Call Sign:                   NUBL 

Platform Code:      31Q0

Platform Name:    USS SEA DEVIL (SSN-664)

A Brief History:

Keel laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry-dock Co., Newport News, VA, 

12 APR 1965;
Launched: 5 OCT 1967; Sponsored by Mrs. Ignatius J. Galantin;
Commissioned: 30 JAN 1969 with Cdr Richard A. Currier in command;
Decommissioned and struck from the Navy List 16 OCT 1991;
Disposed of through SRP at PSNS.

Named for largest of all rays the nuclear powered submarine USS SEA DEVIL (SSN-664) was built by Newport News Ship Building and Dry Dock Company and Commissioned January 30th, 1969. She had made numerous deployments mainly to the North Atlantic and to the Mediterranean. She was the first nuclear powered submarine to visit Morocco in 1976 and the first nuclear powered ship to visit Kalamata Greece in 1977.

SEA DEVIL had participated in various exercises including NATOs' "COMMON EFFORT" and "NORTHERN WEDDING" and a joint exercise with Great Britain.

SEA DEVIL awards had included Three Navy Unit Commendations, the BATTLE "E" and Two Commander 6th Fleet "HOOK EM" awards for excellence in ASW. She was also ComSubLant's nominee for the Arleigh Burke award.

In August of 1981 the SEA DEVIL left her home port in Norfolk and SubRon6 to become a unit of SubRon4 in Charleston South Carolina. In October of 1981 she entered Charleston Navy Ship Yard for a 20 month refueling overhaul and a complete weapon systems refit to carry the Tomahawk Cruise Missile. She was the first nuclear submarine to complete this overhaul 3 months early.

SEA DEVIL was decommissioned and struck from the Navy List 16 October 1991 and disposed of through SRP at PSNS.

1

CDR. Currier, Richard Andrews, USN (USNA 1954)

30 JAN 1969 - 02 OCT 1970 First Date in Commission

2

CDR. Fountain, Robert Roy, USN (USNA 1955) :RADM

02 OCT 1970 - 20 MARCH 1974

3

CDR. Chabot, Peter Gordon, USN (USNA 1960) :RADM

20 MARCH 1974 - 21 JULY 1977

4

CDR. Blaha, Douglas Dean, USN

21 JULY 1977 - 30 AUG 1980

5

CDR. Boyce, Robert William, USN

30 AUG 1980 - 07 JAN 1984

6

CDR. Mies, Richard Willard, USN (USNA 1967) :VADM

07 JAN 1984 - 14 NOV 1986

7

CDR. Napior, Dennis Arthur, USN (USNA 1970)

14 NOV 1986 - 12 JAN 1989

8

CDR. Cook, Robert Bartlett, USN (USNA 1972)

12 JAN 1989 - 16 OCT 1991 Last Date in Commission

Sent in by Mickey Martin 26 April, 2004:

 The SS SEA DEVIL was one of 465 United States Maritime Commission C3 Type ships built during WW II. The C3 Type was 7800 Gross tons and 12,000 Deadweight tons. The length overall was 492’ and 465’ at the water line with a beam of 69.5’ and a normal draft of 28.5’. Two boilers drove an 8,500 HP geared turbine, which was connected, to a single shaft to provide a speed of 16.5 knots.  

 The SS SEA DEVIL was a Maritime Commission design C3-S-A2 Type built by the Western Pipe and Steel Company of California at San Francisco as Western hull number 91 and Maritime Commission hull number 279. 

The keel was laid on February 18, 1943, launched on May 23, 1943 and delivered on November 30, 1943. It is interesting to note that the preceding ship being built at Western Pipe and Steel was the SS Sea Cat, Western hull number 90 and Maritime Commission hull number 278. The submarines USS Sea Cat (SS-399) and USS Sea Devil (SS-400) were also consecutive hull numbers.    

The SS SEA DEVIL was awarded a Battle Star for its participation in the Leyte Landings from November 25-27, 1944.  Returned to the Maritime Commission after the war, SS SEA DEVIL was sold in 1949 as the HARRY LUCKENBACH and was later resold and renamed the COPPER STATE. She was again sold and scrapped in 1973.

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were Treated and Appreciated by their nation."-- George Washington