USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633)


USS Casimir Pulaski , a ballistic missile submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Casimir Pulaski, a Polish general who served in the American Revolutionary War.

Construction and commissioning

The contract to build Casimir Pulaski was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 20 July 1961 and her keel was laid down there on 12 January 1963. She was launched on 1 February 1964, sponsored by Mrs. John A. Gronouski Jr., and commissioned on 14 August 1964, with Captain Robert L. J. Long in command of the Blue Crew and Commander Thomas B. Brittain Jr. in command of the Gold Crew.

Service history

USS Casimir Pulaski won the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for fiscal year 1985, for most improvement in combat efficiency of any Navy unit in the US Atlantic Fleet, under the Command of Commander Conrad A. Plyler, Jr, USN. The ship went on to win the fiscal year 1986 Battle Efficiency "E" for Submarine Squadron Sixteen and the Fleet Ballistic Submarine Superior Performance Award Trophy for the US Atlantic Fleet under the command of Commander Plyler and Commander William W. Schmidt. The ship also received the Navy Unit Commendation ribbon for her superior service. During this period, the ship participated in a successful Atlantic Fleet Follow-on Operational Test on the Atlantic Test Range, evaluating the readiness of the Trident C-4 missile.
On May 1, 1989 Casimir Pulaski participated in Exercise Lantcoop 1-89.

Decommissioning and disposal

USS Casimir Pulaski completed 88 Strategic Deterrent Patrols, the most of any of the Polaris/Poseidon/Trident converted original submarines, the "41 For Freedom" fleet. She well deserves the title of the "Old Cold War Warrior."
After her final cruise under Commander Kenneth W. Wrona, Casimir Pulaski was decommissioned on 7 March 1994 and simultaneously stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. Her scrapping via the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bremerton, Washington was completed on 21 October 1994.