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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Shark (SSN-591)
Service - Decommissioning

Radio Call Sign: November - Oscar - Kilo - Mike
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Keel Laying - Launching

Skipjack Class Attack Submarine: Laid down, 24 February 1958, at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA.; Launched, 16 March 1960; Commissioned, USS Shark (SSN-591), 9 February 1961; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 15 September 1990; Final Disposition, transferred to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 1 October 1995 for disposed through NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., completed 28 June 1996.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 2,880 t., Submerged: 3,500 t.; Length 251' 9"; Beam 32'; Draft 28 ft.; Speed, Surfaced 15 kts, Submerged 30+ kts; Depth Limit 700'; Complement 118; Combat Systems, Sonar, BQR-12, BQR-2 passive, BQS-4 (modified) active/passive; Radar BPS-12; Fire Control, MK-101 torpedo FCS, ASW MK-48; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, forward; Propulsion System, one S5W nuclear reactor, two Westinghouse steam turbines, one propeller 15,000 shp.
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Shark 345k Port quarter view of the Shark (SSN-591) cutting through the water, most likely soon after her commissioning, circa early 1961. US Navy photo courtesy of John Shane, whose grandmother, Mrs. Louis Shane sponsored the boat and was the wife of the late Lieutenant Commander Louis Shane, Jr. who was K.I.A. while commanding the Shark (SS-174), approximately 11 February 1942.
Shark 118k Bow on view of the Shark (SSN-591) cutting through the water most likely soon after her commissioning, circa early 1961. US Navy photo courtesy of Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
Shark 102k Shark (SSN-591) approaching the Newport News (CA-148) in Athens, Greece during the 1961 Med. cruise. Courtesy of George Klos.
Shark 41k Shark (SSN-591) tied up alongside the Newport News (CA-148) in Athens, Greece during the 1961 Med. cruise. Courtesy of George Klos.
Shark 71k Commemorative post mark honoring Shark (SSN-591) goodwill visit to Portsmouth England, March 1962. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Shark 105k Shark (SSN-591), in port at San Juan, PR., 1965. Triton (SSN-586) is on the Shark's right. Photographed and contributed courtesy of John Hummel.
Shark, Triton, Redfin & Requin 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. Photographed and contributed courtesy of John Hummel.
Shark 73k Biography of Commander Robert Kelsey, CO of the Shark (SSN-591) during the mid 1960's. US Navy photo from 1965 Welcome Aboard pamphlet, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 12/03/11.
Shark 345k Cut out of the Shark (SSN-591) from 1965 Welcome Aboard pamphlet. US Navy photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 12/03/11.
Shark 345k Shark (SSN-591), 17 April 1967, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Courtesy of John Hummel.
Shark 823k On 11 June 1967, Shark (SSN-591) prepared for her first refueling period at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and did not put to sea again until March 1968. The remainder of 1968 and 1969 was spent performing local or special operations. She appears here on 16 July 1968. Text courtesy of DANFS.
US Navy photo # K-55089, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 12/03/11.
Shark 883k Shark (SSN-591) appears here on 24 October 1968. US Navy photo # K-60299, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 12/03/11.
Shark 532k Surrounded by Nahasho (YTM-535) & Menominee (YTB-790), the Shark (SSN-591) is nudged to dock on 16 July 1969. US Navy photo # K-55088, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 12/03/11.
Shark 960k Surrounded by Nahasho (YTM-535) & Menominee (YTB-790), the Shark (SSN-591) is nudged to dock on 16 July 1969. US Navy photo # K-66087, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 12/03/11.
Shark 297k A photo of the Shark (SSN-591) issued by the ship and project team during her overhaul at Mare Island from 1 Oct 1981 to 2 Jun 1983. USN Photo # 180674, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Shark 645k A port bow view of the nuclear-powered attack submarine Shark (SSN-591) underway, 1 Sep 1985. Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DN-SC-86-03560 from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
Shark 563k Crew members stand on the sail and diving planes of the nuclear-powered attack submarine Shark (SSN-591) as locomotives pull it through the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal on 11 Nov 1989. The submarine is en route to the Pacific Ocean. Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DF-ST-93-04964 by MSGT. Herbert Cintron Jr., from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
Shark 430k The cargo ship Solar Wind stands above the nuclear-powered attack submarine Shark (SSN-591) as locomotives pull it through the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal on 11 Nov 1989. The submarine is en route to the Pacific Ocean. Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DF-ST-93-04965 by MSGT. Herbert Cintron Jr., from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil. & submited by Bill Gonyo.
Shark 976k Crew members stand on the sail and diving planes of the nuclear-powered attack submarine Shark (SSN-591) as locomotives pull it through the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal on 11 Nov 1989. The submarine is en route to the Pacific Ocean. Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DF-ST-93-04967 by MSGT. Herbert Cintron Jr., from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
Shark 12.1k Shark (SSN-591) Deactivation Ceremony pamphlet, 11 October, 1989. PDF courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Shark 1.9k Shark (SSN-591) 1990 change of command pamphlet. PDF courtesy of Darryl Baker.
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.
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard 185k Moored submarines awaiting their final fate at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA sometime in 1996: From left to right:
Shark (SSN-591),
Plunger (SSN-595),
Snook (SSN-592) &
Patrick Henry (SSBN-599). 		Photograph courtesy of Ray Arntson via btrosper.com.
Reactor Compartments83kTrench 94, Hanford Site, Washington, 1994. Hull sections containing defueled reactor compartments of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines are put in disposal trenches. Once full, the trench will be filled with dirt and buried. The compartments are expected to retain their integrity for more than 600 years. USN photo & partial text courtesy of home.flash.net/~tomj/tunny/chop/rx. & submitted by 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 Shark (SSN-591)
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
FAS - SSN-585 Skipjack Class
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