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m Llammakey moved page USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) to USS Glenard P. Lipscomb without leaving a redirect: per WP:NC-SHIPS, only ship of name, no need for disambiguation
 
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{{short description|Unique nuclear attack submarine}}
<table border=1 align="right" cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 width=300>
{{one source|date=November 2015}}
<tr><td colspan=2 align="center">''insert image here''<br>''insert caption here''<br>(''insert link to larger image here'')</td></tr>
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
<tr><th colspan=2 style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy url(/upload/6/63/Usnjack.png) no-repeat scroll top left;">'''Career'''</th></tr>
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
<tr><td>Awarded:</td><td>[[16 December]] [[1968]]</td></tr>
{{Infobox ship image
<tr><td>Laid down:</td><td>[[5 June]] [[1971]]</td></tr>
|Ship image= [[File:USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685).jpg|300px|USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)]]
<tr><td>Launched:</td><td>[[4 August]] [[1973]]</td></tr>
|Ship caption=USS ''Glenard P. Lipscomb''
<tr><td>Commissioned:</td><td>[[21 December]] [[1974]]</td></tr>
}}
<tr><td>Fate:</td><td>submarine recycling</td></tr>
{{Infobox ship career
<tr><td>Stricken:</td><td>[[11 July]] [[1990]]
|Hide header=
</td></tr>
|Ship country=United States
<tr><th colspan=2 style="color: white; background: navy;">'''General Characteristics'''</th></tr>
|Ship flag= {{USN flag|1990}}
<tr><td>Displacement:</td><td>5813 tons surfaced, 6480 tons submerged</td></tr>
|Ship name=USS ''Glenard P. Lipscomb''
<tr><td>Length:</td><td>365 feet</td></tr>
|Ship namesake=[[Glenard P. Lipscomb]] (1915–1970)
<tr><td>Beam:</td><td>32 feet</td></tr>
|Ship awarded=16 December 1968
<tr><td>Draft:</td><td></td></tr>
|Ship builder=[[General Dynamics Electric Boat]], [[Groton, Connecticut]]
<tr><td>Powerplant:</td><td>[[S5W reactor]]</td></tr>
|Ship laid down=5 June 1971
<tr><td>Speed:</td><td>18 knots surfaced, 23 knots submerged</td></tr>
|Ship launched=4 August 1973
<tr><td>Depth:</td><td>1300 feet</td></tr>
|Ship sponsor=Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb
<tr><td>Complement:</td><td>12 officers, 109 enlisted</td></tr>
|Ship acquired=
<tr><td>Armament:</td><td>four 21-inch [[torpedo]] tubes</td></tr>
|Ship commissioned=21 December 1974
</table>
|Ship decommissioned=11 July 1990
'''USS ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' (SSN-685)''', a unique [[submarine]], was the only ship of the [[United States Navy]] to be named for [[Glenard Lipscomb|that Congressman]]. She was the [[US Navy]]'s second design using a turbo-electric power plant similar to [[USS Tullibee|USS ''Tullibee'']]. While this design is quieter, it is heavier and larger than conventional drive trains. Those disadvantages, along with reliability issues, led to the decision not to use this design for the follow-on [[Los Angeles class submarine|''Los Angeles''-class of submarines]]. Other than the engine room, ''Lipscomb'' was generally similar to the [[Sturgeon class submarine|''Sturgeon''-class]], and was a fully combat-capable attack [[submarine]].
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=11 July 1990
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname="The Lipscombfish / Glenny P"
|Ship honors=
|Ship fate=Entered [[Ship-Submarine Recycling Program]] 1997
|Ship identification=SSN-685
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type= [[Nuclear submarine]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|5813|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|6480|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length= {{convert|365|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|31|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft=
|Ship propulsion=[[S5W reactor]]
|Ship speed=*{{convert|18|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
*{{convert|23|kn}} submerged
|Ship range=
|Ship test depth={{convert|1300|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=12 officers, 109 men
|Ship armament=4 × {{convert|21|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''USS ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' (SSN-685)''' was a unique nuclear-powered [[attack submarine]] of the [[United States Navy]].


The submarine was named after [[Glenard P. Lipscomb]], who served as a [[United States House of Representatives|representative]] from [[California's 24th congressional district]] from 1953 until his death in 1970.
Construction of ''Lipscomb'' began on [[5 June]] [[1971]] at the Electric Boat shipyard in [[Groton, Connecticut]]. She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] [[4 August]] [[1973]], sponsored by Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb, and was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on [[21 December]] [[1974]] with Commander James F. Caldwell in command. She was decommissioned and struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on [[11 July]] [[1990]] and disposed of by [[Ship-Submarine recycling program|submarine recycling]] at [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]] on [[1 December]] [[1997]].


