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USS Pargo (SSN 650)

USS PARGO was the eighth STURGEON - class fast attack submarine and the second ship in the Navy to bear the name. Both decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list on April 14, 1995, the PARGO subsequently entered the Navy's Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash. On October 15, 1996, recycling was finished.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS PARGO. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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Accidents aboard USS PARGO:

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USS PARGO History:

USS PARGO was the second United States Navy ship to bear the name PARGO and the eighth STURGEON-class nuclear-powered attack submarine. The contract for USS PARGO was awarded on March 26, 1963, to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics at Groton, Connecticut. Her keel was laid there on June 3, 1964. She belonged to a design developed from the earlier THRESHER/PERMIT lineage and shaped by the Navy's post-THRESHER (SSN 593) emphasis on submarine safety, quality assurance, seawater-system integrity, survivability, quieting, sonar performance, and Arctic suitability. The STURGEON-class boats were built to locate, track, and, if required, attack enemy submarines and surface ships, while also providing the endurance and discretion needed for surveillance, special operations, and technical evaluation work. USS PARGO was launched at Groton on September 17, 1966, sponsored by Mrs. Jean Gordon Holloway, wife of retired Admiral James L. Holloway Jr. After fitting out and trials, she was commissioned at the Naval Submarine Base, Groton, on January 5, 1968, with Commander Steven Angelo White in command.

After commissioning, USS PARGO was assigned to Submarine Development Group Two, with New London, Connecticut, as her home port. This assignment was important. Submarine Development Group Two was closely associated with technical evaluation, tactical development, acoustic testing, and new submarine procedures, and USS PARGO's early service reflected that role. She was altered for acoustic purposes at Groton and then took part in acoustic trials whose results led to changes in the wider submarine force. This work occurred while the United States was still engaged in the Vietnam War and while the Soviet Navy was expanding its submarine force, making acoustic detection and submarine quieting central to American naval planning.

From May 27, 1968, to June 7, 1968, USS PARGO participated in the search for USS SCORPION (SSN 589), which had gone missing while returning from deployment. The loss of USS SCORPION, only five years after the loss of USS THRESHER, reinforced the dangers of submarine service and the importance of deep-ocean search, submarine safety, acoustic intelligence, and undersea recovery capability. USS PARGO's involvement came only months after her own commissioning, placing the new submarine directly into one of the major submarine-related events of the late 1960s. After the search, she spent the remainder of 1968 conducting trials in the Caribbean Sea and off New London.

In 1969, USS PARGO continued the special development and Arctic pattern that marked her early career. Arctic Submarine Laboratory records identify her, under Commander White, as conducting operations in the Arctic during 1969. USS PARGO operated under the ice, surfaced repeatedly in ice, and participated in the broader return of American nuclear submarines to high-latitude operations after the pause that followed the loss of USS THRESHER. Arctic work had direct Cold War importance. Soviet Northern Fleet submarines operated from bases on the Kola Peninsula, and the Arctic provided both concealment and a challenging operating environment. Under-ice operations tested navigation, sonar, communications, surfacing procedures, emergency systems, and crew endurance in conditions that differed sharply from ordinary Atlantic operations.

On July 21, 1969, Commander David Randall Hinkle relieved Commander White as commanding officer. During 1969 and 1970, USS PARGO received early recognition for her performance. Her inactivation program records Navy Unit Commendations in 1969 and 1970, a Battle Efficiency "E" for Submarine Development Group Two in 1970, and later another Battle Efficiency "E" for Submarine Development Group Two in 1971.

USS PARGO's early 1970s service remained centered on New London and the Atlantic Fleet. Her public summaries identify a period from July 1970 into March 1971 associated with Mark 48 torpedo work, a significant development because the Mark 48 became the standard heavyweight torpedo for United States submarines. The weapon was intended to engage both deep-diving nuclear submarines and high-performance surface ships, and its introduction was a major part of the Navy's response to the growing Soviet undersea threat. USS PARGO's connection with this work fits her role as a Submarine Development Group boat, used not only for fleet service but also for tactical and weapons development. In 1971, she received a Meritorious Unit Commendation, a Fire Control "E" for Submarine Development Group Two, and additional recognition for overall performance.

Completing overhaul in July 1972, USS PARGO conducted refresher training and post overhaul shakedown during August and September. The ship deployed to the Mediterranean in October and successfully participated in a variety of joint exercises and NATO operations.

On April 12, 1973, Commander James Patterson Ransom II relieved Commander Hinkle. PARGO embarked upon a second Mediterranean deployment in July of 1974 to conduct operations under Sixth Fleet command. The ship's crew enjoyed liberty in Greece and Italy before entering upkeep in La Maddalena. PARGO's deployment continued through November and her outstanding Performance was frequently the subject of commendatory messages from CINCUSNAVEUR, COMSIXTHFLT, and COMSUBGRU EIGHT.

