U.S.S. Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)
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Career
Name: U.S.S. Glenard P. Lipscomb
Namesake: Glenard P. Lipscomb (1915 - 1970)
Awarded: 16 December 1968
Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down: 5 June 1971
Launched: 4 August 1973
Sponsored by: Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb
Commissioned: 21 December 1974
Decommissioned: 11 July 1990
Struck: 11 July 1990
Nickname: ''The Lipscomb Fish''
Fate: Entered Ship Submarine Recycling Program 1997
General characteristics
Type: Nuclear submarine
Displacement: 5,813 long tons (5,906 t) surfaced, 6,480 long tons (6,584 t) submerged
Length: 365 feet (111 m)
Beam: 32 feet (9.8 m)
Propulsion: S5W reactor
Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) surfaced, 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) submerged
Test depth: 1,300 feet (400 m)
Complement: 12 officers, 109 enlisted men
Armament: 4 - 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
The USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685), was an experimental nuclear powered attack submarine of the United States Navy. It was named after Glenard P. Lipscomb who served as a Congressman from the 24th District of California from 1953 until his death in 1970.
Design
The U.S.S. Glenard P. Lipscomb was the Navy's second submarine design using turbo electric transmission (The first was the U.S.S. Tullibee (SSN-597)). Intended to test the potential advantages of this propulsion system for providing quieter submarine operations, with a displacement of 6,400 tons and a length of 365 feet, she was heavier and larger than similar vessels with conventional drive trains, which resulted in slower speeds. Those disadvantages, along with reliability issues, led to the decision not to use the design for the follow on Los Angeles class submarines. Other than the engine room, Glenard P. Lipscomb was generally similar to the Sturgeon class, and although serving as a test platform was a fully combat-capable attack submarine.
Construction
Construction of Glenard P. Lipscomb began on 5 June 1971 at the Electric Boat Company shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. The Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird, a long time colleague and friend of Glenard Lipscomb, spoke at the keel laying ceremony. Glenard P. Lipscomb was launched on 4 August 1973, sponsored by Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb, and was commissioned on 21 December 1974 with Commander James F. Caldwell in command.
Career
Deployed to the North Atlantic in the fall of 1976, followed immediately by a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in the winter and spring of 1977. Awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation.
