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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624)
Active Service - Present

Radio Call Sign: November - Victor - Romeo - India

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Keel Laying - Launching
Commissioning

Lafayette Class Ballistic Missile Submarine: Laid down, 16 September 1961, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA; Launched, 22 February 1963; Commissioned, USS Woodrow Wilson (SSBN 624), 27 December 1963; Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1994; Disposed of through Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program, 27 October 1998 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 7,250 t., Submerged: 8,250 t.; Length 425'; Beam 33'; Draft 32'; Speed, Surfaced/Submerged 20+ kts; Complement 120; Test depth 1,300'; Armament, 16 Polaris missile tubes, four 21" torpedo tubes; Propulsion, S5W Pressurized Water Nuclear Reactor, two geared turbines at 15,000 shp, one propeller.

Size	Image Description	Source
47k	Oil on canvas painting by the artist James E. Mitchell entitled "DASO off Cape Kennedy Florida" pictures an A-3 Polaris fired from Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624) on 15 October 1969 with Lowery (DD-770) and Observation Island (AG-154) in the background.	Painting # 70-731-B. Courtesy of the USNHC.
72k	The Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624) on the start of a deterrent patrol off Diamond Head, Hawaii circa 1969-72. She was transferred to the Pacific and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 19 November, via Charleston and the Panama Canal. The fleet ballistic missile submarine continued toward the western Pacific to be based at Guam. She conducted deterrent patrols from Apra Harbor through 1972.	USN photo. Text coutesy of DANFS. Photo i.d. courtesy of Harry Howard. (USN SSBN-628),retired.
55k	Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624), underway, during sea trials off the coast of Virginia following installation of Posiden C-3 missile capability at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, VA., October 1975.	Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock photo by Lloyd Everton, Supervisor of Photography at Newport News Shipbuilding, courtesy of Eric Dahlstrom.
62k	Starboard side view of the Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624), underway, during sea trials off the coast of Virginia following installation of Posiden C-3 missile capability at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, VA., October 1975.	Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock photo by Lloyd Everton, Supervisor of Photography at Newport News Shipbuilding, courtesy of Eric Dahlstrom.
307k	A starboard view of the nuclear-powered submarine Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624) underway on 1 Feb 1991.	USN photo # DN-ST-91-05224 by Frank Peele, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
349k	A photographer's mate/diver descends to the submerged nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624), to videotape Navy Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) team members entering and exiting the vessel during lock-out procedures off the coast of Puerto Rico, 1 Sep 1991.	USN photo # DN-SC-92-04602 by PHC Reinhard, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
130k	A photographer's mate/diver aims his camera at a hatch in the forward hull of the submerged nucelar-powered strategic missile submarine Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624), while waiting for a Navy sea-air-land (SEAL) team member of the SEAL team as they practice entering and exiting the submarine during lock-out procedures off the coast of Puerto Rico.	USN photo # DN-SC-92-04595 by PHC Reinhard, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
93k	A photographer's mate/diver aims his video camera at a hatch in the forward hull of the submerged nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624) while waiting for a Navy sea-air-land (SEAL) team member to emerge.	USN photo # DN-SC-92-04605 by PHC Reinhard, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
185k	A photographer's mate/diver films the manuevers as members of a Navy Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) team swims along a line rigged to the hull of the submerged nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624), during lock-out procedures off the coast of Puerto Rico.	USN photo # DN-ST-92-06161 by PHC Reinhard, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
19k	Broadside view of the Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624) awaiting scrapping, October 1998 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA.	Courtesy of Don Shelton.
35k	With the sail of the Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624) in the background, the nation's submarine force marked a major milestone in submarine history at Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Wash., with the recent return of Florida (SSBN-728). The ship's Gold crew returned home from a successful underway 9 May 2001, marking the 3,500th strategic deterrent patrol by a U.S. Navy fleet ballistic missile submarine. Since George Washington (SSBN-598), the first SSBN, left on patrol in 1960, fleet ballistic missile submarines have been patrolling the world's oceans providing America with the best deterrent defense in the world. The 3,500th patrol was celebrated as part of the grand opening of Bangor's Deterrent Park on 25 May with guest speaker, Rear Adm. John Padgett, commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. "For more than 40 years, our strategic submarines have demonstrated sustained professionalism and a remarkable record of mission accomplishment," said Padgett. "Our strategic submarines remain the cornerstone to our national defense, and through 3,500 patrols, have earned the respect, confidence and support of American's citizens." Padgett emphasized the importance of future patrols as well as past. "As we speak here at the 3,500th patrol, others are already on the 3,501st and 3,502nd." "Some will question why we still make deterrent patrols today," said Padgett. "The reality is, it is more important today than ever."	USN photo by JO3 Kodi Nace, courtesy of csp.navy.mil.
569k	Sealed 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.