Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster.
Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.


NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Tullibee (SSN-597)

Radio Call Sign: November - Alpha - Foxtrot - Quebec

Tullibee Class Attack Submarine: Laid down, 26 May 1958, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, CT.; Launched, 27 April 1960; Commissioned, USS Tullibee (SSN-597), 9 November 1960; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 18 June 1988; Final Disposition, disposed of through NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., 1 April 1996.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 2,317 t., Submerged: 2,640 t.; Length 273'; Beam 23' 7"; Speed, Surfaced 12.9 kts, Submerged 16 kts; Depth Limit 700'; Complement 58; Armament, four 21" torpedo tubes amidships aft of the bow; Propulsion System, nuclear reactor one propeller.
Click On Image
For Full Size
SizeImage DescriptionContributed By
Submarine Silhouettes 1960179kSubmarine Silhouettes of 1960:
Nautilus (SSN-571), Seawolf (SSN-575), Skate (SSN-578), Skipjack (SS-585), Triton (SSRN-586), Halibut (SSGN-587), Thresher (SSN-593), Tullibee (SSN-597), George Washington (SSBN-598), & Ethan Allen (SSBN-608) classes.
USN photo submitted by Ron Titus, courtesy of Ingersoll-Rand. Corp.
Nuclear Submarine Profiles187kNuclear Submarine Profiles 1960:
Nautilus (SSN-571),
Seawolf (SSN-575),
Triton (SSRN-586),
Skate (SSN-578) & Skipjack (SS-585) classes,
Halibut (SSGN-587) & Tullibee (SSN-597) classes,
George Washington (SSBN-598) &
Thresher (SSN-593) classes.
USN photo courtesy of Ron Titus courtesy of Ingersoll-Rand. Corp. Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston
Tullibee1.79kTullibee (SSN-597) a few days before her launching.A.P. Wirephoto courtesy of Dale Hargrave.
Tullibee381kThe launching of the Tullibee (SSN-597) was sponsored by Mrs. John F. Davidson, the widow of Comdr. Charles F. Brindupke, commander of the Tullibee (SS-284). USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Tullibee77kThe crew of the Tullibee (SSN-597) line her deck during Pre-Launch Ceremony on the Thames River at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, CT., 27 April 1960.Photo courtesy of ship.bsu.by. & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
Tullibee905kTullibee (SSN-597) slides down the ways into the Thames River at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, CT., 27 April 1960.A.P. Wirephoto courtesy of the Springfield Mass. Morning Union newspaper, submitted by Stan Svec.
Tullibee313kTullibee (SSN-597) returning to her berth at General Dynamics Shipyard, Groton, Connecticut, after two days of successful sea trials on 10/3/1960. She is the first atomic submarine to be built specifically for anti-submarine warfare. This is the 15th nuclear submarine to go into operation for the United States."USN photo # USN 1051126, courtesy of Cdr. Thomas B. Ray formerly of Essex CV-9 via Chris Stanley.
Tullibee253kLaunching program for Tullibee (SSN-597).Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave.
Tullibee103kA two shark fined Tullibee (SSN-597) cuts through the waters during her seatrials off the New England coast, April - November 1960. USN photo courtesy of The American Submarine, by Norman Polmar & submitted by Robert Hurst.
Tullibee55kA crewman salutes the national ensign during the Tullibee's (SSN-597) Commissioning Ceremony, 9 November 1960.Photo courtesy of ship.bsu.by.& submitted by Bill Gonyo.
Tullibee32kCommemorative post mark on the occasion of Tullibee's (SSN-597) first day in commission, 9 November 1960. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Tullibee149kFront cover of Tullibee's (SSN-597) Commissioning Booklet, 9 November 1960. Courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
Tullibee623kStarboard side view of the Tullibee (SSN-597) probably taken shortly after her commissioning in 1960. The distinctive shark-fin domes are for the PUFFS sonar system.USN photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Tullibee84kThe Tullibee (SSN-597) passes a three masted sailing vessel with a Guppy class boat behind her when she resumed developmental work in 1965 and operated in this capacity into the fall of that year. USN photo courtesy of John Davis.
Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
Tullibee365k Tullibee in 1965. Photo courtesy of Paul Petosky.
Albacore
0859701
286k Albacore (AGSS-569) & Tullibee (SSN-597) in dry dock at Portsmouth, Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME.
On 28 October 1965, Tullibee's home port was temporarily changed to Portsmouth, N.H., when the ship entered the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, for an extensive overhaul. She remained in drydock for 754 days, emerging on 2 January 1968.
Text courtesy of DANFS.
Photo courtesy of Michael Scherb.
Tullibee365kFor the remainder of the year 1971, Tullibee (SSN-597) operated in the western Atlantic on NATO and ASW exercises. During this period, too, Tullibee received the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for significant improvement in the ship's battle efficiency and readiness for that fiscal year.
She is seen here on 17 April 1972.
USN photo # NPC KN-20070 courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Tullibee350kFour page PDF Welcome Aboard the Tullibee (SSN-597), circa 1977. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Tullibee521kTullibee (SSN-597) underway.USN courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Tullibee2.18kTug a Tullibee (SSN-597).USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Tullibee268kTullibee (SSN-597) 1/200 scale solid cast resin model. Model and photo by Ken Hart.
Tullibee35kCommemorative post mark of the Tullibee (SSN-597) decommissioning, 25 June 1988. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Tullibee86k Cover of Tullibee (SSN-597) Decommissioning Ceremony pamphlet. USN photo / Ken Hart.
Reactor Compartments83kTrench 94, Hanford Site, Washington, 1994. Hull sections containing defueled reactor compartments of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines are put in disposal trenches. Once full, the trench will be filled with dirt and buried. The compartments are expected to retain their integrity for more than 600 years. USN photo submitted by Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Spent Fuel569kSealed reactor compartments are shipped by barge out of Puget Sound Naval Base down the coast and along the Columbia River to the port of Benton. There the radioactively-contaminated hull sections are transferred to special multiwheeled high-load trailers for transport to the Hanford Reservation in Washington State. Pictured below is the burial ground for spent fuel of the following 77 nuclear reactor submarines as of March 2003:
Patrick Henry (SSBN-599),
Snook (SSN-592),
George Washington (SSBN-598),
Scamp (SSN-588),
Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601),
Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618),
Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600),
Dace (SSN-607),
John Adams (SSBN-620),
Abraham Lincoln (SSBN-602),
Barb (SSN-596),
Ethan Allen (SSBN-608),
Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610),
Pollack (SSN-603),
Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685),
James Monroe (SSBN-622),
Skipjack (SS-585),
Nathan Hale (SSBN-623),
Plunger (SSN-595),
Shark (SSN-591),
Lafayette (SSBN-616),
Sam Houston (SSBN-609),
Jack (SSN-605),
Haddo (SSN-604),
Tinosa (SSN-606),
Guardfish (SSN-612),
Permit (SSN-594),
Queenfish (SSN-651),
Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631),
John Marshall (SSBN-611),
George C. Marshall (SSBN-654),
Flasher (SSN-613),
Guitarro (SSN-665),
Alexander Hamilton (SSBN-617),
George Washington Carver (SSBN-656),
Tecumseh (SSBN-628),
Halibut (SSGN-587),
Will Rogers (SSBN-659),
Henry L. Stimson (SSBN-655),
Daniel Boone (SSBN-629),
Greenling (SSN-614),
John C. Calhoun (SSBN-630),
Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633),
Skate (SSN-578),
Sargo (SSN-583),
Francis Scott Key (SSBN-657),
Sturgeon (SSN-637),
Benjamin Franklin (SSBN-640),
Swordfish (SSN-579),
Seadragon (SSN-584),
Stonewall Jackson (SSBN-634),
Simon Bolivar (SSBN-641),
Hammerhead (SSN-663),
Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658) ,
Tullibee (SSN-597),
Lewis & Clark (SSBN-644),
Pargo (SSN-650),
Seahorse (SSN-669),
Gurnard (SSN-662),
Flying Fish (SSN-673),
Gato (SSN-615),
Puffer (SSN-652),
Seawolf (SSN-575),
Baton Rouge (SSN-689),
Bergall (SSN-667),
Whale (SSN-638),
Henry Clay (SSBN-625),
James Madison (SSBN-627),
Finback (SSN-670),
Spadefish (SSN-668),
Sunfish (SSN-649),
George Bancroft (SSBN-643),
Grayling (SSN-646),
Pintado (SSN-672),
Tunny (SSN-682),
Archerfish (SSN-678),
& Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624).
As time passes & more boats are retired from service and their reactors are brought here, so the numbers rise. In this photo dated November 2009, 98 nuclear submarines and six nuclear cruisers have been recycled. For an up to date view, click here
USN photo submitted by Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Insert link courtesy of wikimedia.org

