Sea Devil SSN 664      

A Brief History

Keel laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry-dock Co., Newport News, VA, 12APR65;
Launched: 5OCT67; Sponsored by Mrs. Ignatius J. Galantin;
Commissioned: 30JAN69 with Cdr Richard A. Currier in command;
Decommissioned and struck from the Navy List 16OCT91;
Disposed of through SRP at PSNS.

Named for largest of all rays the nuclear powered submarine USS SEA DEVIL (SSN-664) was built by Newport News Ship Building and Dry Dock Company and Commissioned January 30th, 1969. She had made numerous deployments mainly to the North Atlantic and to the Mediterranean. She was the first nuclear powered submarine to visit Morocco in 1976 and the first nuclear powered ship to visit Kalamata Greece in 1977.

SEA DEVIL had participated in various exercises including NATOs' "COMMON EFFORT" and "NORTHERN WEDDING" and a joint exercise with Great Britain.

SEA DEVIL awards had included Three Navy Unit Commendations, the BATTLE "E" and Two Commander 6th Fleet "HOOK EM" awards for excellence in ASW. She was also ComSubLant's nominee for the Arleigh Burke award.

In August of 1981 the SEA DEVIL left her home port in Norfolk and SubRon6 to become a unit of SubRon4 in Charleston South Carolina. In October of 1981 she entered Charleston Navy Ship Yard for a 20 month refueling overhaul and a complete weapon systems refit to carry the Tomahawk Cruise Missile. She was the first nuclear submarine to complete this overhaul 3 months early.

SEA DEVIL was decommissioned and struck from the Navy List 16 October 1991 and disposed of through SRP at PSNS.

Compiled by SUBNET from "UNITED STATES NAVAL SUBMARINE FORCE INFORMATION BOOK" -- J. Christley

22 January, 2006

 Many Thanks to Capt. Bob Cook for the following info:

Fast Eddie:  You may be interested to learn that USS SEA DEVIL won more than 3 Navy Unit    Commendations.  Here’s a link to the list.  The page has links to the individual citations.  Sincerely, bob cook 

http://www.personal.psu.edu/staff/r/b/rbc5/Unit%20Awards.htm

Sent in by Mickey Martin 26 April, 2004:

THE FIRST SEA DEVIL  

  The SS SEA DEVIL was one of 465 United States Maritime Commission C3 Type ships built during WW II. The C3 Type was 7800 Gross tons and 12,000 Deadweight tons. The length overall was 492’ and 465’ at the water line with a beam of 69.5’ and a normal draft of 28.5’. Two boilers drove an 8,500 HP geared turbine, which was connected, to a single shaft to provide a speed of 16.5 knots. 

  The SS SEA DEVIL was a Maritime Commission design C3-S-A2 Type built by the Western Pipe and Steel Company of California at San Francisco as Western hull number 91 and Maritime Commission hull number 279. The keel was laid on February 18, 1943, launched on May 23, 1943 and delivered on November 30, 1943. It is interesting to note that the preceding ship being built at Western Pipe and Steel was the SS Sea Cat, Western hull number 90 and Maritime Commission hull number 278. The submarines USS Sea Cat (SS-399) and USS Sea Devil (SS-400) were also consecutive hull numbers.  

  The SS SEA DEVIL was awarded a Battle Star for its participation in the Leyte Landings from November 25-27, 1944.  

Returned to the Maritime Commission after the war, SS SEA DEVIL was sold in 1949 as the HARRY LUCKENBACH and was later resold and renamed the COPPER STATE. She was again sold and scrapped in 1973.