (left) is being moved forward on the building ways to make way for the missile compartment at Mare Island in mid August 1956.	U.S. Navy photo # 30705-8-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
966k	The bow section is being moved forward on the building ways to make way for the missile compartment at Mare Island in mid August 1956.	U.S. Navy photo # 30707-8-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.3m	The bow section is in its new place on the building ways at Mare Island in mid August 1956. Note cables to wenches used to pull the section forward on the ways.	U.S. Navy photo # 30710-8-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.3m	Aft view of the bow section is in its new place on the building ways at Mare Island in mid August 1956.	U.S. Navy photo # 30713-8-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
1.3m	Various hull sections for the Sargo (SSN-583) are shown on the building ways at Mare Island on 3 Oct. 1956. View is looking towards the bow of the boat. Grayback (SSG-574) is alongside to the right.	U.S. Navy photo # 31450-10-56, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
277k	Bow view of Grayback (SSG-574) on the ways shown that the bow is being modified for her missile hanger at Mare Island on 9 January 1957. The Sargo (SSN-583) is under construction on the right.	U.S. Navy photo # 32690-1-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
216k	Stern view of Sargo (SSN-583) on the building ways at Mare Island on 2 April 1957. Grayback (SSG-574) is on the ways to the right.	U.S. Navy photo # 33742-4-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
222k	Stern view of Grayback (SSG-574) on the ways the day before her launching at Mare Island on 1 July 1957. The Sargo (SSN-583) is on the ways to the left.	U.S. Navy photo # 34939-7-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
193k	Amidships looking aft plan view of Grayback (SSG-574) at Mare Island on 1 July 1957.	U.S. Navy photo # 37042-10-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
117k	Christening bottle (California Champagne) & case for the christening of Grayback (SSG-574) at Mare Island on 2 July 1957.	U.S. Navy photo # NY9 34894-6-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
503k	Grayback (SSG-574) is shown half way down the building ways at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 2 July 1957. The Sargo (SSN-583) is on the right.	U.S. Navy photo # NY9 35073-7-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
367k	Grayback (SSG-574) is shown at the end of the building ways at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 2 July 1957. The Sargo (SSN-583) is on the right.	U.S. Navy photo # NY9 35061-7-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
351k	(SSG-574) is waterborne after her launching at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 2 July 1957.	U.S. Navy photo # NY9 35063-7-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
103k	Postal cover marking the launching of the Grayback (SSG-574) on 2 July 1957 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.	Courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
146k	Front cover of the Launching Program of the Grayback (SSG-574) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 2 July 1957.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
91k	Pages 1 & 2 of the Launching Program of the Grayback (SSG-574) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 2 July 1957.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
109k	Back cover of the Launching Program of the Grayback (SSG-574) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 2 July 1957.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
132k	On 2 July 1957, upon the occasion of the launching of the Grayback (SSG-574), the sponsor was presented with several gifts during the reception which followed the launching. Shown are RADM M. J. Lawrence (Shipyard Commander), Mrs. John A. Moore (Sponsor), Mr. I. H. Whitthorne (President of Master's and Foreman's Association), and Mr. Ernest D. Wichels (President of the Navy Yard Association). Mrs. Moore is the widow of the commanding officer of the 1st Grayback (SS-208).	U.S. Navy photo # NY9 35070-7-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
596k	The spectators gathered for the launching of the Grayback (SSG-574) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 2 July 1957. The yard's first nuclear submarine Sargo (SSN-583) is seen on the ways to the right.	U.S. Navy # NY9 35033-7-57, photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
132k	Mrs. John A. Moore, Sponsor of the Grayback (SSG-574) vists the ship in dry dock 4 at Mare Island on 3 July 1957. RADM M. J. Lawrence, USN, Shipyard Commander and Capt E. J. Fahy, USN, Production Officer are seen with her. The building in the background is the yard's machine shop. The cupola in the right corner of the pcture is the periscope test tower for the optical shop which was on the top of the building. Periscopes were suspended from the ceiling and scopes head window projected into the cupola for test and calibration.	U.S. Navy photo # NY9 35079-7-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
87k	Officers and crew of the Grayback (SSG-574) at her commissioning ceremony, 3 July 1957.	USN photo.
1.0m	View of the bow of Grayback (SSG-574) at her outfitting berth at Mare Island on 17 December 1957. Sargo (SSN-583) is forward of *Grayback*.	U.S. Navy photo # 8078-12-57, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
147k	The front cover of the Commissioning Program for Grayback (SSG-574) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on Friday 1 March 1958.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
35k	Pages 1 & 2 of the Commissioning Program for Grayback (SSG-574)at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on Friday 1 March 1958.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
180k	Back cover of the Commissioning Program for Grayback (SSG-574) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on Friday 1 March 1958 which list the ship's company at the time of commissioning.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
117k	This is the "Diagram for commissioning Grayback (SSG-574)" at Mare Island on 7 March 1958.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
242k	The colors are raised for the first aboard Grayback (SSG-574) during her commissioning ceremonies at Mare Island on 7 March 1958.	U.S. Navy photo # 38419-3-58, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
104k	Grayback (SSG-574) after her completion at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Her sail is wrapped in bunting and a Regulus I missle is on deck.	Photo courtesy of Jane's Fighting Ships" 1959-1960 & submitted by Robert Hurst. Text courtesy of DANFS. Photo added 11/06/09.