In early 1975, USS PARGO participated in fleet exercise AGATE PUNCH and conducted Independent Steaming Exercises (ISE) for COMSUBLANT in evaluation of emergency sortie procedures, for which she was awarded her second Navy Unit Commendation. Following Prospective Commanding Officer operations in August, the ship performed swimmer operations with U.S. Navy, Marine, and Army special warfare personnel.

On January 17, 1976, Commander James Howard Patton Jr. relieved Commander Ransom. His command period extended until February 24, 1979. In 1976, PARGO conducted various training exercises and ISE in the Narragansett Bay Operating Areas (NBOA) before entering a refueling overhaul at Electric Boat in Groton for the remainder of the bicentennial year. The ship remained in overhaul throughout 1977 and was awarded the CINCLANTFLT Golden Anchor Award for motivation and retention. A specific public milestone from this period is USS PARGO's 650th dive on March 29, 1978. During the spring of 1978, PARGO successfully completed sea trials and the ship deployed in November. During the first three months of 1979, PARGO performed at-sea training and participated in fleet exercise READEX 1-79.

On February 24, 1979, Commander Harvey John Cybul relieved Commander Patton. On April 27, 1979, USS PARGO briefly grounded while entering New London harbor in heavy fog. The grounding was brief; no major damage or casualty record is associated with it.

The second quarter of 1979 was dedicated to deployment preparations, as PARGO conducted in port and at-sea training and a major upkeep. On May 22, PARGO commenced a third Mediterranean deployment during which the ship performed independent submarine operations, joint fleet exercises (MULTIPLEX 2-79 and National Week XXVII), and underwent two upkeeps alongside USS HOWARD W. GILMORE (AS 16) at La Maddalena. PARGO returned to New London on October 14. In late February 1980, PARGO transited to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME, for a two month Selected Restricted Availability (SRA). Following sea trials, the ship participated in fleet exercise SOLID SHIELD 80. PARGO was awarded the Battle Efficiency "E", Engineering "E", and Antisubmarine Warfare and Operations "A" for superior performance during 1980. In early 1981, the ship deployed for special operations and received a second Meritorious Unit Commendation for posting outstanding results. The remainder of the year was spent conducting ISE, inspections, and certifications. In April 1982, PARGO once again transited the Atlantic Ocean to commence operations under Sixth Fleet for her fourth Mediterranean deployment. PARGO conducted ASW operations in NATO exercise Distant Drum 1-82 followed by port visits in Naples and La Spezia, and returned to New London on August 15.

On September 10, 1982, Commander James Burgess Hagen relieved Commander Cybul. Under Commander Hagen, USS PARGO continued Atlantic Fleet service during the high-tempo late-Cold-War period. Late 1982 saw PARGO in port for upkeep, drydock, and SRA. Most of January to June of 1983 was devoted to in port training, ISE, certifications, and exams. PARGO deployed on July 27 for special operations and pulled into Norway and Belgium for liberty calls before arriving back home on October 29. Upon completion of a Tactical Readiness Evaluation in February of 1984, PARGO returned to New London to prepare for deployment. On May 21, the ship deployed to the Mediterranean for special operations. Ports of call included Toulon, France, and Palma, Spain. PARGO transited back home on October 19.

On December 25, 1984, Commander Larry Wilfred Cook relieved Commander Hagen. In February 1985, USS PARGO entered dry dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, for an 18-month overhaul that ultimately kept the boat out of normal service for about 30 months. The overhaul included upgrades to all non-nuclear systems. This long yard period came as the Navy was modernizing older STURGEON-class submarines to keep them operationally useful while newer LOS ANGELES-class boats increasingly formed the core of the attack-submarine force. After completion of the overhaul in March 1987, USS PARGO returned to the fleet with updated systems and continued Atlantic Fleet service.

Commander David Warren Hearding relieved Commander Cook on November 10, 1988. The first half of 1989 brought USS PARGO a series of local operating-area operations, including a Tomahawk test launch. She also conducted a cruise for family members in May 1989 and a VIP cruise in June 1989. From July through December 1989, she spent much of her time performing independent ship exercises in the Narragansett Bay Operating Areas and undergoing a Selected Restricted Availability. For excellence in submarine operations and retention programs, she received the Submarine Squadron Ten Anti-Submarine Warfare "A" and the CINCLANTFLT Golden Anchor Award.

On January 6, 1990, USS PARGO deployed for two months to the North Atlantic. She returned to the North Atlantic again for a short deployment in September 1990, followed by a liberty call in Bermuda. The year 1990 placed her operations in a major geopolitical transition. The Berlin Wall had fallen in November 1989, Germany reunified on October 3, 1990, and the Soviet Union was weakening, while Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, led to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. For 1990, USS PARGO received the Battle Efficiency "E", the Anti-Submarine Warfare "A", the Supply Blue "E", the COMSUBLANT Silver Anchor Award, and a Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation.