== References ==
==Design==
''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was developed under project [[Ship Characteristics Board|SCB 302.68]].<ref>Roberts, U.S. Navy Ship Design Project Numbers </ref> She was the U.S. Navy's second submarine design using a [[turbo-electric transmission]]; the first was the smaller {{USS|Tullibee|SSN-597|6}}. ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was intended to test the potential advantages of this propulsion system for providing quieter and safer operation for a full sized [[attack submarine]] (safer because reverse thrust would be instantaneous with reversal of the [[direct current]] engine's electric polarity). The ''Tullibee'' plant had to be scaled up by a factor of six, which resulted in a [[Tonnage#Weight-based systems|displacement]] of 6,400 [[ton]]s and a length of {{convert|365|ft}}. ''Glenard P. Lipscomb '' was thus larger than similar vessels with conventional drive trains, which resulted in slower speeds due to the greater displacement and [[wetted area]]. Her unique turbo-electric drive system was unreliable due to the decision to adopt a direct-current main motor.<ref>Friedman, ''U.S. Submarines since 1945'', p. 149</ref><ref>Polmar and Moore, ''Cold War Submarines'', pp. 269-270</ref> Subsequent U.S. submarine designs did not incorporate turbo-electric drive until the {{sclass|Columbia|submarine|1}}s. Other than the engine room, ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was generally similar to the {{sclass|Sturgeon|submarine|4}}, and although serving as a test platform she was a fully combat-capable attack submarine.<ref>Friedman, ''U.S. Submarines since 1945'', pp. 147-149</ref>
This article includes information collected from the [[Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]].

==Construction==
Construction of ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' began on 5 June 1971 at the [[Electric Boat Company]] shipyard in [[Groton, Connecticut]]. Secretary of Defense [[Melvin R. Laird]], a long-time colleague and friend of Glenard Lipscomb, spoke at the keel-laying ceremony.<ref>Press release 497-71</ref> ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 4 August 1973, sponsored by Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb, and was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 21 December 1974.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

==Career==
''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' deployed to the North Atlantic in the fall of 1976, followed immediately by a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in the winter and spring of 1977. The boat was awarded the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]].{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

The submarine deployed to the North Atlantic in the winter and spring of 1978. ''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. She deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in the winter and spring of 1979.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was awarded the Commander, [[Submarine Development Squadron 12|Submarine Development Squadron Twelve]], [[Battle Effectiveness Award|Battle Efficiency]] [White] "E" and Engineering Excellence [Red] "E" for Fiscal Years 1977, 1978 under the command of Commander Robert B. Wilkinson and 1979, and 1980 under the command of Commander Thomas Robertson.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

In 1987, she was involved in a collision with a [[tugboat]] in the Cooper River at [[Naval Weapons Station Charleston]]. Suffering slight damage to her towed array housing and propeller, she was required to spend an extra week in drydock to facilitate repairs. There were no injuries aboard the submarine; however, the tugboat sank as a result of the collision.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

''Glenard P. Lipscomb'' was [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] and struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 11 July 1990 and disposed of under the [[Ship-Submarine Recycling Program|submarine recycling program]] at [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]] on 1 December 1997. Her active duty career of less than 16 years is one of the shortest for a nuclear submarine in the US Navy.<ref>Friedman, ''U.S. Submarines since 1945'', p. 238</ref>

== See also ==
Other submarines with unique silencing features
*{{USS|Jack|SSN-605}}
*{{USS|Narwhal|SSN-671}}

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last=Friedman|first=Norman |title=U.S. Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History |publisher=United States Naval Institute |year=1994|location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=1-55750-260-9}}
* {{cite book |last1=Polmar |first1=Norman |last2=Moore |first2=K. J. |title=Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines |publisher=Potomac |year=2003|location=Dulles, Virginia |isbn=978-1-57488-594-1}}
* Roberts, Stephen S. "[https://www.shipscribe.com/navyrefs/scb/index.html U.S. Navy Ship Design Project Numbers, 1946-1979 ("SCB Numbers")]" Accessed 11 October 2022.

