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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Radio Call Sign: November - Victor - Sierra - Delta

Hammerhead (SSN-663)

Sturgeon Class Attack Submarine: Laid down, 29 November 1965, at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, VA.: Launched, 14 April 1967; Commissioned, USS Hammerhead (SSN-663), 28 June 1968; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 5 April 1995; Final Disposition, disposed of through the NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., 22 November 1995.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 3,640 t., Submerged: 4,640 t.; Length 292' 3"; Beam 31' 8"; Draft 28' 8"; Speed, Surfaced 15 kts, Submerged 25 kts; Depth limit 1,300'; Complement 108; Armament, four 21" torpedo tubes amidships aft of bow, MK 48 Torpedoes, UUM-44A SUBROC, UGM-84A/C Harpoon, MK 57 deep water mines, MK 60 CAPTOR mines; Combat Sensors, Radar, BPS-14/15 surface search, Sonars, BQQ-5 multi-function bow mounted, BQR-7 passive in submarines with BQQ-2, BQS-12 active 7, TB-16 or TB-23 towed array, EW Systems, WLQ-4(V), WLR-4(V), WLR-9 ; Propulsion System, one S5W nuclear reactor, two steam turbines, one propeller, 15,000 shp.

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
38k	The launch of the Hammerhead (SSN-663) at Newport News on 14 Apr 1967.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
39k	The Hammerhead (SSN-663) approaching Faslane Naval Base on the Gareloch, Scotland, September 1969.	Photo courtesy of battleships-cruisers.co.uk.
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.	U.S. Navy Photo courtesy of Robert Hall.
60k	Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of the Hammerhead's (SSN-663) Polar cruise, 20 November 1970.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
16k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Hammerhead (SSN-663) at the North Polar, 20 November 1970.	Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
89k	The sail of the Hammerhead (SSN-663) pokes through the Polar ice, 20 November 1970.	USN photo courtesy of Artic Submarine Laboratory.
90k	Sea Devil (SSN-664), Hammerhead (SSN-663) and Ray (SSN-653), three Sturgeon-class (SSN-637) 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.
42k	CDR H. J. Halliday, Commanding Officerof the Hammerhead (SSN-663) and MMCM W. R. Evermon, Chief of Boat are pictured during the welcoming ceremony of the ship at Mare Island on 28 Feb 1985.	USN photo # MSA 206768-2-85, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
61k	Mr. James McClary, President Superintendents Association, introducing the acting Shipyard Command at the welcoming ceremony for the Hammerhead (SSN-663), 28 Feb 1985.	USN photo # MSA 206773-2-85, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
61k	Capt Peter Bowman, Acting Shipyard Commander, address the crowd at the welcoming ceremony of the Hammerhead (SSN-663) at Mare Island on 28 Feb 1985.	USN photo # MSA 206771-2-85, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
247k	Hammerhead (SSN-663) is seen dry dock #1 at Mare Island during her overhaul in October 1985. The blue object at the head of the dock is her sonar dome.	US Navy photo # 211107, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 04/24/08.
57k	The new and old Commanding Officer of the Hammerhead (SSN-663) on 5 Aug 87. Left to right: CDR James L. Durham, New Commanding Officer; Mrs. James L. Durham; CDR H. J. Halliday, Jr., Relieved Commanding Officer; and Mrs. H. J. Halliday.	USN photo # MSA 222418-8-87, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
80k	The crew of the Hammerhead (SSN-663) is muster on the pier for the welcoming ceremony at Mare Island on 28 Feb 1985. She was in overhaul at Mare Island form 1 Mar 1985 until 13 Aug 1987.	USN photo # MSA 206756-2-85, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
22k	Portside view of the Hammerhead (SSN-663) underway, date and location unknown.	Courtesy of subnet.com.
61k	Starboard quarter view of the Hammerhead (SSN-663) underway, date unknown.	USN photo.
252k	Hammerhead (SSN-663) underway, date and place unknown.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
318k	A SH-3 Sea King Helicopter from Anti-submarine Squadron 5 (HS-5) flies over the nuclear-powered attack submarine Hammerhead (SSN-663) as it prepares to deliver a gift from the commanding officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington (CVN-73) to the *Hammerhead's* crew on 13 Sep 1992.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DN-ST-93-00614 by PH2 John K. Sokolowski, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
124k	The nuclear-powered attack submarine Hammerhead (SSN-663) travels alongside the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington (CVN-73) on 13 Sep 1992.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DN-ST-93-00618 by PH2 John K. Sokolowski, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
379k	A HS-5 squadron attached to the George Washington (CVN-73) delivers a ceremonial package of Cherry Pies to the Hammerhead (SSN-663) celebrating the carrier's first vertical replenishment with a submarine.	Official US Navy Photograph & text by PH2 John K. Sokolowski.
402k	Crew members gather near the sail aboard the nuclear-powered attack submarine Hammerhead (SSN-663) tied to the pier at Port everglades, Florida on 25 Sep 1993.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DN-SC-94-00434 by OS2 John Bouvia, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
419k	A starboard bow view of the nuclear-powered attack submarine Hammerhead (SSN-663) tied to the pier.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # DN-SC-94-00432 by OS2 John Bouvia, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
26k	Commemorative post mark issued on the occasion of Stonewall Jackson (SSBN-634), Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658) , Simon Bolivar (SSBN-641), and Hammerhead (SSN-663), at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, entering Dry Dock No. 4 for scraping 8 November 1994.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
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.