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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

George Bancroft (SSBN-643)

Benjamin Franklin Class Ballistic Missile Submarine: Laid down, 24 August 1963, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, CT.; Launched, 20 March 1965; Commissioned, USS George Bancroft (SSBN-643), 22 January 1966; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 21 September 1993; Final Disposition, disposed of through NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., 30 March 1998.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 7,325 t., Submerged: 8,251 t.; Length 425'; Beam 33'; Draft 29'; Speed, Surfaced 16 kts, Submerged 21 kts; Depth limit 1,300'; Complement 140 (each crew, blue and gold); Armament, 16 missile tubes; four 21" torpedo tubes, forward, MK 14/16 Anti-ship Torpedo MK 37 Anti-Submarine Torpedo, MK 45 ASTOR Nuclear Torpedo MK 48 Anti-Submarine Torpedo ; Combat Sensors, BPS-11A or BPS-15 surface-search radar, BQR-7 sonar, BQR-15 towed-array sonar, BQR-19 sonar, BQR-21 sonar, BQS-4 sonar Propulsion, S5W nuclear reactor two geared steam turbines, 15,000 SHP, one propeller.
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George Bancroft75k George Bancroft 3 October 1800 – 17 January 1891) was an American historian and statesman who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state and at the national level. During his tenure as U.S. Secretary of the Navy, he established the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1845.
Photo from the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540, courtesy of Bill Gonyo. Photo added 02/02/08.
George Bancroft126kThe George Bancroft (SSBN-643) is launched, 20 March 1965, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, CT.
US Navy photo.
George Bancroft230kGeorge Bancroft (SSBN-643) underway, probably during her sea trials off the coast of New England during late 1965.U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of pelicanharborsubvets.com & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
George Bancroft17kCommemorative postal cover marking the commissioning of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643), 22 January 1966, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, CT.
Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
George Bancroft105kA navy Trident missile is launched from the nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine George Bancroft (SSBN-643) on 24 Apr 1982.
Defense Visual Information Center photo # DF-SC-83-06048, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
George Bancroft81kThe attack control center of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643), circa 1982.
US Navy photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft33kTwo sailors ride the sail planes of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643), circa 1982.
US Navy photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft35kGeorge Bancroft (SSBN-643) tied to the pier in Ft Lauderdale, FA, 1982.
US Navy photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft51kA docked George Bancroft (SSBN-643) under going maintanance in South Carolina, 1982.
US Navy photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft75kA very steeply angled bridge opens for the George Bancroft (SSBN-643) to pass under in Connecticut, 1982.
US Navy photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft & Stonewall Jackson44kA pair of boomers tied up to a pier in Charleston, S.C., 1982. George Bancroft (SSBN-643) is inboard of the Stonewall Jackson (SSBN-634).
US Navy photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft530kA starboard bow view of the nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine George Bancroft (SSBN-643) underway on 27 Oct 1985, location unknown.
Defense Visual Information Center photo # DN-SC-86-00714, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
George Bancroft67kRemoval of the reactor compartment of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643),
US Navy photo courtesy of nssdc.us. Photo i.d. courtesy of Courtney Putnam, STSC - NAV-SUB-TRA-CEN-PAC.
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.
Thomas Edison12kThomas A. Edison (SSBN-610), at top, George Bancroft (SSBN-643) in the middle and Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) at the bottom, awaiting scrapping at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA. 2000.
Courtesy of US Navy.
George Bancroft117kThe sail of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643) appears to be surfacing on the lawn of its namesake exhibit which was dedicated on 7 April 2002.
Photo courtesy of nssdc.us. & Courtney Putnam, STSC NAVSUBTRACENPAC.
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.
George Bancroft179kExhibit of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643) on 01/11/06. Photograph courtesy of pelicanharborsubvets.com.
View the George Bancroft (SSBN-643)
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
USS George Bancroft SSBN 643
FAS - SSBN-640 Benjamin Franklin-Class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines
George Bancroft SSBN 643 Sail
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