NEC ET-3353-Submarine Nuclear Propulsion Plant - Reactor Control
Base, Station or City Pearl Harbor
State/Country Hawaii
Patch
USS James Monroe (SSBN-622) Details
Radio Call Sign: November - Juliet - Yankee - Oscar
Hull number SSBN-622 Following shakedown off Cape Kennedy, Florida, the USS James Monroe (SSBN-622) spent the early months of 1964 in ballistic missile tests. The first missile firing took place on Feb. 17, 1964. She departed from Charleston, SC with 16 Polaris A-2 missiles for her first patrol on 1 June 1964, emphasizing the expanded peacekeeping role of Polaris submarines.
It is fitting that a submarine named for President Monroe belong to a modern United States peacekeeping force since his famous Monroe Doctrine is one of the cornerstones of American freedom. "The American continents ..." he warned, "are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European power."
On 17 January 1967 the USS James Monroe completed her 12th deterrent patrol. She operated from both of the European Polaris replenishment anchorages as part of Submarine Squadron 14 in Holy Loch, Scotland and as part of Submarine Squardon 16 in Rota, Spain; maintaining her creed and motto of "Watchful Waiting."
Her ability to remain on patrol station is limited only by the amount of food carried and the mental and physical endurance of her crew.
The USS James Monroe on 9 January 1968 became the first submarine with POLARIS A2's to enter overhaul and to receive POLARIS A3 capability.
On December 31, 1969, USS James Monroe departed overhaul and headed for Pearl Harbor and Guam via the Panama Canal to begin deterrent patrols from the Polaris Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine Refit Site III site at Polaris Point in Apra Harbor, Guam as part of Submarine Squadron 15. On 3 March 1970 the Monroe deployed for her second on-line patrol cycle with 16 A-3 Polaris missiles. She was supported by the submarine tenders USS Proteus (AS-19) and USS Hunley (AS-31).
In December, 1971 the USS Hunley relieved the USS Proteus at Apra Harbor, Guam. The USS Hunley serviced the boats of SUBRON 15 until January, 1973, when relieved by the USS Proteus returning from overhaul. On 22 August 1972, the USS James Monroe received a Meritorous Unit Commendation for consistently exhibiting outstanding readiness to perform her assigned strategic deterrent mission. This was demonstrated by exceptional performance in comprehensive inspections, completion of five uniformly outstanding Polaris deterrent patrols, and fleet-wide recognition for achieving career motivation excellence during the period 2 October 1970 to 31 December 1971. The USS James Monroe made 15 strategic deterrent patrols from Guam before returning to Pearl Harbor for crew consolidation and transiting to Newport News in October, 1974 to commence her second overhaul and conversion to Poseidon C-3 capability.
After completing her second overhaul in 1977 the USS James Monroe was based in Charleston, SC and operated from Holy Loch, Scotland.
On July 2, 1979, the commander of Submarine Squadron 16 greeted the submarine tender USS Simon Lake (AS 33) when it arrived at Kings Bay. Four days later, the USS James Monroe entered Kings Bay and moored alongside the USS Simon Lake's starboard side to begin a routine refit in preparation of another deterrent patrol. Kings Bay has been an operating submarine base since that day.
The USS James Monroe was decommissioned and struck from the Navy List on 25 September 1990 and disposed of through the SRP at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton on 10 January 1995.
