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Click On Image For Full Size Image | Size | Image Description | Contributed By | |
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![]() | 312k | Sponsor Mrs. Thomas Kuchel, wife of the senator from California whacks the Ray (SSN-653) while on the ways before it went away on 21 June 1966. | Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave. | |
![]() | 600k | The crew of the Ray (SSN-653) rides the waves on 21 June 1966. | Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave. | |
![]() | 121k | Ray (SSN-653) launching at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport New, VA., 21 June 1966. | USN photo from DANFS, courtesy of Joe Radigan, MACM USN, Ret. | |
![]() | 1.27k | Twelve page PDF Launching Program pamphlet for the Ray (SSN-653). | PDF courtesy of John R.V. Jones, STS1/SS, Ray (SSN-653)'81 - '86 COMSUBRON 4 Staff '86-'88. PDF added 04/25/15. |
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![]() | 1.40k | Ray (SSN-653) runs well through her own swell on her trials on 2 March 1967. | USN photo # NPC 1122888 courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com. | |
![]() | 70k | A starboard bow view of the nuclear-powered attack submarine Ray (SSN-653) underway, possibly during her sea trials off the Atlantic coast, 1966-67. | USN photo courtesy of Robert Hurst. | |
![]() | 107k | Ray (SSN-653) underway, possibly during her sea trials off the Atlantic coast, 1966-67. | Photo courtesy of submarinesailor.com & submitted by Bill Gonyo. | |
![]() | 503k | Left side of Ray (SSN-653). | USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com. | |
![]() | 538k | Seven page PDF Welcome Aboard pamphlet for the Ray (SSN-653). | USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com. | |
![]() | 43k | Oil on canvas painting by the artist Jim Christley entitled "Trailing". During the Cold War the US Naval Submarine Force was tasked with keeping tabs on Soviet Naval movements in particular, the Soviet Submarine Force. Submarines of the Sturgeon Class were well suited to this task and often trailed Soviet submarines for days reporting on their movements and recording noise signatures. In this image, such a trailing has turned into a close aboard encounter as a Soviet Viktor III Class has turned to port to check his baffles (to listen to see if anyone is immediately astern). A trailing Sturgeon has stopped his screw and gone quiet. Extending far behind the US submarine is its towed array sonar which assists in giving a clear picture of the ocean’s acoustics | Photo & text courtesy of subart.net. | |
![]() | 145k | Submerged submarines in tandem. | USN photo courtesy of Robert Hall. | |
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90k | Sea Devil (SSN-664), Hammerhead (SSN-663) and Ray (SSN-653), three 637 class subs at pier 22, Norfolk VA., 1975. Sub tender LY Spear (AS-36) is on the starboard side of the Sea Devil. | Courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired). | |
![]() | 77k | Ray (SSN-653) in New London c. 1979. | Courtesy of Regis Weber. | |
![]() | 441k | An elevated view of the attack submarines Ray (SSN-653), Hawkbill (SSN-666), and & Archerfish (SSN-678) surfaced at the geographic North Pole, 6 May 1986 during ICEX 86. This is the first time three nuclear-powered submarines have simultaneously surfaced at the pole. | Official USN photo # DN-SC-86-07408, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil. | |
![]() | 802k | The expanse of endless waste seems to engulf the Ray (SSN-653), Hawkbill (SSN-666), and & Archerfish (SSN-678) during ICEX 86. | Official USN photo # DN-SC-86-07409, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil. Photo i.d. courtesy of John R.V. Jones, STS1/SS, Ray (SSN-653)'81 - '86 COMSUBRON 4 Staff '86-'88. |
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![]() | 97k | Inset of the Ray's (SSN-653) patch and starboard view of the boat underway. The picture was taken in 1986 after we returned from the Pole as part of the preparation for the new Change of Command pamphlets for the C of C between Stephen Johnson and Patrick Lawless. The picture was taken by a Charleston Naval Shipyard Photographer aboard a USCG Reserve Helo from USCGS Savannah, GA. | Official USN photo courtesy of Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr. Photo i.d. courtesy of John R.V. Jones, STS1/SS, Ray (SSN-653)'81 - '86 COMSUBRON 4 Staff '86-'88. |
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![]() | 215k | 24 July 1992, the day of Ray's (SSN-653) inactivation, at the Charleston Naval Station, S.C. | Courtesy of Lester Palifka. | |
![]() | 27k | From left to right, Drum (SSN-677), Bluefish (SSN-675), Ray (SSN-653), Lapon (SSN-661) and Richard B. Russell (SSN-687) await scrapping at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., 8 October 2001. | Courtesy of Don Sheldon. | |
![]() | 95k | Commemorative envelope from the Ray (SSN-653) on the occasion of her entering Drydock # 3 at Puget Sound Naval Yard for scrapping, 2 October 2002. | Courtesy Tom A. | |
![]() | 40k | Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Ray (SSN-653) finishing the NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program), 30 July 2003. | Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory). | |
![]() | 58k | Plaque of the Ray (SSN-653) on display at the Naval and Maritime Museum at Patriots Point, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. | Courtesy of Robert Hall. |
Commanding Officers | |||
01 | CDR. Kelln, Albert Lee, USN (USNA 1952) | 12.04.1967 - 10.02.1969 First Date in Commission | |
02 | CDR. Hurt, Jonathan Swift, USN (USNA 1954) | 10.02.1969 - 25.01.1973 | |
03 | CDR. Strahm, Kenneth Alan, USN (USNA 1957) | 25.01.1973 - 04.01.1977 | |
04 | CDR. Galbraith Jr., Elmer Joseph (Buzz), USN (USNA 1961) | 04.01.1977 - 20.11.1979 | |
05 | CDR. Moore III, Charles Leighton, USN (USNA 1964) | 20.11.1979 - 03.04.1983 | |
06 | CDR. Johnson, Stephen Alger, USN (USNA 1968) | 03.04.1983 - 11.08.1986 | |
07 | CDR. Lawless, Patrick Henry, USN (USNA 1970) | 11.08.1986 - 15.08.1989 | |
08 | CDR. Fisher, John Walker, USN (USNA 1972) | 15.08.1989 - 18.11.1991 | |
09 | CDR. Jordan, William Henry, USN | 18.11.1991 - 16.03.1993 Last Date in Commission |
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