Good afternoon Mr. Pelletier, January 24, 2012 I wanted to let you know about an event taking place in Norfolk, 24 May 2012. The local USSVI SubVets and WWII SubVets hold a memorial here in Norfolk on Memorial Day every year and one of the events that was added to the ceremony a number of years ago is the induction of a post-WWII submarine into the 'Hall of Fame." Previous boats include NAUTILUS, SKATE, TRITON and PARCHE. USS BATFISH (SSN 681) was selected based on its 1978 mission which was declassified for the submarine centennial. The mission, Operation Evening Star, involved tracking a Soviet ballistic missile submarine, undetected, for 55 days. We'd like to get the word out to any BATFISH crew who might be interested in attending the ceremony at the Submarine Learning Facility on Norfolk Naval Station, 24 May and would appreciate it if you could post something on your Web site. If you do plan on attending, please let me know and I'll ensure you have access to the base for the ceremony. Best regards, John Donaldson USS SKATE (SSN 578)/USS TUSK (SS 426) NETWARCOM Public Affairs Officer Desk (757) 417-6706 (DSN 537) Fax (757) 492-8702 http://www.netwarcom.navy.mil |
Commissioning The USS Batfish, (SSN-681 submarine, nuclear-powered) was a member of the Sturgeon class of nuclear fast attack submarines. It was the second U.S. Navy vessel, and second submarine, to be named after the fish. The first USS Batfish (SSN-310) served with distinction in World War II. On June 25, 1968, the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp.’s Groton (Conn.) Shipyard received the contract to build the Batfish. Her keel was laid on Feb. 9, 1970; she was launched 20 months later, on Oct. 9, 1971. She joined the ranks of the Atlantic Fleet with her commissioning on Sept. 1, 1972, with Commander Richard E. Enkeboll in command of the Batfish’s original crew. Underway The Batfish made headlines for the wrong reasons early in her career. On Jan. 22, 1973, while leaving her homeport of Charleston, S. C., the Batfish ran aground and suffered damage to its bottom. After being freed by tugs, the Batfish returned to port for extensive repairs. For the better part of three decades, the Batfish tracked the activities of Soviet (and later Russian) submarines in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. Though most of her work was done without fanfare, one 1978 patrol known as “Operation Evening Star” has become legend in the submarine community. On March 17, 1978, the Batfish was operating 200 miles above the Arctic Circle when it detected a Yankee I – class Soviet ballistic missile submarine operating nearby. The Batfish began trailing the Soviet submarine, losing it for only twice for brief periods of time over the next 50 days. In the process, the Batfish collected troves of information on Soviet submarine operating methods. The Yankee I never knew it had been detected; indeed, the Soviets had no idea the incident had occurred until the 1980s, when Navy Petty Officer John Walker sold them information detailing it. Decommissioning Based in Charleston for virtually her entire career, the Batfish was decommissioned on March 17, 1999 and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. The Batfish entered the Navy’s Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bermerton, Wash., and on Nov. 22, 2002, was declared scrapped. Characteristics of the USS Batfish Displacement: 4195 tons light, 4501 tons full, 306 tons dead Length: 89 m (292 ft) Beam: 9.7 m (32 ft) Draft: 8.8 m (29 ft) Propulsion: Westinghouse S5W reactor, S3G3 Modified Core Complement: 14 officers, 98 men Armament: four 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes Career Ordered: June 25, 1968 Laid down: Feb. 9, 1970 Launched: Oct. 9, 1971 Commissioned: Sept. 1, 1972 Decommissioned: March 17, 1999 Stricken: March, 17 1999 Fate: submarine recycling Timeline June 1968: USS Batfish ordered February 1970: Keel of USS Batfish laid October 1971: USS Batfish launched September 1972: USS Batfish commissioned January 1973: USS Batfish runs aground off of Charleston, S.C. March-May 1977: USS Batfish trails Soviet Yankee I-class submarine for 50 days without detection March 1999: USS Batfish decommissioned November 2002: USS Batfish scrapped |
The USS Batfish SSN 681 History, Patrols |
| Alfred Leo Pelletier Pipefitter 1st / class Pipefitter Foreman-Supervisor 54618 / Dept 243 General Dynamics Electric Boat Division 1968-1978 Helped build the SSN 681 BATFISH |
| Pelletier's Home Inspection Alfred Leo Pelletier, CMI, HI36 Certified Master Inspector Member: InterNational Association of Certified Home Inspectors www.pelletierson.com |
Alfred Pelletier is granted permission to post this article from the Smithsonian by The US Navy
Please read the story of the SSN 681
BATFISH Nuclear Submarine to be
inducted into The Hall of Fame
BATFISH Nuclear Submarine to be
inducted into The Hall of Fame
| Read the story of the US Submarine Batfish SSN 681 that change the course of history To End the Cold War Just click on the page numbers |
| Read the story of the US Submarine Batfish SSN 681 that change the course of history To End the Cold War Just click on the page numbers |
