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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Sargo (SSN-583)
Commissioning - Decommissioning

Radio Call Sign: November - Echo - India - Hotel
To Additional Pages

Keel Laying - Building
Launching - Shakedown

Skate Class Submarine: Laid down, 21 February 1956, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Launched, 10 October 1957; Commissioned, USS Sargo (SSN-583), 1 October 1958; Decommissioned 26 Feb 1988 at Pearl Harbor, and struck from the Naval Register, 21 April 1988; Final Disposition, disposed of through NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., 14 April 1994 to 5 April 1995.
Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 2,570 t., Submerged: 2,861 t.; Length 267' 8" ; Beam 25'; Draft 20'; Speed, Surfaced 23 kts, Submerged 18+ kts; Complement 8 Officers, 75 Enlisted; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, Propulsion, S3W pressurized water cooled reactor, steam turbines, two propellers, 13,200 shp.
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Sargo60k Picture shown the commissioning party on the Sargo (SSN-583) at Mare Island on 1 Oct 1958. (Left to right) RADM George L. Russell, USN, 12th Naval District - Commissioning Officer; VADM Maurice E. Curtis, USN, Commander Western Sea Frontier - Speaker; CDR Daniel P. Brooks, Commanding Officer Sargo Mrs. Frank T. Watkins - Sponsor; RADM Frank T. Watkins, USN, 13th Naval District; RADM E. E. Yeomans, USN, Commander Navy Post Graduate School; RADM E. W. Grenfell, USN, Commander, Submarine Force Pacific Fleet; Capt Leo G. May, USN, Acting Shipyard Commander; CDR H. W. Buckingham, USN, Chaplain; and LCDR A. F. Mendonsa, USN, Chaplain.
US Navy photo # NY9 41268-10-58, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Sargo26kCommemorative post mark honoring Sargo's (SSN-583) commissioning, 1 Oct 1958 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.
Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Sargo216kSargo (SSN-583) commissioning at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 1 Oct 1958.
US Navy photo # NY9 41279-10-59, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Sargo98kSargo (SSN-583) around the time of her commissioning. In general form she resembles the diesel-electric Tang (SS-563) class submarine; nuclear submarines did not assume their modern fish like hull form until construction of the Skipjack (SSN-585) class.
The narrow line extending along Sargo's deck from bow to stern is a safety track installed as standard equipment on submarines after seven men were lost from Tusk (SS-426) while rescuing the crew of Cochino (SS-345) in Arctic waters. When going on deck in heavy weather, crewmen attach a safety line to themselves and clip the other end into the safety track. They can then move freely and remain safe against mishap.
US Navy photo from DANFS, courtesy of Joe Radigan, MACM, USN Ret.
Sargo137k Sargo (SSN-583) arrives at Mare Island on 3 April 1959. US Navy photo # NY9 43844-4-59, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Sargo164k Sargo (SSN-583) departs Mare Island on 8 September 1959. US Navy photo # NY9 45799-9-59, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Submarine Silhouettes 1960179kSubmarine Silhouettes of 1960:
Nautilus (SSN-571), Seawolf (SSN-575), Skate (SSN-578), Skipjack (SS-585), Triton (SSRN-586), Halibut (SSGN-587), Thresher (SSN-593), Tullibee (SSN-597), George Washington (SSBN-598), & Ethan Allen (SSBN-608) classes.
U.S. Navy Photograph submitted by Ron Titus, courtesy of Ingersoll-Rand. Corp.
Nuclear Submarine Profiles187kNuclear Submarine Profiles 1960:
Nautilus (SSN-571),
Seawolf (SSN-575),
Triton (SSRN-586),
Skate (SSN-578) & Skipjack (SS-585) classes,
Halibut (SSGN-587) & Tullibee (SSN-597) classes,
George Washington (SSBN-598) &
Thresher (SSN-593) classes. 		US Navy photo courtesy of Ron Titus courtesy of Ingersoll-Rand. Corp. Photo i.d. courtesy of Dave Johnston.
Sargo63kSargo (SSN-583) probably taken during her trip to the Arctic Circle, 1960. Sargo had reached the vicinity of St. Matthews Island where she found ice, block and brash and where, after rendezvousing with the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Staten Island (AGB-5), she made her first stationary dive while surrounded by ice. On the 29th of January, she passed the Diomedes and crossed the Arctic Circle; and, on 9 February, she arrived under the North Pole.
USN photo courtesy of Robert Hurst. Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
Sargo55k Postal cover marking Sargo (SSN-583) surfacing at the North Pole on 9 Feb. 1960. US Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Sargo92k Sargo's (SSN-583) improvised panel for the Acrtic. US Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Sargo75kSargo (SSN-583), surfaced above the Arctic Circle, 1960.
US Navy photo courtesy of the US Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory.
