Decommissioning the USS Darter (SSN-576)

My Grandfather was part of the 'DECOM' crew that decommissioned the 2nd submarine USS Darter (SS-576) in 1989. This is video taken inside the vessel as it was making its final voyage out to sea.



The boat was named after the SS-227 Darter, which Grandpa sailed on. (For those new to this blog, Darter was the diesel-electric sub in World War II that was famous for a daring surprise attack on the Japanese fleet in the Philippines. On the night before the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, the boat ran aground after its daring attack, and was stranded overnight until it was rescued by the sister sub USS Dace.) Hugh was personally involved in the rescue of Darter's crew, and he was decorated for valor. Hugh served proudly in the Navy until 1953.  He attended many boat commissionings, sailor memorials and Navy Sub Vets reunions thru the 1980s and early 1990s until his death in 1995.

As one of the surviving crew of the SS-227, Hugh received a special invitation to aid in retiring the SS-576 on its final day of service, 30 years after he had seen her commissioned in 1956. This is camcorder video taken inside the control room as SS-576 went out to sea for the last time. Later in the tape, WWII veterans (some of them Hugh's former crewmates) are sharing stories in the officer's galley. As stated before, this video dates from 1989.

All the WWII veterans on this tape are now deceased. Thanks for watching and salute to our United States Navy veterans and submariners, past and present!

Some information about SS-576:
(source: https://designed4submariners.com/USS_Darter__SS-576_.html)

Grandpa's SS-576 Decom Crew hat.

 USS Darter (SS-576)

Overview

USS Darter (SS-576), was a unique submarine based on the Tang Class, but incorporating many improvements, she was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the darter, a type of small American fresh-water fish closely related to the perch.

The keel for Darter was laid down on 10 November 1954. She was launched on 28 May 1956 sponsored by Mrs. G.L. Russell, and commissioned on 20 October 1956, with Lieutenant Commander Ralph R. Blaine in command.

Darter was used to experiment with numerous innovations including a three-man helmsman-planesman station using aircraft-style stick controls.

Service history

Designed with sophisticated acoustic, electronic and fire control gear, Darter was intended to serve as a new generation of post-war ASW submarines, similar to Tang (SS-563). Upon commissioning Darter operated on various training exercises in the Atlantic, both locally from her home port of Newport, R.I. and on cruises to the West Indies or to Europe for NATO operations. Following an overhaul at Portsmouth, N.H., in 1959 she changed home port to Charleston, S.C., on 1 August 1959) and began training missions in support of the newly commissioned fleet ballistic submarines, providing ASW services for surface units in the West Indies and off Key West and serving as a platform for various CNO projects. In between these regular operations, Darter deployed to the Mediterranean for cruises in 1963 and 1967. She also received a major modernization overhaul in 1965, receiving a 16-foot hull extension, new engines, new safety gear and better electronic gear.

In September 1985, Darter was involved in a collision with the merchant ship Kansas Getty which disabled her.

Darter was decommissioned on 1 December 1989 and struck from the Navel Vessel Register on 17 January 1990. On 7 January 1992, ex-Darter was sunk as a target by Tautog off Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.