USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716)

USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Salt Lake City, Utah. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 15 September 1977 and her keel was laid down on 26 August 1980. She was launched on 16 October 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Kathleen Garn, and commissioned on 12 May 1984.

USS Salt Lake City
History
United States
NameUSS Salt Lake City
NamesakeSalt Lake City, Utah
Ordered15 September 1977
BuilderNewport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company
Laid down26 August 1980
Launched16 October 1982
Commissioned12 May 1984
Decommissioned15 January 2006
Stricken15 January 2006
FateStricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling
BadgeSalt Lake City's insignia.
General characteristics
Class and typeLos Angeles-class submarine
Displacement5747 tons light, 6098 tons full, 351 tons dead
Length110.3 m (362 ft)
Beam10 m (33 ft)
Draft9.7 m (32 ft)
Propulsionone S6G reactor
RangeUnlimited distance; 20–25 years
Complement12 officers, 98 enlisted

Actor Scott Glenn trained aboard, and was installed as (honorary) commander for a brief time, aboard Salt Lake City in preparation for his part as Bart Mancuso, Captain of USS Dallas in the film The Hunt for Red October.

Salt Lake City was featured in The History Channel's Mail Call when R. Lee Ermey answered viewer questions about life inside a submarine.

On 22 October 2004, Salt Lake City returned from a deployment with the USS John C. Stennis carrier strike group in the western Pacific Ocean, after surging, over a month ahead of schedule, in support of Summer Pulse '04. Port calls during the deployment included Guam, Sasebo, Yokosuka, Singapore, and Oahu, Hawaii.

Salt Lake City conducted an inactivation ceremony in San Diego on 26 October 2005, then departed for a transit under the polar ice. On 15 January 2006 she was decommissioned at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Over a year later, the hulk was taken under tow, arriving on 8 May 2007 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, where she will be recycled and scrapped.

Awards edit

Salt Lake City earned numerous awards during her eight full deployments, including three Battle "E" Battle Efficiency Awards, two Navy Unit Commendations, and four Meritorious Unit Commendations.

References edit