RAYunion USS Ray (SSN-653) - Pictures of the Ship Recycling Program (PSNS) taken by Don back when.

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SHIP RECYCLING PROGRAM

Here are some pictures of the Ship Recycling Program (PSNS) taken by Don back when.

When a ship/sub is selected for recycling, it is first "Inactivated". This means the process of scrapping is started. It is placed in dry dock and fuel is removed from the Nuclear Reactor. The ship/sub is still in commission (even though inactivated) and is referred to as USS (Name). Once the fuel is removed, the ship is decommissioned and referred to there after by name only, or ex-name. (i.e. Ex Ray, Ex James Madison)
Presently, submarines are completely scrapped once they enter the dry-dock. They are no longer refloated. Once a submarine enters the dry dock, their fate is sealed. Only scrap metal leaves the dry-dock. No surface craft have been recycled yet, but four are waiting in line with everything above the main deck removed.
Submarines are scrapped from the inside out. Large holes are cut in the sides so dumpsters can be inserted. Inside the submarine, like materials are placed in dumpsters. When full, the dumpsters are removed and replaced. At the same time, the outer hull is removed in large sections. Once the outer hull is gone, the pressure hull is cut up and removed. The submarine is cut into just forward and aft of the reactor compartment. The ends are sealed thus making the reactor compartment completely intact and sealed including the pressure hull and outer skin. This sealed section is removed from the dry-dock and placed on a barge for transfer to Hanford Washington for burial.
During my harbor tour I was able to spot the following submarines. George Washington (598), Skipjack (585), Drum (677), Ray (653) [my old boat] , Lapon (661), Richard B. Russell (687), Nathanael Greene (636), Andrew Jackson (619), Von Steuben (632), Omaha (692), Cincinnati (693), Woodrow Wilson (624), Silversides (679), Sea Devil (664), Aspro (648), Ethan Allen (608), Haddock (621), Sculpin (590), and Triton (586).
These once proud submarines lay rusting as they await final disposition. It appears their hull numbers have been hand painted with a spray paint can. The surface craft Truxton, Virginia, Long Beach, and Texas wait at Mooring Alpha with the submarines. USS Arkansas is aboard, it will be inactivated and decommissioned later this year.

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VIEW AS SLIDESHOW

Pictures of the Ship Recycling Program (PSNS).

Top down, 586, 590

ex USS Narwhal SSN-671 being towed (dead boat tow) through the Panama Canal in April 2001.

Top down, 621, 608, 648, 664, 679

All of the above plus (L to R) CGN-38, CGN-39, CGN-9)

Top down, 687, 661, 653, 675, 677

R to L 677, 675, 653( my boat!), 661, 687

586 Triton

L to R 693, 692, 632, 619, 636

624

Dry Dock 6
(Bow end of Drydock is Top) Top Left Baton Rouge (689), top right Snook (592), middle Henry Clay (625), bottom left Seawolf (575), bottom right Patrick Henry (599)
UPDATE: All scrapping is complete in Dry Dock 6. These five boats are completely gone now... (July 97) DD-6 will be prepared for the next load now...

Dry Dock 4
Top Left Sunfish (649), top right James Madison (627), bottom left Spadefish (668), bottom right Finback (670) (sorry John) (John Curley RMC(SS), LT, ret..., plank owner Madison)

Dry Dock 2
(Bow end of DD) Edison (610), middle Bancroft (643), bottom, Lipscomb (685)

DryDock 1
USS Grayling is the only Commissioned Submarine in this series. She was deactivated December 10, 1996. The house on her deck covers an area above the Reactor Compartment. Her fuel rods will be removed through the top of this house, then transferred to M140 rail cars. When the fuel is removed, she will be decommissioned and scrapping will be completed in place.(bow end of DD) Thomas Jefferson (618) and USS Grayling SSN-646

Two reactor compartments can be seen on barges. These barges will take the sealed reactor compartments to Hanford Washington where they will be buried.

Submarine History is being preserved at the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport Washington! The sail from Sturgeon (SSN-637) has been placed in the parking lot.
Harry!, how did they surface in the parking lot without having the planes in the under ice position? ;-)

The control room from Greenling (SSN-614) is being reassembled. As you can see the display is still under construction, but it is a first class display!!!

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