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Saturday 22 October 2011

American nuclear fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642 later SSN-642) 1963-2003

Ron van Maanen


Ordered 31 august 1962, laid down at the mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo in California, USA 2 may 1963, launched 16 January 1965, commissioned 10 December 1965, decommissioned/stricken 2 April 2000 and broken up between October 2002-28 February 2003. Sponsored by Mrs. Samuel Wilder King. Motto Imua (meaning in the Hawaiian language Go forth and conquer). Nicknamed ‘Kamfish’.

Of the Benjamin Franklin-class. Displacement 6,511 tons light, 7,334 tons full load and 823 tons deas with as dimensions 130 x 10 x 9,4m. Her nuclear reactor and steam turbines delivered 15,000 ship allowing a speed of more as 20 knots. Test depth was 396m. Her crew numbered 150 men. She was until 1992 armed with 16 x ballistic missive tubes which were then removed and 4-21 torpedo tubes fore. July 1992 rebuilt as a dry deck shelter/swimmer delivery platform for secret SEAL-operations and since then classified as an attack submarine while the missile tubes were removed.