USS HALIBUT (SSGN-587)

USS HALIBUT had the distinction to be the first submarine in the world designed and built from the keel up to launch guided missiles, and could carry five Regulus II missiles in a hangar integral with the hull. She is also the first submarine to carry the Ships Inertial Navigation System (SINS).

While designed to carry the Regulus II missile, the program had been terminated just 17 days prior to HALIBUT'S commissioning. So HALIBUT departed for her shakedown cruise 11 March equipped with Regulus I missiles. This was also to be a goodwill cruise. After first visiting Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand, HALIBUT then joined other units of the 7th Fleet, for port visits to Sidney and Melbourne, Australia. The occasion was to celebrate the 18th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. Enroute to the South Pacific, on 25 March, she became the first nuclear powered submarine to successfully launch a guided missile.

The submarine returned to Mare Island Shipyard 18 June 1960, and after short training cruises, departed 7 November for Pearl Harbor and active service with Pacific Fleet. On her first deployment she successfully launched her seventh consecutive Regulus I missile during a major Southeast Asia Treaty Organization weapons demonstration. Returning to Pearl Harbor 9 April 1961, HALIBUT began her second deployment on 1 May. During the months that followed she participated in several guided missile launching exercises and underwent intensive training. HALIBUT deployed for the third time to the Western Pacific in late 1961, establishing a pattern of training and readiness operations followed through 1964. On 4 May 1964, HALIBUT departed Pearl Harbor for the last Regulus missile patrol to be made by a submarine in the Pacific - Polaris was now on line.

In September 1959, with the 1st patrol of GRAYBACK, an era of submarine history began that would go unrecognized for almost 40 years. Five REGULUS submarines: USS GRAYBACK (SSG 574), USS TUNNY (SSG 282), USS BARBERO (SSG 317), USS GROWLER (SSG 577) and USS HALIBUT (SSGN 587) deployed on 41 deterrent patrols under the earth's oceans over the course of 5 years.

SSN-587

In February 1965, HALIBUT entered Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for a mayor overhaul, and on 15 August she was re-designated SS(N)587.

After further modifications HALIBUT began service in May 1966 with the Deep Submergence Group, involved in deep sea search & recovery. Other "special operations" occupied HALIBUT until July 1968 when she was given the covert mission of locating a Soviet Golf II missile submarine, which sank the previous February. Finding the sunken boat in waters three miles deep seemed impossible, but the mission (Jennifer Project) was accomplished and Nixon awarded HALIBUT the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), the highest submarine award possible. In late 1970 HALIBUT underwent further modifications to accommodate a special group of saturation divers using methods pioneered at SeaLab. This "special projects" boat was now a part of Submarine Development Group One. In October of 1971 she set off on another Spec Op, this time to launch one of the most critical spy operations undertaken by submarines during the cold war. Halibut was to locate and tap an underwater communications cable that ran from the Soviet missile submarine base at Petropavlovsk, under the Sea of Okhost, to Fleet headquarters near Vladivostok (see below for detailed look at diving apparatus). For the successful completion of this mission (Ivy Bells) she was awarded the Navy Unit Citation (NUC). For repeat operations in the Sea of Okhost, in 1972, 1974 & 1975, HALIBUT was awarded two additional NUCs and a second Presidential Unit Citation.

Details of HALIBUT'S previously classified missions can be found in Sontag and Drew's "Blind Man's Bluff". For more on the sunken Golf II location and recovery attempt, read "Spy Sub" by Roger Dunham.

Wilbur (Jerry) O'Neill, while working for Westinghouse in Annapolis MD, designed a semi-closed tethered diver breathing apparatus which became the USN Mark XI. Having learned that this apparatus was used from the Halibut during the episodes at the sea of Okhost, he contacted me for verification. Diver Bob Jones volunteered the following:

"The diving rigs we used on the first two missions ('71 & '72) were umbilical supplied and we got them from Westinghouse. They were called the "Abalone" or Mk 11. The rumored price was 3 million for 6 rigs!"

Jerry O'Neill was pleased to learn that his efforts contributed to the success of this mission, and he forwarded other images (below) that should be of interest to divers and those who were involved in this operation. Most of these images are from the SCUBA MK 11 MOD 0 - Operations and Maintenance manual, Deep Submergence Systems Office, April 1971.

HALIBUT DECOMMISSIONING

On 1 November 1975 HALIBUT commenced a pre-inactivation availability at Mare Island which culminated in her decommissioning on 30 June 1976, and subsequent transfer to the Reserve Fleet. During her 16½ years of commissioned service Halibut completed 1,232 dives and 32 Regulus missile test launches.

She was stricken from the Navy Register on 30 April 1986. The former HALIBUT entered the Navy’s nuclear powered ship and submarine recycling program on 12 July 1993, and on 9 September 1994 she ceased to exist as a complete ship.

USS Halibut SSN-587 decomm. cover

~ For article-length histories of the Regulus I, Regulus II,
and the submarine deployment era see: REGULUS-MISSILE.COM

USS HALIBUT (SSG(N)587)

SSN-587

Diving rig used for operation "Ivy Bells"

HALIBUT DECOMMISSIONING