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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patch on left contributed by Mike Smolinski, Decal on right by unlimiteddetails.com
Radio Call Sign: November - Alpha - Alpha - Juliet

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.
George Bancroft313kOnly the greatest:
George Bancroft (SSBN-643) is sponsored by Mrs. Jean B. Langdon, great, great granddaughter of Secretary Bancroft, and Mrs. Anita C. Irvine, great, great, great granddaughter.
Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave.
George Bancroft194kMrs. Irvine and Mrs. Langdon watching as the ship slides down the ways.Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave.
George Bancroft217kThe George Bancroft (SSBN-643) nears the end of her slide into the Thames River. Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave.
George Bancroft526kThe George Bancroft (SSBN-643) is launched, 20 March 1965, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, CT.USN photo # USN 1110040, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
George Bancroft390k George Bancroft (SSBN-643) first day of launch cover, 20 March 1965.Photo courtesy of Paul Petosky.
George Bancroft130kLaunching program of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643) on 20 March 1965, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, CT.Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave.
George Bancroft1.40kGeorge Bancroft (SSBN-643) underway, probably during her sea trials off the coast of New England during late 1965.USN photo courtesy of pelicanharborsubvets.com & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
George Bancroft477kSeven page Welcome Aboard phamplet for the George Bancroft (SSBN-643).USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
George Bancroft230kGeorge Bancroft (SSBN-643) underway in November 1968.USN photo # NPC 1135906, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
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 (of blessed memory).
George Bancroft105kGeorge Bancroft (SSBN-643) goes ballistic on 24 Apr 1982 as a navy Trident missile is launched from the nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine. 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. USN photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft33kTwo sailors ride the sail planes of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643), circa 1982. USN photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft35kGeorge Bancroft (SSBN-643) tied to the pier in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 1982. USN photo courtesy of Phil L. Rasey.
George Bancroft51kA docked George Bancroft (SSBN-643) under going maintanance in South Carolina, 1982. USN 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. USN 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). USN 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 October 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),USN 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 submitted by Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
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 Bancroft971kThe George Bancroft (SSBN-643) carved in concrete.USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
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.
George Bancroft179kExhibit of the George Bancroft (SSBN-643) on 01/11/06. Photograph courtesy of pelicanharborsubvets.com.
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).
As time passes & more boats are retired from service and their reactors are brought here, so the numbers rise. In this photo dated November 2009, 98 nuclear submarines and six nuclear cruisers have been recycled. For an up to date view, click here
USN photo submitted by Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Insert link courtesy of wikimedia.org

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
FAS - SSBN-640 Benjamin Franklin-Class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines
George Bancroft SSBN 643 Sail

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