USS SEAWOLF SSN 21 |
The first of a revolutionary of a new class of fast attack submarines, the Seawolf, was christened June 24, 1995, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Conn. SSN 21 was commissioned during a ceremony on July 19, 1997, at Electric Boat Shipyard, with Cmdr. David M. McCall in command. She is the first "top to bottom" new attack submarine design since the Skipjack-class in the early 1960s. After a period of post-construction testing, additional modifications, and depot level repairs, USS Seawolf, commanded by Cmdr. Butch Howard, departed in June 2001 for its maiden deployment. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 forced an early underway from a planned upkeep in Faslane, Scotland, and accelerated the submarine's passage through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea. The ship sortied from Scotland, moved halfway back to the East Coast to await the arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Battle Group, and earned a certification to conduct strike operations. Soon after, urgent orders sent the submarine directly to the Mediterranean to increase the number of Tomahawks and launch platforms in the theater of operations. As the Seawolf waited for potential orders for Operation Enduring Freedom, while additionally providing support to the TR BG, she played a role in her first NATO exercise, Destined Glory 2001. Later she met up for the first time with the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) in La Maddalena, Italy, to trade some of the submarine's torpedo payload for cruise missiles, take on another 60 days' worth of food, and conduct minor voyage repairs. SSN 21 returned to Naval Submarine Base New London in December after traveling 33,200 miles. On October 30, 2002, USS Seawolf returned to Electric Boat for a three-week repair period, the second time a U.S. Navy submarine had docked at the shipyard under the terms of a leasing agreement announced earlier in 2002. Although the ship will be docked at EB, the repair job will actually be managed by the Naval Submarine Support Facility at the sub base. May 27, 2003 USS Seawolf departed Groton, Conn., for a scheduled six-month North Atlantic deployment. August 27, SSN 21 is currently participating in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercise Odin-One in the North Sea region. October 19, 2006 The nuclear-powered attack submarine pulled into Apra Harbor for its first port visit to the island of Guam. April ?, 2007 Cmdr. Harry L. Ganteaume relieved Cmdr. Paul T. Stevens as the 5th commanding officer of Seawolf. July 22, USS Seawolf arrived at its new homeport of Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton in Bremerton, Wash., after a 37-day transit from Groton, Conn. February 12, 2009 SSN 21 completed its participation in undersea warfare exercise with USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) CSG, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and five other U.S. combat ships currently operating in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility. May 9, The Seawolf arrived in Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, for a five-day port call after participated in exercise Malabar 2009, off the coast of Okinawa. June 3, USS Seawolf returned to Bremerton after a six-month deployment. February 17, 2010 Cmdr. Daniel Packer relieved Cmdr. Harry L. Ganteaume as CO of the Seawolf during a change-of-command ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap. April 3, 2012 USS Seawolf returned to Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton after underway for sea trials, completing the 31-month, $280 million worth, Depot Modernization Period (DMP) at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF). July 23, 2013 USS Seawolf departed homeport for a scheduled North Atlantic deployment. September 11, SSN 21 recently moored at Haakonsvern Naval Base in Bergen, Norway, for a routine port call. January 21, 2014 USS Seawolf returned to Bremerton after a six-month deployment. February 5, Cmdr Jeffrey M. Bierley relieved Capt. Broderick V. Berkhout as commanding officer of the Seawolf. Capt. Berkhout was the CO since March 2013. February 6, Cmdr Bierley relieved of duty Master Chief Electronics Technician (SS) Mark R. Philiposian as USS Seawolf's Chief of the Boat, due to "unsatisfactory performance." July 28, USS Seawolf arrived in Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, Calif., for a brief port call to embark midshipmen for annual summer training. April 20, 2015 The Seawolf moored at Haakonsvern Naval Base in Bergen, Norway, for a routine port call; Brief stop off Tromso, Norway, for personnel transfer on June 5. August 14, SSN 21 made a brief stop off Dutch Harbor, Unalaska Island, Alaska, for personnel transfer after recently transited the Bering Strait. August 21, USS Seawolf moored at Berth 2, Delta Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton following a six-month North Atlantic deployment. October 25, 2016 Cmdr. Christopher T. George relieved Cmdr Jeffrey M. Bierley as the 9th CO of Seawolf during a change-of-command ceremony at the Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor Chapel. December 23, 2018 USS Seawolf moored at Berth 6, Delta Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton after an eight-day underway for sea trials, following a three-year Extended Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (E-DSRA), at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard; Underway again on Jan. ?. January 7, 2019 The Seawolf made a brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma for personnel transfer; Brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma again on Jan. 14 and 18th; Returned home on Jan. 28. February 14, Cmdr. Jeremy M. Johnston relieved Cmdr. Christopher T. George as commanding officer of the Seawolf. May 12, USS Seawolf departed Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton for routine operations; Brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma for personnel transfer on May 17 and June 1; Brief stop in the Strait of Juan de Fuca on June 5 and 10th; Moored at Berth 2, Delta Pier on June 13; Underway again on July 10. July 17, USS