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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Guitarro (SSN-665)
Sinking & Commissioning

Radio Call Sign: November -Golf - Romeo - Kilo
To Additional Pages

Keel Laying - Launching
Active Service - Decommissioning

Sturgeon Class Attack Submarine: Laid down, 9 December 1965, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Launched, 27 July 1968; Commissioned, USS Guitarro (SSN-665), 9 September 1972; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 29 May 1992; Final Disposition, disposed of through the NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., 18 October 1994.

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.
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Guitarro134k The Guitarro (SSN-665) is on the bottom of the Napa River after her accidental sinking at Mare Island on 15 May 1969. (Note: The reactor had not been installed). Other vessels in the picture are from left to right; unknown YD, YD-33 (150 Ton Crane), and Satanta (YTM-270). Satanta is preventing the Guitarro from capsizing.
(On a personal note: I was working the installation of her MK-113 fire control system at the time, but I was in training at the time of her sinking and salvage. I did return in time to remove the mounting rails and the reference sensing elements from the forward portion of the torpedo tubes. These units were located on the tubes just before they penetrated the pressure hull. This experiences gave a new meaning to "sewer pipes.")
USN photo # MSA 91770-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro788k The Guitarro (SSN-665) after her accidental sinking at Mare Island on 15 May 1969, in dry dock #3 at Mare Island. She is being stripped of all equipment after her sinking at the shipyard. Equipment in the foreground is ultrasonic cleaning tanks for electronic equipment. Large tank trailer behind open tanks contains pure water. White rectangle in the middle of the picture blanks out the subs mast configuration.
USN photo courtesy of W. Gordon Lange, Captain, USN Ret. Text courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro806k Navy tugs Satanta (YTM-270) and DekauryYTM-178 with the shipyard’s diving barge alongside the sail of the Guitarro (SSN-665) late in the evening of 15 May 1969 looking south.
USN photo # 91759-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro832k Navy tugs Satanta (YTM-270) and DekauryYTM-178 with the shipyard’s diving barge alongside the sail of the Guitarro (SSN-665) on the morning of 16 May 1969 looking south.
USN photo # 91762-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro889k Navy tugs Satanta (YTM-270) and DekauryYTM-178 with the shipyard’s diving barge alongside the sail of the Guitarro (SSN-665) on the morning of 16 May 1969 looking north.
USN photo # 91763-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro945k Navy tug Satanta (YTM-270) alongside the sail of the Guitarro (SSN-665) late on 16 May 1969.
USN photo # 91771-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro739kThe engine room cofferdam for the Guitarro (SSN-665) is being readied for installation aboard the submarine on 17 May 1969. The yard’s 150 ton floating crane YD-33 is seen in the background.
USN photo # 91798-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro386kThe engine room cofferdam for the Guitarro (SSN-665) is being installed aboard the submarine on 17 May 1969. Note diver in the water.
USN photo # 91813-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro898kCrane is about to lower a submersible pump into the engine room of Guitarro (SSN-665) on 18 May 1969.
USN photo # 9181-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro963kView of Guitarro (SSN-665) on 18 May 1969 with both after cofferdams installed and dewatering in progress.
USN photo # 91830-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro897kView of Guitarro (SSN-665) on 18 May 1969 on her way to dry dock with the assistance of Navy tugs DekauryYTM-178 and YTL-435. USN photo # 91846-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro1.1mView of Guitarro (SSN-665) in the Mare Island’s dry dock #3 showing the engineering spaces being flushed in 20 May 1969. USN photo # 91846-5-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro847kView of crew’s galley aboard Guitarro (SSN-665) on 24 December 1969. USN photo # 95841-12-69 courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro893kView of crew’s mess aboard Guitarro (SSN-665) on 24 December 1969. USN photo # 95842-12-69 courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro1.1mView of Guitarro's (SSN-665) sail and after hull on 29 December 1969. USN photo # 95850-12-69 courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro988kView of Guitarro's (SSN-665) after hull on 29 December 1969. USN photo # 95851-12-69 courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro780k A view of the commissioning ceremonies of the Guitarro (SSN-665) on 9 Sep 72 at Mare Island.
USN photo # 112548-9-72, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro253k Photo of the speaker and guest stand aboard the Guitarro (SSN-665) during her commissioning ceremonies at Mare Island on 9 Sep 1972. Speaker is CDR W. Gordon Lange, USN, Commanding Officer, Guitarro. Others on the stand are from left to right are RADM Paul L. Lacy, Jr., USN, COMSUBPAC; RADM Clyde J. Van Arsdall, USN, Commandant, 12th Naval District; RADM Joseph W. Russel, USN, Commander Flotilla One; Capt. James H. Webber, USN, Commander, Mare Island Naval Shipyard; and LCDR Glenn W. Thomson (CHC), USN, Chaplain. LCDR W. L. Powell, USN, Executive Officer, Guitarro is master of ceremony for the commissioning at the lower speakers stand.
USN photo # 112554-9-72, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro238k Guitarro (SSN-665) is commissioned at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 9 Sep 1972.
USN photo # 112552, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro103k Front cover of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 9 Sep 1972.
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro133k Title page and page 1 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro276k Pages 2 and 3 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro193k Pages 4 and 5 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro211kPages 6 & 7 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro352k Pages 8 & 9 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro84k Pages 10 & 11 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro217kPages 12 & 13 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro206k Pages 14 & 15 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro200k Pages 16 & 17 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro98kPages 18 & 19 of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro65k Pages 20 & back cover of the Commissioning Program for the Guitarro (SSN-665).
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro51k First day cover to commemorate the commissioning of the Guitarro (SSN-665) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 9 Sept. 1972.
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Guitarro49k First day cover to commemorate the commissioning of the Guitarro (SSN-665) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 9 Sept. 1972. This cover sponsored by the shipyard's Supervisors Association, Chapter 16.
USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
There is no DANFS History currently available for Guitarro (SSN-665) at the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site, the main archive for the DANFS Online Project.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information Contact Name: W. Gordon Lange, Captain, USN Ret.
Address: PO Box 3659 Groton Long Point, CT 06340
Phone: 860 572 7537
E-mail: glange2983@aol.com
Additional Contacts:
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
FAS--SSN-637 Sturgeon class
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