USS Scamp SS(N)-588
Skipjack class (No reported postmarks)
Launched October 8, 1960
Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet, shipyard machine postmark.
Commissioned June 5, 1961, Skipjack attack class submarine, length of 232′, displacement of 3,500 tons. Serving in the Pacific, operated off Vietnamese coast 1967 and 1971. Began service in Atlantic 1974. A rescue attempt in the Atlantic of a Panamanian freighter during a storm caused damage to the sail and diving planes resulting in early retirement. Decommissioned April 28, 1988, disposed of by scrapping/recycling September 1994.
USS Permit SS(N)-594
Thresher class (No reported postmarks)
Launched July 1, 1961
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard Supervisors Association, shipyard machine postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet and corner card, shipyard hand stamp postmark.
Thresher class nuclear attack submarine, length 279′, displacement 4,300 tons. Armed with torpedoes and SUBROC, an anti-submarine missile. Commissioned 1962, served with the Pacific Fleet. First submarine to successfully fire SUBROC March 28, 1963. Later converted to fire the Harpoon anti-ship missile. Decommissioned June 12, 1991 and completely scrapped/recycled May 1993.
USS Plunger SSN-595
Thresher class (No reported postmarks)
Launched December 9, 1961
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard Supervisors Association, shipyard machine postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet and corner card, shipyard handstamp postmark.
500th ship commissioned at Mare Island, November 21, 1962. Served in the Pacific in an operational, evaluation and training function. Decommissioned January 9, 1990 and disposed of by scrapping/recycling March 1996.
USS Theodore Roosevelt SSB(N)-600
George Washington class (No reported postmarks)
Launched October 3, 1959
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard Supervisors Association, shipyard machine postmark.
Lower: Ship’s cachet, USS Hunley Type 2(n+) cancel.
Using components originally assembled for Scamp, SS(N)-588, commissioned February 13, 1961. First of the Polaris missile submarines built at Mare Island. Length of 382′, displacement 6,700 tons. First missile firing March 20, 1961. Made 31 deterrent patrols out of Holy Loch, Scotland. Assigned to Pacific fleet 1974 operating out of Guam. Decommissioned February 8, 1981 and disposed of by scrapping/recycling April 3, 1995.
USS Andrew Jackson SSB(N)-619
Lafayette class (No reported postmarks)
Launched September 15, 1962
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard National Association of Supervisors, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lafayette class submarine, length 425′, displacement 8,251 tons, capable of carrying 16 Polaris missiles. Commissioned July 3, 1963, decommissioned August 28, 1989 and scrapped/recycled August 30, 1999.
USS Woodrow Wilson SSBN-624
Lafayette class (No reported postmarks)
Launched February 22, 1963
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard National Association of Supervisors, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, cachet design by Morris Beck, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Commissioned December 27, 1963. Conducted deterrent patrols in Atlantic from Charleston, South Carolina, Rota, Spain and Holy Loch, Scotland. Transferred to Pacific in 1969 operating from Guam. Transferred back to Atlantic 1978. Decommissioned September 1, 1994. Disposed of by scrapping/recycling October 27, 1998.
USS Daniel Boone SSBN-629
Lafayette class (No reported postmarks)
Launched June 22, 1963
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard National Association of Supervisors, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Operated in Pacific from commissioning 1964 until overhaul in 1969. Transferred to Atlantic, operating out of Holy Loch, Scotland from 1971. Converted to carry Poseidon missile 1978, converted to Trident missile 1980. Operated out of King’s Bay, Georgia 1980 through 1993. Decommissioned February 14, 1994 after completing 75 deterrent patrols. Scrapping/recycling completed November 4, 1994.
USS Stonewall Jackson SSBN-634
Lafayette class (No reported postmarks)
Launched November 30, 1963
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard National Association of Supervisors, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cachet by Robert Ekas, ship’s cachet, shipyard handstamp postmark, commanding officer’s autograph and Alabama Governor George Wallace’s autograph.
Commissioned August 26, 1964. Operated in Pacific from Apra Harbor, Guam 1965-1970. Joined Atlantic fleet 1970 after conversion to Poseidon missile system. From 1972-1978 operated out of Holy Loch, Scotland. Operated out of King’s Bay, Georgia 1980. Converted to Trident missile system 1987. Decommissioned February 5, 1995. Scrapping/recycling completed October 13, 1995.