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)}}
* {{navsource|08/08685|USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)}}

{{US submarine classes after 1945}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)}}
[[Category:Ships built in Groton, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Submarines of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Cold War submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Experimental nuclear submarines of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:1973 ships]]

Latest revision as of 13:33, 1 May 2023

USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685)
USS Glenard P. Lipscomb
History
United States
NameUSS Glenard P. Lipscomb
NamesakeGlenard P. Lipscomb (1915–1970)
Awarded16 December 1968
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down5 June 1971
Launched4 August 1973
Sponsored byMrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb
Commissioned21 December 1974
Decommissioned11 July 1990
Stricken11 July 1990
IdentificationSSN-685
Nickname(s)"The Lipscombfish / Glenny P"
FateEntered Ship-Submarine Recycling Program 1997
General characteristics
TypeNuclear submarine
Displacement
  • 5,813 long tons (5,906 t) surfaced
  • 6,480 long tons (6,584 t) submerged
Length365 ft (111 m)
Beam31 ft 8 in (9.65 m)
PropulsionS5W reactor
Speed
  • 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) surfaced
  • 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) submerged
Test depth1,300 ft (400 m)
Complement12 officers, 109 men
Armament4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes

USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) was a unique nuclear-powered attack submarine of the United States Navy.

The submarine was named after Glenard P. Lipscomb, who served as a representative from California's 24th congressional district from 1953 until his death in 1970.

Design

[edit]

Glenard P. Lipscomb was developed under project SCB 302.68.[1] She was the U.S. Navy's second submarine design using a turbo-electric transmission; the first was the smaller USS Tullibee. Glenard P. Lipscomb was intended to test the potential advantages of this propulsion system for providing quieter and safer operation for a full sized attack submarine (safer because reverse thrust would be instantaneous with reversal of the direct current engine's electric polarity). The Tullibee plant had to be scaled up by a factor of six, which resulted in a displacement of 6,400 tons and a length of 365 feet (111 m). Glenard P. Lipscomb was thus larger than similar vessels with conventional drive trains, which resulted in slower speeds due to the greater displacement and wetted area. Her unique turbo-electric drive system was unreliable due to the decision to adopt a direct-current main motor.[2][3] Subsequent U.S. submarine designs did not incorporate turbo-electric drive until the Columbia-class submarines. Other than the engine room, Glenard P. Lipscomb was generally similar to the Sturgeon class, and although serving as a test platform she was a fully combat-capable attack submarine.[4]

Construction

[edit]

Construction of Glenard P. Lipscomb began on 5 June 1971 at the Electric Boat Company shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird, a long-time colleague and friend of Glenard Lipscomb, spoke at the keel-laying ceremony.[5] Glenard P. Lipscomb was launched on 4 August 1973, sponsored by Mrs. Glenard P. Lipscomb, and was commissioned on 21 December 1974.[citation needed]

Career

[edit]

Glenard P. Lipscomb deployed to the North Atlantic in the fall of 1976, followed immediately by a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in the winter and spring of 1977. The boat was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation.[citation needed]

The submarine deployed to the North Atlantic in the winter and spring of 1978. Glenard P. Lipscomb was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. She deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in the winter and spring of 1979.[citation needed]

Glenard P. Lipscomb was awarded the Commander, Submarine Development Squadron Twelve, Battle Efficiency [White] "E" and Engineering Excellence [Red] "E" for Fiscal Years 1977, 1978 under the command of Commander Robert B. Wilkinson and 1979, and 1980 under the command of Commander Thomas Robertson.[citation needed]

In 1987, she was involved in a collision with a tugboat in the Cooper River at Naval Weapons Station Charleston. Suffering slight damage to her towed array housing and propeller, she was required to spend an extra week in drydock to facilitate repairs. There were no injuries aboard the submarine; however, the tugboat sank as a result of the collision.[citation needed]

Glenard P. Lipscomb was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 July 1990 and disposed of under the submarine recycling program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 1 December 1997. Her active duty career of less than 16 years is one of the shortest for a nuclear submarine in the US Navy.[6]

See also

[edit]

Other submarines with unique silencing features

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Roberts, U.S. Navy Ship Design Project Numbers
  2. ^ Friedman, U.S. Submarines since 1945, p. 149
  3. ^ Polmar and Moore, Cold War Submarines, pp. 269-270
  4. ^ Friedman, U.S. Submarines since 1945, pp. 147-149
  5. ^ Press release 497-71
  6. ^ Friedman, U.S. Submarines since 1945, p. 238

Sources

[edit]
  • Friedman, Norman (1994). U.S. Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. ISBN 1-55750-260-9.
  • Polmar, Norman; Moore, K. J. (2003). Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac. ISBN 978-1-57488-594-1.
  • Roberts, Stephen S. "U.S. Navy Ship Design Project Numbers, 1946-1979 ("SCB Numbers")" Accessed 11 October 2022.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685).
  • Photo gallery of USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) at NavSource Naval History
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