Sargo33kCollecting hydrographic data as she progressed, Sargo (SSN-583) reached ice island T-3 on the 17th of February 1960. Thence, after conducting tests in cooperation with scientists on the ice island, she got underway for the Bering Straits, the Aleutians, and Hawaii. On 3 March, Sargo, having covered over 11,000 miles, 6,003 under ice, returned to Pearl Harbor with new data on arctic ice, arctic waters, and the physiography of the Arctic Basin.
US Navy photo courtesy of the US Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory, text courtesy of DANFS.
Sargo70kExamining the damage.Photograph courtesy of John Nicholson via Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Sargo55kCold view from below.U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Sargo250k Sargo (SSN-583) pulls into Pearl Harbor from a collision with the Northern elements.U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Sargo100k On 14 June 1960, an explosion and fire took place in the stern room, while the submarine was charging her oxygen tanks from the dock, killed one crew member and put her back in the shipyard for the remainder of the summer. Text courtesy of DANFS.
U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Swordfish389kThree Skate class submarines churn the Pacific: Swordfish (SSN-579), Sargo (SSN-583) & Seadragon (SSN-584) stand out for a family photo op on 3 Dec 1960.U.S. Navy Photograph # NPC 1052413, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Sargo200kSargo (SSN-583) is accompanied to sea. U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Sargo190kProspective matre d’hotel's at Boot camp, Company 336, San Diego, July 1966 before assignment to the Sargo (SSN-583).Photo from the Keith Phillipy Collection courtesy of Carol Edgemon Hipperson author of Radioman: An Eyewitness Account of Pearl Harbor & World War II in the Pacific (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martins Press, 2008) & The Belly Gunner (Twenty-First Century Books / Millbrook Press, 2001).
Sargo133k Sargo (SSN-583) mess hall, 1968.Photo from the Keith Phillipy Collection courtesy of Carol Edgemon Hipperson author of Radioman: An Eyewitness Account of Pearl Harbor & World War II in the Pacific (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martins Press, 2008) & The Belly Gunner (Twenty-First Century Books / Millbrook Press, 2001).
Sargo134kThe head of a Sargo (SSN-583), 1968.Photo from the Keith Phillipy Collection courtesy of Carol Edgemon Hipperson author of Radioman: An Eyewitness Account of Pearl Harbor & World War II in the Pacific (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martins Press, 2008) & The Belly Gunner (Twenty-First Century Books / Millbrook Press, 2001).
Sargo153kGalley Cook Keith Phillipy of the Sargo (SSN-583) about to prepare the catch of the day, 1968.Photo from the Keith Phillipy Collection courtesy of Carol Edgemon Hipperson author of Radioman: An Eyewitness Account of Pearl Harbor & World War II in the Pacific (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martins Press, 2008) & The Belly Gunner (Twenty-First Century Books / Millbrook Press, 2001).
Sargo150kGalley Cooks ham it up before the camera on Sargo (SSN-583), 1968.Photo from the Keith Phillipy Collection courtesy of Carol Edgemon Hipperson author of Radioman: An Eyewitness Account of Pearl Harbor & World War II in the Pacific (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martins Press, 2008) & The Belly Gunner (Twenty-First Century Books / Millbrook Press, 2001).
Skate110kView of fully flooded drydock with caisson opened. Newly arrived submarine is being placed in position. Berthed submarine on right is same as that seen in photo WA-116-25. Camera is pointed S from bulkhead. LOC photo # 370866pv courtesy of Stephen Gower.
Sargo97kSargo (SSN-583) off the coast of Hawaii, circa 1975.
US Navy photo courtesy of Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
Sargo130kSargo (SSN-583) possibly off the coast of Hawaii, circa 1975.
USN photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo via parche683.net.
Sargo40kOfficial Decommissioning Invitation for the Sargo (SSN-583), held at Pier Sierra-One, Naval Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Friday 26 February 1988. Courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
Sargo25k Sargo (SSN-583) commemorative decommissioning post mark, 1988.
Courtesy of Richard Leonhardt.
Sargo51kCommemorative post mark honoring the nuclear submarines of the U.S. Navy on Sargo's (SSN-583) last day in commission, 26 February 1988.
Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Sargo43kCommemorative post mark on Sargo's (SSN-583) last day in commission, 26 February 1988.
Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
PSNSY 683k An aerial view of a section of the Ship Intermediate Maintenance Facility at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 17 May 1993. One submarine tender and 16 decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines are shown including the Seawolf (SSN-575); six George Washington, and Lafayette class SSBN's (with their missile sections cut out) plus several Skate, Skipjack, Permit and Sturgeon class SSN's. All are awaiting scrapping.
Bottom row, from left to right Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610), Skipjack (SS-585), Snook (SSN-592), Henry Clay (SSBN-625), Lapon (SSN-661), Dace (SSN-607), Skate (SSN-578), Swordfish (SSN-579), Sargo (SSN-583) , Seadragon (SSN-584).