USS Kamehameha SSBN-642
Benjamin Franklin class (No reported postmarks)
Launched January 16, 1965
Upper: Commissioning cover, sponsored by USS Saginaw Chapter USCS, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Launch cover, cachet sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard National Association of Supervisors, commanding officer’s autograph, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Commissioned December 10, 1965, length of 425′, displacement 7,325 tons. Operated in Pacific from Guam until 1969. Transferred to Atlantic operating out of Charleston, South Carolina and Rota, Spain through 1986. After 63 deterrent patrols, missile systems inactivated July, 1992 and converted to troop carrying submarine at Mare Island. Redesignated SSN-642, scheduled for decommissioning October, 2001, last of the Mare Island built submarines still in service.
USS Mariano G. Vallejo SSBN-658
Benjamin Franklin class (No reported postmarks)
Launched October 23, 1965
Upper: Launch cover, cachet sponsored by USS Saginaw Chapter USCS, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Commissioned December 16, 1966. Began operations 1967 with Pacific Fleet. Decommissioned March 10, 1995, scrapping/recycling completed December 22, 1995. Sail currently resides on Mare Island dock as future display for a museum.
USS Gurnard SSN-662
Sturgeon class
Launched May 20, 1967
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard National Association of Supervisors, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, cachet sponsored by USS Saginaw Chapter USCS, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Sturgeon class attack submarine, length 292′, displacement 4,600 tons. Served in Pacific, deployed to Vietnam area 1971. Surfaced North Pole April 14, 1976. Deployed to Indian Ocean during Iranian Hostage crisis 1981. Under Arctic ice 44 days 1984. Third United States submarine to circumnavigate North America 1990. Decommissioned April 28, 1995. Scrapping/recycling October 15, 1997.
USS Guitarro SSN-665
Sturgeon class (No reported postmarks)
Launched July 27, 1968
Upper: Launch cover, sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard National Association of Supervisors, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, cachet sponsored by Mare Island Naval Shipyard Supervisors Association, shipyard handstamp postmark.
After launching, sunk before completion May 15, 1969 when water entered forward compartment. Raised three days later and completely refitted, earning nickname “Mud Puppy”. Commissioned September 9, 1972. Decommissioned May 29, 1992. Scrapping/recycling completed October 18, 1994.
USS Hawkbill SSN-666
Sturgeon class (No reported postmarks)
Launched April 12, 1969
Upper: Launch cover, cachet sponsored by USS Saginaw Chapter USCS, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet, commanding officer’s autograph, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Commissioned February 4, 1971. Operated off Vietnam 1972. Under Arctic ice 1973, 1984, 1986, 1998, 1999. Struck by damaged pier during 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake while at Mare Island suffering no damage. Last patrol March 1999, transited to Atlantic Ocean for first time after surfacing at North Pole, later transited Panama Canal on return for inactivation September 1999. Decommissioned March 15, 2000. To be scrapped/recycled late 2001.
USS Pintado SSN-672
Sturgeon class
Launched August 16, 1969
Upper: Launch cover, cachet sponsored by USS Saginaw Chapter USCS, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet, commanding officer’s autograph, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Commissioned September 11, 1971. First submarine to successfully launch Harpoon missile. Surfaced North Pole October 1978, November 1984, June 1987, September 1992, circumnavigating North America on 1992 deployment. Deployed Indian Ocean supporting battle groups during Iranian hostage crisis. Decommissioned February 26, 1998. Scrapping/recycling completed October 27, 1998.
USS Drum SSN-677
Sturgeon class (No reported postmarks)
Launched May 23, 1970
Upper: Keel laying cover, cachet sponsored by USS Saginaw Chapter USCS, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Commissioning cover, ship’s cachet with all wardroom officer’s autographs on reverese, shipyard handstamp postmark. One of two copies. (Reverse shown.)
Commissioned April 15, 1972. Homeported San Diego, California. Visited Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Guam, Thailand, Hawaii, Korea, Australia, Indian Ocean, British Columbia, Singapore, New Caledonia, San Francisco and Astoria, Oregon while in service. Decommissioned November 30, 1995. Scrapping/recycling scheduled to be complete late 2001. Conning tower may become part of museum at Mare Island.
USS Drum SSN-677
Sturgeon class (No reported postmarks)
Launched May 23, 1970
Upper: Launch cover, cachet sponsored by USS Saginaw Chapter USCS, shipyard handstamp postmark.
Lower: Mare Island Naval Shipyard conversion cover, design by Al Eckert, Pictorial cancel.
The Drum would be the last of forty-four submarines built at Mare Island. A total of 17 nuclear submarines and 27 diesel submarines were built in just over 40 years. Drum would be the 513th ship and last ship to be built at Mare Island. While continuing to service the fleet, Mare Island was converted for civilian use on March 31, 1996 after 142 years of service to the fleet.
View Frame 3