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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Triton (SSRN-586) (SSN-586)

Radio Call Sign: November - Delta - Bravo - Romeo

Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons

Presidential Unit Citation

Triton Class Radar Picket Submarine: Laid down, 29 May 1956, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp. Groton, CT; Launched, 19 August 1958; Commissioned, USS Triton (SSRN-586), 10 November 1959; Reclassified Attack Submarine, (SSN-586), 1 March 1961; Decommissioned, 3 May 1969, at New London, CT.; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Norfolk, VA.; Struck from the Naval Register, 30 April 1986; Final Disposition, in storage at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., awaiting processing through the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program. She is scheduled for a 15-year drydocked hull inspection in October 2009, after which it is expected that she will finally be recycled.
Triton received the Presidential Unit Citation, and a Navy Unit Commendation.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 5,963 t., Submerged: 7,773 t.; Length 447' ; Beam 37'; Speed, Surfaced 30+ kts, Submerged 27+ kts; Dept Limit, 700'; Complement 159; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, 4 forward, 2 aft), Fire Control System MK-101; Propulsion, two S4G nuclear reactors, two 5-bladed propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
105k	Submarine History Profiles: First true submarine: Holland (SS-01) in 1900. First U.S. Deisel submarine:E-1 (SS-24) in 1911. First Fleet boat:V-1 (SS-163) in 1922. First GUPPY: Odax (SS-484) in 1947. First nuclear powered submarine:Nautilus (SSN-571) in 1954. First submarine to completey circumnavigate the earth submerged:Triton (SSRN-586) in 1959. Latest generation of U.S. ballastic submarines:Ohio (SSBN-726), in 1980.	US Navy photo courtesy of Robert Hall. Photo i.d. courtesy of Dave Johnston.
161k	Construction of the Triton (SSRN-586) at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp. Groton, CT. Her huge size becomes apparent when comparing with the figures in the background.	Photo & partial text courtesy of garrygray.tripod.com.
61k	Fitting Triton's (SSRN-586) sail to hull. The sail structure is 74 feet long, 21 feet longer than the first Holland (SS-1) submarine built for the US Navy.	Photo & text courtesy of garrygray.tripod.com.
70k	Triton (SSRN-586) just after launching on 19 August 1958. Notice that 12 feet from the top of the sail are not yet attached.	Photo & text courtesy of garrygray.tripod.com.
65k	Triton (SSRN-586) immediately after launch.	Photo & text courtesy of garrygray.tripod.com.
54k	Skipjack (SS-585) & Triton (SSRN-586). Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of the first day in commission of the *Triton*, 10 November 1959.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
32k	Commissioning of the Triton (SSRN-586), 10 November 1959. The Skipjack (SS-585) is in the background. She had been commissioned on 15 April 1959.	Courtesy of Norm Gladd. Photo i.d. courtesy of garrygray.tripod.com.
179k	Submarine 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.
187k	Nuclear 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.
407k	Triton (SSRN-586) heading out for the beginning of the circumnavigation.	Photo courtesy of the Triton's (SSRN-586) photographer, William Hadley via Garry Gray.
60k	Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion on the Triton (SSRN-586) having completed the first submerged circumnavigation of the earth, 10 April 1960, 60 days and 21 hours. Capt. Edward L. "Ned" Beach, Jr., signature appears at top.	Partial text courtesy of DANFS. Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
25k	The national ensign flies from the sail of the Triton (SSRN-586) following her submerged circumnavigation of the earth, 10 April 1960.	USN photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
114k	The Triton (SSRN-586) threaded Hilutangan channel off Mactan Island, the Phillipines, with sonar feelers.	Photo from the book Great Adventures with National Geographic, 1963. Page 142.
35k	In deepwater channels Triton (SSRN-586) wove through the Indies. Currents at Lombok Strait dropped her 125 feet in seconds.	Photo from the book Great Adventures with National Geographic, 1963. Page 143.
476k	The Triton (SSRN-586) coming home after the circumnavigation.	Photo courtesy of the Triton's (SSRN-586) photographer, William Hadley via Garry Gray.
423k	Captain Beach on the bridge of the Triton (SSRN-586).	Photo courtesy of the Triton's (SSRN-586) photographer, William Hadley via Garry Gray.
176k	Helicopter dropping box to Triton (SSRN-586) off New London, CT., May 1960.	Photographer: Hank Walker, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life.
406k	Helicopter picking up Captain Beach for transfer to the White House.	Photo courtesy of the Triton's (SSRN-586) photographer, William Hadley via Garry Gray.
107k	Triton (SSRN-586), New London, CT., May 1960.	Photographer: Yale Joel, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life.
