The History of the
USS Ulysses S.Grant SSBN-631, fourteenth of the Lafayette class of Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines, was built by Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation at Groton, Connecticut. Her keel was laid on 18 August 1962. She was launched on 2 November 1963 and christened by her sponsor, Mrs. David W. Griffiths, a great granddaughter of President Grant.
GRANT made her first sea trial in May of 1964 with Admiral Hyman G. RICKOVER, USN, the father of nuclear submarines, onboard as the Bureau of Ships' representative. Following successful completion of sea trials, the ship was commissioned on 17 July 1964 during ceremonies at Groton, Connecticut.
During 1964, GRANT completed her at sea preparations for deployment, including the firing of an A-3 Polaris missile from near Cape Kennedy. GRANT then sailed for Pearl Harbor, her first homeport. After completing her first deterrent patrol from there, she began regular patrol operations from Guam, in the Marianas Islands.
In 1969 after her 19th patrol, GRANT entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for an extended refueling overhaul and conversion to the Poseidon Weapons System. In 1971, GRANT began deterrent patrols operating from Holy Loch, Scotland, while homeported in Charleston, South Carolina.
Since 1979, GRANT shifted homeport to New London, Connecticut and completed sixteen deterrent patrols operating out of Holy Loch, Scotland, as a member of Submarine Squadron FOURTEEN.
In February of 1984, after the completion of Patrol 58, GRANT entered the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for a refueling overhaul. After successful completion of overhaul and sea trials, she became operational in June of 1987. Following an extensive shakedown period, GRANT resumed patrols out of Holy Loch, Scotland, in early 1988 and made her last strategic patrol which was completed in October of 1991. Early in 1992, the GRANT transited to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where she was deactivated after 27 years of sevice. The recycling of the Grant was completed on Oct 23 1993.
Fast, silent, and virtually immune to surprise attack, USS ULYSSES S. GRANT combines the almost unlimited endurance of nuclear power with the deterrent might of 16 C-3 Poseidon missiles, each having and explosive capability greater than all the bombs of World War II.
Manned by alternate BLUE/GOLD crews (while one is at sea the other is ashore training), the ship has been on duty almost constantly with location unknown, an underwater mobile missile-launching platform, virtually indestructible. Under U.S. control at all times, the FBM (Fleet Ballistic Missile) system provides the United States with a powerful deterrent force to those who otherwise might start a global war.