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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Radio Call Sign: November - Papa - Yankee - Sierra

Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) (SSN-600)

George Washington Class Ballistic Missile Submarine: Authorized as Scamp (SSN-588; Laid down as Scamp (SSN-600), 20 May 1958, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Renamed and redesignated Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600), 6 November 1958; Launched, 3 October 1959; Commissioned, USS Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600), 13 February 1961; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1982; Final Disposition, disposed of through NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., 24 March 1995.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 5,946 t., Submerged: 6,700 t.; Length 382'; Beam 33'; Draft 29'; Speed, Surfaced 16 kts, Submerged 20+ kts; Complement 139; Test Depth 700'; Armament, 16 missile tubes; six 21" torpedo tubes, Propulsion, S5W Pressurized Water Nuclear Reactor, 2 geared turbines at 15,000 shp, one propeller.

Size	Image Description	Source
196k	RADM M. J. Lawrence, Shipyard Commander speaking at keel laying of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 5 May 1958.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 39329-5-58, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
475k	RADM M. J. Lawrence, Shipyard Commander authenticating keel of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 5 May 1958.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 39328-5-58, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
597k	Capt. E. J. Fahy (Production Officer Mare Island), RADM M. J. Lawrence (Shipyard Commander Mare Island) and RADM E. W. Grenfell (COMSUBPAC) after keel was laid for Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 5 May 1958.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 39332-5-58, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
49k	The Halibut (SSGN-587) is ready for her launching at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 9 Jan 1959. The keel of the Theodore Roosevelt (SSGN-600) is seen on the ways to the left of Halibut.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
138k	The Halibut (SSGN-587) is seen just prior to her launching at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 9 Jan 1959. The keel of the Theodore Roosevelt (SSGN-600) is on the ways to the right.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 42606-1-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
284k	The boat riders are in place (hurry-up and wait for the VIPs) for the launching of Halibut (SSGN-587) at Mare Island on 9 Jan 1959. The hull of the Theodore Roosevelt (SSGN-600) is seen on the ways to the left of Halibut.	U.S. Navy photo # 42661-1-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 09/30/06.
89k	The Halibut (SSGN-587) on the building ways at Mare Island. Note that the ship is on an incline and there are rails under the launch cradle (wooden blocking). This picture was taken in the early morning shortly before her launching. The five vertical supports on the left would removed before launching. The keel of the Theodore Roosevelt (SSGN-600) is seen on the ways to the right of *Halibut*.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Nick Spark. Text courtesy of Darryl Baker.
299k	Amidships looking forward plan view of Halibut (SSGN-587) being outfitted at Mare Island in August 1959. Forward of *Halibut* is *YSR-6* (Big W) bilge wheelerizing barge and Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) just visible on the building ways behind *YSR-6* to the right.	U.S. Navy photo # 45615-8-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 09/30/06.
747k	Stern view of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) on the ways at Mare Island prior to launching, 3 October 1959.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 45957-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
606k	The arrival of Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth (Sponsor) and Mrs. Anina Woods (Matron of Honor) for the launching of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island, 3 October 1959.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 45958-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
899k	Deputy Secretary of Defense Thomas S. Gates receives honors during launching ceremonies of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island, 3 October 1959.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 45959-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
676k	Building ways at Mare Island on the launching day of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600), 3 October 1959.	U.S. Navy photo 48863-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
862k	Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth Christens the Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island, 3 October 1959.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 45966-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
526k	Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth after launching the Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island. Here is the story of this picture from the shipyard newspaper. "She didn't do it, but she was supposed to -- break the champagne bottle on the bow of the *Theodore Roosevelt*, first Polaris submarine built on the West Coast, and launched at Mare Island on October 3, 1959. Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of the late President for whom the ship was named, was the sponsor. She was also the first, and last, Mare Island sponsor who declined a dress rehearsal for the launching ceremony. She missed the ship when she swung the bottle, and in desperation threw the bottle at the ship and missed again. Fortunately, a member of the crew up on the ship pulled the bottle up by the attached cable, and quickly smashed the bottle on the bow before the ship hit the water. He did a fine job as evidence by the broken bottle held by the tearful sponsor."	U.S. Navy photo NY9 45983-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