Seawolf moored at S/S/O Mike Pier on Naval Base Point Loma for a brief stop; Brief stop at S/S/O Mike Pier again on July 18; Arrived off the south coast of Oahu, Hawaii, on July 29; Brief stop in Pearl Harbor for personnel transfer on July 31 and Aug. 4; Moored at Wharf Y2 in Pearl Harbor for a brief stop on Aug. 8; Brief stop in Pearl Harbor on Aug. 12; Moored at Wharf Y2 from Aug. 14-20; Brief stop in Pearl Harbor again on Aug. 22. September 30, USS Seawolf moored at Berth 6, Delta Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton following a two-and-a-half month deployment in the U.S. 3rd Fleet AoR; Underway again on Dec. 6. December 9, The Seawolf moored at N/S/O Sierra Pier on Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego for an 11-day port call; Returned home on Dec. 23. January 7, 2020 USS Seawolf moored at Ammunition Pier, Naval Magazine Indian Island in Port Hadlock, Wash., for a six-day ammo onload; Moored at S/S/O Mike Pier on Naval Base Point Loma from Jan. 16-18; Brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma for personnel transfer on Jan. 20; Moored at N/S/O Sierra Pier from Jan. 23-25; Brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma again on Jan. 29. February 9, SSN 21 moored at Berth 2, Delta Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton; Underway again on March 17; Moored at Ammunition Pier, Naval Magazine Indian Island from March 17-23. April 8, The Seawolf moored at S/S/O Mike Pier on Naval Base Point Loma; Underway on April ?; Moored at S/S/O Mike Pier again from April 17-25; Brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma on May 5, 13 and 16th; Moored at S/S/O Mike Pier from May 18-21; Brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma on June 1 and 9th; Moored at Ammunition Pier, Naval Magazine Indian Island for ammo onload from June 12-15. June 15, USS Seawolf moored at Berth 2, Delta Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton following a three-month deployment in the U.S. 3rd Fleet AoR; Underway again on June 25. June 27, The Seawolf moored at Service Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor for a brief stop; Returned home on June 28. July 6, USS Seawolf departed Bremerton for a scheduled North Atlantic deployment; Transited the Bering Strait northbound on July 1?. August 21, The Seawolf made a brief stop off the coast of Tromso, Norway, for personnel transfer; Moored at Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, from Sept. 21-26. October 15, USS Seawolf moored at Valiant Jetty on HMNB Clyde for a scheduled port call after participated in a biannual NATO exercise Joint Warrior 20-2, off the west coast of Scotland; Brief stop off HMNB Gibraltar, British overseas teritory, for personnel transfer on Nov. 28; Moored at Berth 50, South Mole in HMNB Gibraltar from Dec. 1-11. December 22, SSN 21 moored at Valiant Jetty on HMNB Clyde for a two-day port call; Moored at Valiant Jetty again from Jan. 12-18. February 11, 2021 USS Seawolf moored at Berth 6, Delta Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton following a seven-month deployment. March 26, The Seawolf moored at Ammunition Pier on Naval Magazine Indian Island for a week-long ammo offload; Moored at Berth 2, Delta Pier on April 2. May 4, Cmdr. Jeffrey C. Fassbender relieved Cmdr. Jeremy M. Johnston as the 11th CO of Seawolf during a change-of-command ceremony at the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Wash. June 9, USS Seawolf departed Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton in support of emergent national tasking, following a two-month Continuous Maintenance Availability (CMAV). June 22, The Seawolf participated in a photo exercise (PHOTOEX) with the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Dewey (DDG 105), while underway in the Hawaiian Op. Area; Moored at Berth 2, Delta Pier in Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton on July ?; Moored at Ammunition Pier, Naval Magazine Indian Island for ammo onload from Oct. 11-15. October 25, USS Seawolf made a brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma for personnel transfer; Moored at N/S/O Sierra Pier from Oct. 28-30; Brief stop off Point Loma again on Nov. 1; Moored at N/S/O Sierra Pier again from Nov. 4-19; Returned home on Nov. 23. March 12, 2022 USS Seawolf moored at Berth 2, Delta Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton after a 16-day underway; Moored at Ammunition Pier, Naval Magazine Indian Island for ammo onload from March 28- April 1; Brief stop off Dungeness Spit, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, for personnel transfer on April 9. April 14, The Seawolf made a brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma for personnel transfer; Brief stop off Dungeness Spit on April 21; Returned home on April 25. May 13, USS Seawolf departed Bremerton for a scheduled western Pacific deployment. July 15, The Seawolf moored outboard the USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) in Apra Harbor, Guam, for a 17-day port call; Moored outboard the Land again from Aug. 25-?: Moored at Berth 12 in Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, from Nov. 15-21. December 14, USS Seawolf moored at the newly-constructed Olympic Pier in its new homeport of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor following a seven-month deployment. April 12, 2023 USS Seawolf departed Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor; Brief stop off Naval Base Point Loma for personnel transfer on April 17; Moored at N/S/O Mike Pier from April 20-24; Brief stop off Point Loma on May 1; Moored at N/S/O Mike Pier again from May 4-6; Brief stop at Mike Pier on May 8; Returned home on May 11. May 16, Cmdr. Douglas G. Hagenbuch relieved Cmdr. Jeffrey C. Fassbender as CO of the Seawolf during a change-of-command ceremony on board the sub. May 22, USS Seawolf departed Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor; Brief stop off Dungeness Spit for personnel transfer on May 26 and 29th. August 5, USS Seawolf moored at Olympic Pier on Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor following a two-and-a-half month deployment in the U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleet AoR. |