Service history USS Trepang (SSN-674)

1 service history

1.1 1970-1971
1.2 1972
1.3 1973
1.4 1974
1.5 1975
1.6 1976
1.7 1977
1.8 1978
1.9 1979-1988
1.10 1988-1991
1.11 1991-1998

service history
1970-1971

following local operations out of home port, new london, connecticut, trepang proceeded arctic in 1971. 22 february 22 march 1971, operated beneath polar ice cap, conducting extensive tests provide data weapons systems carrying out scientific experiments concerning movement, composition, , geological history of ice cap itself.

after returning new london via faslane, scotland, trepang deployed warmer climes of caribbean sea, departing new london on 22 april 1971 , subsequently making port @ frederiksted on st. croix in united states virgin islands weapons systems acceptance , evaluation trials. in new england waters local operations, trepang again headed south further tests. in november 1971, deployed conduct independent operations in north atlantic ocean.

1972

following return new london on 5 february 1972, trepang underwent routine post-deployment standdown , upkeep, attack submarine training , equipment grooming in local operating areas. conducted second extended deployment north atlantic 24 july 25 september 1972, returning new london via halifax, nova scotia, canada. remainder of 1972, operated off united states east coast between new london , fort lauderdale, florida.

1973

an interim four-week drydocking period @ portsmouth naval shipyard @ kittery, maine, preceded trepang s 1973 operations before headed south weapons tests off florida coast. completing four-week upkeep period on 22 april 1973, completed nuclear technical proficiency inspection before returning new london, completed operational reactor safeguard examination on 4 may 1973.

on 8 june 1973, trepang departed new london six-month deployment united states sixth fleet in mediterranean sea. participated in several special operations sixth fleet during increased tension brought on yom kippur war in middle east in october 1973. returned new london @ end of november 1973 upkeep , routine post-deployment standdown leave period.

1974

trepang got underway on 15 february 1974 special operation lasted through 9 april 1974. spent 3 days @ holy loch, scotland, before departing new london. continued local operations , training off u.s. east coast through change of home port on 1 october 1974, when portsmouth, new hampshire, became new base. spent remainder of 1974 in drydock in annual overhaul.

1975

while in overhaul, trepang assigned submarine squadron 10 during march 1975. spent april august 1975 completing overhaul , carrying out crew training , recertification. following sea trials in late october 1975, trepang returned new london, once again became home port, on 7 november intensive post-overhaul upkeep alongside submarine tender uss fulton (as-11).

departing new london on 1 december 1975, trepang conducted post-overhaul weapons systems acceptance testing @ roosevelt roads naval station in puerto rico , 5 days of acoustic trials off frederiksted @ st. croix in u.s. virgin islands before departing st. croix on 17 december 1975 , returning new london on 22 december.

1976

trepang spent part of 1976 preparing extended cruise. deployed mediterranean sea june november 1976, operating sixth fleet. returned new london upon conclusion of deployment, , routine post-deployment standdown lasted 1977.

1977

in mid-january 1977, trepang participated in exercise caribex 77 in caribbean. devoted spring of 1977 individual ship exercises included nuclear technical proficiency inspection, mk-48 torpedo proficiency inspection, , operational readiness inspection, of completed successfully. extensive refit period, included drydocking, took place in may , june 1977. midshipman orientation cruises followed and, in september, trepang conducted pre-deployment work-up , certification. engaged in training mission in atlantic ocean mid-october mid-december 1977 before returning new london , beginning routine post-deployment standdown.

1978

after standdown ended during january 1978, trepang devoted remainder of january, february, , march attack submarine training , participation in north atlantic treaty organization (nato) exercise safepass. spent summer of 1978 working scheduled mediterranean deployment. deployment subsequently cancelled permit participate in special chief of naval operations project. spent remaining months of 1978 in evaluation of equipment associated project, periods @ sea alternating periods in port devoted equipment maintenance.

in october 1978, fbi arrested 3 men—two in st. louis, 1 in new york—on charges of conspiring steal uss trepang, based in new london, ct. fbi discovered plot when edward j. mendenhall , james w. cosgrove, 2 of accused conspirators, contacted undercover agent seeking funds training , supplies. after stealing submarine, 2 intended kill crew, put out sea, , rendezvous unidentified buyer.

she departed groton on 27 november 1978 conclude 1978 @ sea conducting activities related special project.

1979-1988

icex-85 03may85 northpole in 1987, trepang completed mediterranean deployment.

1988-1991

in 1988, trepang visited bermuda, earned battle e , visited scotland following northern atlantic deployment. 1989 1991, trepang completed overhaul @ portsmouth naval shipyard. moved new home port of charleston, south carolina. during voyage kittery charleston late in 1991 transited beneath under 1991 perfect storm .

1991-1998

during remainder of career, trepang conducted many fast-attack submarine drill missions mediterranean cruise interrupted stay of many weeks in la maddalena, italy, , haifa, israel. during mediterranean deployment, participated in nato operations off bosnia-herzegovina, became first american submarine in history perform peacetime operations german submarine—namely u-29 (s178), conducted secret mission tailing drug-smuggling ship, , trained seal team 6.

the drug-smuggling ship recon mission largely kept secret among officers , crew whom aboard during time; commanding officer during mission kept details secret aboard (it textbook need know situation). upon returning port post-mission, commanding officer debriefed crew. informed them owner of ship (and related organization) have no problem killing our crew , crew knew in order protect secrets learned during mission. many aboard boat @ time, scary prospect , few (if any) shared details of mission anyone.

during these years, 1 of trepang s sister ships, uss bluefish (ssn-675) considered sister submarine, , 2 docked near 1 another.

after trans world airlines flight 800 exploded , crashed off long island, new york, on 17 july 1996, 1 of theories cause of disaster posited various unofficial investigators held missile fired u.s. armed forces had shot airliner down. u.s. navy confirmed trepang operating off coast of long island @ time of disaster had nothing crash.

trepang conducted final six-month deployment mediterranean between june , december 1997. in late 1998, circumnavigated world in order use nuclear fuel possible prior decommissioning. awarded during time joint meritorious unit award (reasons unknown).