During January and February 1991, USS PARGO spent much of her time in dry dock and underway in the Narragansett Bay Operating Areas conducting pre-overseas-movement workups. From March 1991 to July 1991, she participated in LANTSUBICEX 1-91. During that deployment, USS PARGO spent 61 days under the Arctic ice cap, steamed about 14,000 miles, and surfaced through the ice eighteen times. She conducted joint tactical development work with HMS TIRELESS (S 88), commanded by Commander Timothy P. McClement. The operation was highlighted by a combined surfacing at the North Pole on May 7, 1991. Public imagery from April and May 1991 shows USS PARGO underway north of the Arctic Circle, crew members and official visitors on the ice, and Commander Hearding in the control room and at the periscope. Official visitors photographed on the ice included senior Navy and civilian officials, reflecting the continuing importance of Arctic submarine operations even as the Cold War was ending.

After the North Pole surfacing, USS PARGO conducted a hazardous transit through the shallow, ice-covered Bering Strait and arrived at Adak, Alaska, for provisioning. She then conducted an operation in support of Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, and arrived at Pearl Harbor for a port call and mini-upkeep. USS PARGO returned to New London on July 27, 1991. After returning, she transferred to Submarine Squadron Two, remained homeported at the United States Naval Submarine Base New London at Groton, and received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for services rendered in the Arctic basin. The 1991 cruise was therefore one of the defining publicly documented operations of her career: it combined under-ice tactical development, allied cooperation with the Royal Navy, North Pole operations, a Bering Strait transit, Adak, Pearl Harbor, and a full circuit around North America.

On August 12, 1991, Commander Kevin Donald Casey relieved Commander Hearding. From January to August 1992, USS PARGO underwent upkeep and dry-docking, provided services for other units, and conducted examinations and inspections. In the last quarter of 1992, she got underway in early October en route to Puerto Rico for weapons certification and participation in Special Warfare Exercise ABEAM DIVER 1-93. During this exercise, USS PARGO successfully completed more than fifty lock-out and lock-in evolutions from her forward escape trunk, as well as a night surface recovery. USS PARGO returned to Groton in March 1993.

On June 18, 1993, Commander Brian John Wegner relieved Commander Casey and became USS PARGO's final commanding officer. In mid-1993, the submarine entered an intensive maintenance and loadout period as she prepared for deployment. She completed pre-overseas-movement certification and deployed on August 11, 1993. The first month of the deployment was historically significant because it included SCICEX-93, the proof-of-concept Science Ice Expedition. For the first time, civilian scientists from several disciplines embarked aboard a nuclear-powered attack submarine to gather Arctic environmental data for general public use. During this cruise, USS PARGO collected underway data in the deep Arctic, including bathymetry, gravity anomaly, temperature, salinity, ice draft, and imagery of the underside of the ice. The data showed important changes in the Arctic Ocean, including increased influence of Atlantic water relative to earlier measurements, and the success of this cruise helped lead to later dedicated SCICEX deployments by other submarines.

USS PARGO's SCICEX-93 work was part of the transition from Cold War Arctic operations to post-Cold-War scientific cooperation. During the Cold War, under-ice submarine operations were closely tied to strategic competition and the need to understand the Arctic as a military operating environment. In the 1990s, the same nuclear endurance, under-ice navigation, and ability to operate where surface ships could not easily go, were used to support civilian science.

After SCICEX-93, USS PARGO made a brief port visit to Bergen, Norway. She then participated in multinational exercises named Vendetta-93, COVEX-93, and JMC-933. These exercises placed her back in the NATO and North Atlantic operating world, where submarines, surface ships, and maritime patrol forces practiced anti-submarine warfare, coordinated command-and-control procedures, and alliance operations. On November 11, 1993, USS PARGO steamed for home and returned to Groton eight days later, on November 19, 1993. She received the Damage Control Red "DC" for Submarine Squadron Two in 1993 and later received another Meritorious Unit Commendation in 1994.

In the early months of 1994, USS PARGO entered her final year of operation. She completed upkeep and then steamed south to conduct torpedo exercises and swimmer operations. Her crew had liberty in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, and Port Canaveral, Florida. From April to June 1994, she participated in a major fleet exercise, a Canadian exercise, and independent ship exercises. In late June 1994, USS PARGO was extended at sea to conduct special operations in the Caribbean Sea in support of national security objectives. She returned to Groton on July 11, 1994. Arctic Submarine Laboratory records also identify USS PARGO, under Commander Wegner, as conducting Arctic operations in 1994, so her final year included both conventional exercise work and high-latitude submarine activity.

After the 1994 operating period, USS PARGO moved into the deactivation process. Her final months reflected the Navy's post-Cold-War drawdown. Older STURGEON-class submarines were being retired as the Navy reduced force structure. Public disposal lists record the recycling and disposal process as beginning on October 1, 1994, during the inactivation period before formal decommissioning. USS PARGO was formally decommissioned on April 14, 1995, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same date. At decommissioning, Commander Wegner was her final commanding officer. The recycling process was completed on October 15, 1996.

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