American submarine Tullibee (SSN 597) (1957) 1958-1996

Computer line drawing by Darth Panda, for which our thanks

Her motto was Venator-Necator, Latin for Hunter-Killer. This ASW fast attack submarine is the smallest nuclear-powered attack submarine yet built for the navy of the United States. The shipyard of the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation received the order in November 1957, laid down on 26 May of 1958, launched on 27 April 1960 (baptized Mrs. John F. Davidson, widow of commander Charles F. Brindupke, former commanding officer of the first Tullibee of 1943)) and on 9 November of the same year commissioned. Mid January 1961 started the trials including for her reactor the newly developed S2C prototype the so-called shake-down. Decommissioned and stricken from the list on 25 June 1988 started not earlier as 7 years later in January with the so-called Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program including the removal of her reactor. On 1 April 1996 was this program at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton officially ended.

With a displacement of 2,317 (surfaced) – 2,640 (submerged) tons were her dimensions 273” x 23’7. The reactor drove one screw allowing a speed of 12,9 (surfaced)-16 (submerged) knots. Her crew numbered 58-113 men. The armament consisted of 4-21” (53,3cm|) torpedo tubes placed amidships aft of the bow. Her diving depth was 700 feet (limited).

She was the result of the project Nobska research program set up in 1956 by admiral Arleigh Burke who was at that moment chief of naval operations.

The photo above can be found on http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08597.htm

There is even an official website dealing with this submarine, namely www.usstullibee.com