Across the pier are Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618), and not in view, Patrick Henry (SSBN-599), George Washington (SSBN-598),Barb (SSN-596) & Sea Devil (SSN-664). 		Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DN-ST-95-01863, by Calvin Larsen, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil. Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USN).
Skate140kPhoto date is March of 1994 during the demolition process for the submarines Skate (SSN-578) and Sargo (SSN-583) . Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Drydock No. 3, Farragut Avenue, Bremerton, Kitsap, WA. South Section from caisson when drydock is almost fully flooded in preparation for docking Sargo next to Skate [not in picture}. Library of Congress, Photo No. HAER WASH,18-BREM,4E—25 courtesy of Stephen Gower.
Skate110kView of fully flooded drydock with caisson opened. Newly arrived submarine is being placed in position. Library of Congress, Photo No. HAER WASH,18-BREM,4E—26 courtesy of Stephen Gower. Photo added 07/29/10.
PSNSY291k"Sign of the times." March 1994 photo of Nuclear submarines at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard waiting in line for scrapping.
Top row left to right are Ethan Allen (SSBN-608), Seawolf (SSN-575) Plunger (SSN-595), Shark (SSN-591), Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636), Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) alongside Sperry (AS-12), with Triton (SSRN-586) across the pier from the Sperry .
Bottom row, from left to right Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610), Skipjack (SS-585), Snook (SSN-592), Henry Clay (SSBN-625), Lapon (SSN-661), Dace (SSN-607), Skate (SSN-578), Swordfish (SSN-579), Sargo (SSN-583) , Seadragon (SSN-584).
Across the pier are Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618), and not in view, Patrick Henry (SSBN-599), George Washington (SSBN-598),Barb (SSN-596) & Sea Devil (SSN-664).
There are so many submarines at PSNSY that the yard is running out of pier space.
Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Spent Fuel569kSealed reactor compartments are shipped by barge out of Puget Sound Naval Base down the coast and along the Columbia River to the port of Benton. There the radioactively-contaminated hull sections are transferred to special multiwheeled high-load trailers for transport to the Hanford Reservation in Washington State. Pictured below is the burial ground for spent fuel of the following 77 nuclear reactor submarines as of March 2003:
Patrick Henry (SSBN-599),
Snook (SSN-592),
George Washington (SSBN-598),
Scamp (SSN-588),
Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601),
Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618),
Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600),
Dace (SSN-607),
John Adams (SSBN-620),
Abraham Lincoln (SSBN-602),
Barb (SSN-596),
Ethan Allen (SSBN-608),
Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610),
Pollack (SSN-603),
Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685),
James Monroe (SSBN-622),
Skipjack (SS-585),
Nathan Hale (SSBN-623),
Plunger (SSN-595),
Shark (SSN-591),
Lafayette (SSBN-616),
Sam Houston (SSBN-609),
Jack (SSN-605),
Haddo (SSN-604),
Tinosa (SSN-606),
Guardfish (SSN-612),
Permit (SSN-594),
Queenfish (SSN-651),
Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631),
John Marshall (SSBN-611),
George C. Marshall (SSBN-654),
Flasher (SSN-613),
Guitarro (SSN-665),
Alexander Hamilton (SSBN-617),
George Washington Carver (SSBN-656),
Tecumseh (SSBN-628),
Halibut (SSGN-587),
Will Rogers (SSBN-659),
Henry L. Stimson (SSBN-655),
Daniel Boone (SSBN-629),
Greenling (SSN-614),
John C. Calhoun (SSBN-630),
Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633),
Skate (SSN-578),
Sargo (SSN-583),
Francis Scott Key (SSBN-657),
Sturgeon (SSN-637),
Benjamin Franklin (SSBN-640),
Swordfish (SSN-579),
Seadragon (SSN-584),
Stonewall Jackson (SSBN-634),
Simon Bolivar (SSBN-641),
Hammerhead (SSN-663),
Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658),
Tullibee (SSN-597),
Lewis & Clark (SSBN-644),
Pargo (SSN-650),
Seahorse (SSN-669),
Gurnard (SSN-662),
Flying Fish (SSN-673),
Gato (SSN-615),
Puffer (SSN-652),
Seawolf (SSN-575),
Baton Rouge (SSN-689),
Bergall (SSN-667),
Whale (SSN-638),
Henry Clay (SSBN-625),
James Madison (SSBN-627),
Finback (SSN-670),
Spadefish (SSN-668),
Sunfish (SSN-649),
George Bancroft (SSBN-643),
Grayling (SSN-646),
Pintado (SSN-672),
Tunny (SSN-682),
Archerfish (SSN-678),
& Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624).
USN photo & partial text courtesy of home.flash.net/~tomj/tunny/chop/rx. & submitted by Jack Treutle.
View the Sargo (SS-583)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest

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