Commanding Officers
01CDR. Jortberg, Richard Edmund, USN (USNA 1945)09.11.1960 - 00.06.1962 First Date in Commission
02LCDR. Avery, Kenneth, (XO, OiC) USN00.06.1962 - 19.01.1963
03CDR. Hale, Robert Frank, USN (USNA 1948-A)19.01.1963 - 10.06.1964
04CDR. Synhorst, Gerald Emmett, USN (USNA 1949) :RADM10.06.1964 - 22.06.1966
05CDR. Fitzgerald Jr., Thomas Wooten, USN (USNA 1953)22.06.1966 - 01.07.1970
06CDR. Wigley, Lawrence Stewart (Larry), USN (USNA 1955)01.07.1970 - 16.10.1974
07CDR. Folta, Kenneth David, USN (USNA 1960)16.10.1974 - 12.03.1977
08CDR. Arnest, Charles Sherman, USN (USNA 1962)12.03.1977 - 24.07.1979
09CDR. Koczur, Daniel Joseph, USN (USNA 1963)24.07.1979 - 26.04.1983
10CDR. Candler, David William, USN (USNA 1967)26.04.1983 - 21.11.1986
11CDR. Skolds, Charles Richard (Rick), USN (USNA 1970)21.11.1986 - 25.06.1988 Last Date in Commission
Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler

View the Tullibee (SSN-597)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Tullibee SSN 597

Back To The Main Photo IndexBack To the Submarine Index
Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster
This page is created and maintained by Michael Mohl
All Pages © 1996 - 2024 NavSource History All rights reserved.