117k	US Navy Capt. Edward L. Beach (center) receiving decoration from Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) after historic underwater voyage around the world as Adm. Hyman G. Rickover looks on in New London, CT., May 1960.	Photographer: Yale Joel, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life.
129k	Triton's (SSRN-586) crew members standing behind their wives and new babies, New London, CT., May 1960.	Photographer: Joseph Scherschel, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life.
320k	Capt. Edward L. "Ned" Beach, Jr., on the Triton (SSRN-586), circa early 1960's.	U.S. Navy photo # N-00000000B-004 courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute / news.navy.mil.
127k	Shark (SSN-591), in port at San Juan, PR., 1965. Triton (SSN-586) on left, you just see her topside. Redfin, (SS-272) and Requin (SS-481) are outboard of her.	Photograped and contributed courtesy of John Hummel.
55k	Lewis & Clark (SSBN-644), Triton (SSRN-586) outboard Orion (AS-18), date and location unknown.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
348k	Triton (SSRN-586), date and place unknown.	USN photo courtey of csp.navy
207k	Unknown dated still of the Triton (SSRN-586) underway from a 16mm film clip.	Photo courtesy of periscopefilm.com.
40k	The inactived Triton (SSRN-586) is shown here being moved from Norfolk VA, on her way to Bremerton, Washington in August 1983.	Photo courtesy of Garry Gray via Ron Reeves.
28k	The inactived Triton (SSRN-586) is shown here being moved from Norfolk VA, where she breaks tow, makes liberty call in San Diego on her way to Bremerton, Washington in August 1983.	Photo courtesy of Garry Gray via Ron Reeves.
291k	"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.
101k	Triton (SSRN-586) at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 17 July 1998. In the right backgound the Lapon (SSN-661) waits its turn to be recycled through the Navy's nuclear surface and submarine recycling program	Photo taken from Warship Boneyards, by Kit and Carolyn Bonner & submitted by Robert Hurst.
30k	Triton (SSRN-586) photo taken in Oct. 98 by a Independence (CVA-62) crew member. Note Long Beach (CGN-9) and Lapon (SSN-661) in background.	Courtesy of Don Shelton.
19k	Triton (SSRN-586) photo taken in Oct 98 by a Independence (CVA-62) crew member. Lapon (SSN-661) in background.	Courtesy of Don Shelton.
30k	Triton (SSRN-586) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, circa 2006.	Photo courtesy of submarinesailor.com courtesy of Harry Higgins.
315k	Captain Edward L. Beach won fame as a submarine commander and best-selling author describing life beneath the waves. The son of a career naval officer, Beach was born in Palo Alto, California in 1918. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1939 and from Submarine School in 1941. During World War II, he served as Damage Control Assistant, Chief Engineer, and Executive Officer of Trigger (SS-237), during which time she was one of the highest scoring submarines in the force. He received the Navy Cross for his service as Executive Officer of Tirante (SS-420) in early 1945. Beach also made one wartime patrol as commanding officer of Piper (SS-409). Following the war, he commanded Amberjack (SS-522), Trigger (SS-564), and Triton (SSRN-586), and served as naval aide to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Between February and May 1960, *Triton, under Beach's command, made the first submerged circumnavigation of the globe. This 83-day voyage proved the ability of nuclear-powered submarines to conduct long-duration operations in any part of the ocean. Beach has also won renown as the author of three submarine novels, including the best selling "Run Silent, Run Deep"* "Dust on the Sea," and "Cold is the Sea." He also wrote several nonfiction works, including "Submarine," "Around the World Submerged," "Wreck of the Memphis," "The United States Navy: 200 Years," and his autobiography, "Salt and Steel." "Run Silent, Run Deep" was made into a popular movie starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster. In an interview with All Hands Magazine, a U.S. Navy internal information periodical, he didn't like the movie because it wasn't true to the Navy that I saw and tried to describe." He died Dec. 1 2002 at his Washington, D.C. home. Beach is survived by his wife Ingrid, three children, and four grandchildren.	U.S. Navy photo # N-0000B-001 courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute / news.navy.mil.
480k	Kai-Huei Yau/Herald - Roger Wright, ports engineer for the Port of Benton, fields questions from Jim Stoffels of Richland, Dale Anderson of Richland and Susan Chester of Cameron Park, Calif. Friday next to pieces of the Triton's (SSRN-586) sail. The decommissioned submarine's sail, which is the the large tower-like structure on top of submarines, is currently in four pieces, but will be reconstructed around the sub's conning tower for the Port of Benton's *Triton* Submarine Memorial Park. The park will honor nuclear powered vessels and the role the port has played in their decommissioning. Inside the Triton's (SSRN-586) Conning Tower. PDF of 10 photos.	Courtesy of tri-cityherald.com via thesubreport.blogspot.com. Photo added 10/30/09.