Today's classic warship, USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633)
Layfayette class nuclear ballistic missile submarine.
Displacement. 7325 tons (surf.), 8251 tons (subm.)
Lenght. 425'
Beam. 33'
Speed. 16k (surf.), 21k (subm.)
Test depth. 1300'
Armament. 16 missile tubes, 4-21" tt. fwd.
Complement. 14 officers - 126 enlisted men (each in 2 crews)
USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633) was launched on 1 February 1964 and commissioned 14 August 1964, the 28th Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine, and the first ship of the line to bear the name. Named for Brigadier General Count Casimir Pulaski, a hero of the Revolutionary War, she was sponsored by Mrs. John A. Gronouski, the wife of the then Postmaster General of the United States, and commnanded by Captain R. L. J. Long, later COMSUBLANT, DCNO (submarines), and CINCPACFLT.
Pulaski sailed on her first patrol from Charleston, SC, in March 1965, and deployed to Holy Loch, Scotland. After completion of 20 Polaris A3 patrols, she entered overhaul in Groton, CT, for refueling end conversion to carry the Poseidon C3 missile, the fifth submarine to be so converted.
In October 1971, Pulaski deployed with Poseidon missiles to resume patrols from Holy Loch. After the completion of six additional patrols, she participated in the Operational Test (OT) Program by reconfiguring for test, and then test firing four Poseidon missiles in the Atlantic Test Range successfully.
In July 1974, Pulaski was awarded the Submarine Squadron Fourteen Battle Efficiency "E," the first ever awarded to an SSBN. In late 1980. after the completion of a total of 52 strategic deterrent patrols, she entered overhaul in Newport News, VA, for refueling and backfit to carry the new Trident I C4 missile. She deployed in June 1983, now assigned to Submarine Squadron Sixteen in Kings Bay, GA. In June 1985, Pulaski Gold conducted a flawless Follow-On Operational Test (FOT), reconfiguring and successfully launching four Trident I missiles on the Atlantic Test Range.
In October 1985, Pulaski Gold was awarded the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy, Emblematic of the unit in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet making the most improvement in battle efficiency during fiscail year 1985.
In October 1986, Pulaski (both crews) was awarded the Commander Submarine Squadron Sixteen Battle Efficiency "E," and the U.S. Atlantic Fleet Outstanding Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine Performance Award for fiscal year 1986. August 1987 found Pulaski completing a very successful Extended Refit Period conducted by Charleston Naval Shipyard in Kings Bay, Georgia. The ship's systems were extensively refurbished to enable extension of her useful life and time between shipyard overhauls.
Pulaski was decommissioned on 7 March 1994. She was disposed of through the Ship Recycling Program at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, on 21 October 1994.
