USS Scorpion (SSN589)

USS Scorpion Radio Room Door sign.

This is the actual sign that was on the Radio Room door. When She was first commissoned the radio room was a "Limited Area" but a year or so later the Navy changed the designation to "Exclusion Area". When we put the new sign up identical to this one except for the new designation I kept the original. The Commisioning Radiomen were RMC(SS) James M. Fogarty, RM1(SS) James L. Maney, RM2(SS) Paul E. Walker and RM3((SS) Leslie G. Adams.We served together for about three years and are still best of friends.

USS Scorpion Launching.

As I remember it was a very cold and rainy day.

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Launching Program

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Launching program.

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Launching.

USS Scorpion SSN589 was launched at Electric Boat Company on December 19, 1959 at 11:45 A.M. The Scorpion was the eight nuclear powered submarine to be launched by Electric Boat Company and the third to slide down the ways during 1959. Her keel was originally laid on November 1, 1957, but in the urgency for the missile submarines the keel was re-designated the George Washington. It was not until August 20, 1958, that construction on the Scorpion was resumed. The Scorpion is named in honor of the USS Scorpion of World War II fame. After compiling a gallant record during four war patrols she was lost in action. Her command officer at the time was Commander Maxmillian G. Schmidt, USN father of Mrs. Elizabeth S. Morrison, sponsor of the new Scorpion. USS Scorpion SSN589 was lost in May of 1968 and on 28 October the Navy found her shattered remains in more than 11,000 feet of water approximately 400 miles southwest of the Azores. She had gone down with all hands and after numerous courts of inquiry the Navy has still not been to able to fix the exact reason for her loss.

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Commissioning Program

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Commissiong Program

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Sea Trials

Sea Trials 26 June 1960. Adm Rickover standing on fairwater planes..My maneuvering watch station was port lookout so I was standing just inside the sail door.

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First Diveing Message sent by me.

This is a copy of the first diveing message sent by Scorpion during sea trials. I had the honor of actually sending the message, via "CW" (Morse Code)....

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Me on Watch in the Radio Room.

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Clipping reporting us overdue.

Shortly after Scorpions acceptance by the Navy the USS Skipjack was supposed to partcipate in a NATO exercise but due to mechanical problems could not make it and Scorpion was scheduled in her place. During the exercise the NATO commander in charge issued a "Overdue" message for Scorpion. This was brought about by a communication mixup and we were just running deep and changing areas. Upon learning of the "Overdue" we contacted the proper authorities and assured them we were alright. The press got hold of the story and published the info about us missing in some papers so the folks back home had a pretty good scare.

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Change of Command.

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Change of Command

Change of command ceremony. Capt Bessac at podium Vadm Grenfell over his right shoulder and New Skipper Cdr Kaufman to his left. The XO LCDR C.A.H. Trost standing in front of the troops and me just behind him and a little to his left RM2(SS) Les Adams standing on the fairwater planes.

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Navy Unit Citation

"In this game of cat-and-mouse, the often narrow margin of victory goes to the proficient and the careful. A mistake -- the clang of a dropped wrench, the swish of cavitation made by the propeller's accelerating too fast, the pop of a light bulb can trigger an enemy torpedoe On these battlefields, warriors whisper." -- Vice Adm. R.Y. Kaufman, U.S.N. (Ret.) R.Y Kaufman was the second Commanding Officer of Scorpion.