386k	Mrs. Roosevelt Longworth waves to the Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) which had just been launched at Mare Island. Left to right: Mrs. Roosevelt Longworth, Capt. L. L. Schock (Production Officer, Mare Island) and RADM L. V. Honsinger (Shipyard Commandant, Mare Island).	U.S. Navy photo NY9 45982-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
149k	Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600), launching, 3 October 1959, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
718k	Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) going down the building ways at Mare Island, 3 October 1959.	U.S. Navy photo 45982-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
989k	Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at the end of the building ways Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 3 October 1959.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 45979-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
808k	Bow view of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) waterborne after launching at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 3 October 1959.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 45969-10-59, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
122k	In order to spice up some dull Navy life aboard ship, American Shuffleboard rep Sol Lipkin was called upon by the US Navy Officer and Chaplain of theTheodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) to help get a table shuffleboard installed to give the crew something competive to do while spending days and months on underwater missions, including an upcoming "shakedown" mission)... something more competive than watching movies was their goal. The shuffleboard installation became part of the outfitting to-do list. It was installed on the topedo rack's steel structure that lifts up/down and the legs on the shuffleboard cradle had to be drastically shortened to accommodate to be the correct height needed for play from the shuffleboard's cradle. The tournament was MC'd by the Navy Commander (who was also a surgeon/doctor by trade). Sol Lipkin has a reel tape of this tournament that he is trying to locate so that it can be reproduced and preserved on more durable media. Sol does not recall the names of the Commander and Lieutenent (Sr. Grade Officer) that ended up as partners against two other crew members in the final match of the tournament, but does vividly recall the final shots of the tournament. The score was 20-20 (21 point game format) and the Captain had the last weight (hammer). His opponent threw a short weight, so it seemed almost definitely that the Captain would have no problem outpassing his opponent's short weight to capture the one point needed to win the tournament. However, it appears that someone tipped off the helmsman and with perfect timing, as the Captain threw his hammer to pass the short weight, the submarine took a tilt that placed the Captain's hammer into the "rough" (which was the Navy crew's term for when a weight went into the gutter)... so the two opposing crew members won without the hammer and with only a short weight on the board and were officially the tournament Champions!	Partial text courtesy of Dan Danielson. Photo courtesy of Sol Lipkin, Tom & Lynda French, The Board Talk Editors/Publishers).
139k	Theodore Roosevelt's (SSBN-600) torpedo room and nuclear powered shuffle tableboard.	Photo courtesy of Sol Lipkin, Tom & Lynda French, The Board Talk Editors/Publishers).
139k	Theodore Roosevelt's (SSBN-600) torpedo room and nuclear powered shuffle tableboard.	Photo courtesy of Sol Lipkin, Tom & Lynda French, The Board Talk Editors/Publishers).
580k	VADM F. N. Kivette, Commander, Western Sea Frontier receiving honors at commissioning ceremony of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in dry dock 3, 13 Feb. 1961.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 50405-2-61, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
445k	Commissioning ceremony of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in dry dock 3, 13 Feb. 1961.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 50406-2-61, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
618k	Color raised during commissioning ceremony of Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) at Mare Island Shipyard in dry dock 3, 13 Feb. 1961.	U.S. Navy photo NY9 50411-2-61, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
60k	The Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) rounds North Island as she enters San Diego harbor on 22 Feb. 1961, one week after her commissioning.	USN photo.
49k	Commemorative postal cover issued on the occassion of one of the Theodore Roosevelt's (SSBN-600) Polaris patrols, 1962.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
168k	Port side view of the Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) off Diamond Head, Hawaii, possibly circa 1974.	Photo courtesy of John Hummel.
81k	The Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) in 1974 at Cape Canaveral, Florida conducting missile test's.	USN photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
101k	Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) with six open torpedo tubes in drydock.	Photo courtesy of John Wiles Communicator, Electrical Div. Officer, and DCA between 1976 and 1979, Gold and Combined Crew.
70k	Night photo of the Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) in floating dry-dock in Guam '76.	Photo courtesy of John Wiles Communicator, Electrical Div. Officer, and DCA between 1976 and 1979, Gold and Combined Crew.