GEORGE WASHINGTON USS (SS(N))-589) submarine

[aukepalmhof]

On 12 October 2007, Auke Palmhof posted a message regarding USS ALASKA and stated that the submarine in the border of the miniature sheet issued by Mozambique in 2002 was from the USS OHIO class.

The source photograph for this stamp can be found on page 171 in the book Jane's - Submarines – War beneath the waves – From 1776 to the present day by Robert Hutchinson and published by Harper Collins in 2001. The submarine is the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (SSBN 598) that was commissioned on 30 December 1959.

(SSB(N)-598: displacement 5600; length 382'; beam 33'; draft 29'; speed over 20 k.; complement 120 armament 16 Polaris missiles; class USS GEORGE WASHINGTON)

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (SSB(N)-598) was originally Scorpion (SS(N)-589), but was lengthened by the insertion of a 130-foot missile section and renamed USS GEORGE WASHINGTON. Launched 9 June 1959 by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, Conn.; sponsored by Mrs. Robert B. Anderson, and commissioned 30 December 1959, Cdr. James B. Osborn (blue crew) and Cdr. John L. From, Jr. (gold crew) in command.

The first of a new class of ballistic missile submarines, USS GEORGE WASHINGTON sailed from Groton 28 June 1960 for Cape Canaveral, Fla., where she loaded two solid propellant Polaris missiles. Standing out into the Atlantic Missile Test Range with Rear Admiral W. F. Raborn, head of the phenomenal Polaris Submarine development program on board as an observer, the nuclear submarine made history 20 July 1960 when she successfully launched the first Polaris missile from a submerged submarine—the free world everywhere had gained a weapon of utmost importance to the protection of civilization. At 12.39 USS GEORGE WASHINGTON's commanding officer sent President Eisenhower the historic message: "Polaris—from out of the deep to target. Perfect." Less than 2 hours later another missile from the submerged submarine homed in on the impact area 1,100 miles downrange. A new and mighty weapon had been added to the vast power of the sea

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON returned to Cape Canaveral to embark her gold crew, and 30 July 1960 duplicated her earlier successes by launching two more missiles while submerged. Shakedown for the gold crew ended at Groton 30 August and the submarine got underway from that port 28 October for Charleston, S.C., to load her full complement of 16 Polaris missiles. There she was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation, after which her blue crew took over; and USS GEORGE WASHINGTON embarked on her first patrol.

The submarine completed her first patrol after 66 days of submerged running 21 January 1961 and put in at New London, Conn. The gold crew took over; and she departed on her next patrol 14 February. After the patrol USS GEORGE WASHINGTON entered Holy Loch Scotland, 25 April 1961. Through 1964 she continued to conduct classified deterrent patrols from that port, alternating her two crews. An incredible four years after her initial departure from Groton she put in to refuel, having cruised some 100,000 miles guarding the seas for America. Her powerful missiles are recognized everywhere as an important factor in the maintenance of peace and freedom throughout the world.

After overhaul and refuelling at the Electric Boat Co. at Groton in 1965, USS GEORGE WASHINGTON resumed her patrols and served as a deterrent to global war for the next twenty years.

On 9 April 1981, George Washington surfaced underneath the Japanese 2,350-ton commercial cargo ship Nissho Maru the East China Sea about 110 nautical miles south-southwest of Sasebo, Japan. Nissho Maru sank in about 15 minutes. Two Japanese crewmen were lost; thirteen were rescued. The submarine suffered minor damage to her sail.

The accident strained U.S. - Japanese relations a month before a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki and President of the United States Ronald Reagan. Japan criticized the United States for taking over 24 hours to notify Japanese authorities, and demanded to know what the boat was doing surfacing only about twenty miles outside Japan's territorial waters. Neither the submarine nor a U.S. Navy P-3 Orion aircraft circling overhead made any attempt to rescue the Japanese crew.

The U.S. Navy initially stated George Washington executed a crash dive during the collision, and then immediately surfaced, but could not see the Japanese ship due to fog and rain. A preliminary report released a few days later stated the submarine and aircraft crews both had detected Nissho Maru nearby, but neither the submarine nor the aircraft realized Nissho Maru was in distress.

On 11 April, President Reagan and other U.S. officials formally expressed regret over the accident, made offers of compensation, and reassured the Japanese there was no cause for worry about radioactive contamination. As is its standard policy, the U.S. Government refused to reveal what the submarine was doing close to Japan, or whether she was armed with nuclear missiles. (The standard response all modern American submariners are taught to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons aboard.) The Navy accepted responsibility for the incident, and relieved and reprimanded the George Washington's commanding officer and officer of the deck.

On 31 August, the U.S. Navy released its final report, concluding the accident resulted from a set of coincidences, compounded by errors on the part of some members of the submarine crew.

In 1982, George Washington returned to Pearl Harbour from her last missile patrol. In 1983, her missiles were unloaded at Bangor, Washington to comply with the SALT I treaty.

The "Georgefish" -- her nickname—made 55 deterrent patrols in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in her 25-year career.

George Washington continued service as an attack submarine (SSN), returning briefly to Pearl Harbour. In 1983 she departed Pearl Harbour for the last time and transited the Panama Canal back to the Atlantic and to New London.

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON decommissioned on 24 January 1985 and was later transferred to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash., for scrapping. The submarine was disposed of by submarine recycling on 30 September 1998

George Washington's sail was removed prior to disposal and now resides at the Submarine Force Library and Museum at New London, Connecticut.

Displacement: 5400 tons light: 5959-6019 tons surfaced; 6709-6888 Approx. tons submerged
Length: 381.6 ft (116.3 m)
Beam: 33 ft (10 m)
Draft: 29 ft (8.8 m)
Propulsion: 1 S5W PWR
2 geared turbines at 15,000shp
1x7-bladed screw
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h) surfaced
+25 knots (46 km/h) submerged
Range: unlimited except by food supplies
Test depth: 700 ft (210 m)[1] (maximum over 900 ft (270 m)
Capacity: 120
Complement: Two crews (Blue/Gold) each consisting of 12 officers and 100 men.
Armament: 16 Polaris A1/A3 missiles
6 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes[1] (Mark 16, Mark 37, or Mark 48 torpedoes)

Mozambique 2002 10.000mt sgMS?, scott? (she is in the margin of the stamp, while the USS ALASKA is depicted on the stamp.)
Niger 2021 800f sg?, Scott? Although this stamp was authorized by the Niger postal administration, it was not sold in Niger, but only distributed to the novelty trade by the Nigerian philatelic agency.

Sources: Wikipedia; Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships; Various internet sites.

Peter Crichton