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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch on left contributed by Jack Treutle, on right by Mike Smolinski.

Dolphin (AGSS-555)

Radio Call Sign: November - Foxtrot - Xray - Papa
Dolphin Class Submarine: Laid down, 19 December 1964, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 8 June 1968; Commissioned USS Dolphin (AGSS-555), 17 August 1968; Dolphin was decommissioned in September 2006 and now lies at the San Diego Maritime Museum at San Diego, CA.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 800 t., Submerged: 950 t.; Length 152'; Beam 19' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 10 kts, Submerged 7.5 kts; Test Depth, 1,500 ft; Complement 3 Officers, 18 Enlisted, 4 Scientists; Armament, one torpedo tube; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with two Detroit Diesel (12 V71) main generator engines, two electric main motors, two 126-cell main storage batteries.
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For Full Size		Size Image Description Source
Dolphin 1.09k This hunter is no killer.
Dolphin (AGSS-555) - ORIGINAL ADVERTISING.
This is an original 1963 black and white print ad for the Republic Aviation Corporation located in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York. 		Photo courtesy of periodpaper.com
Dolphin 208k Mrs. Daniel Inouye, wife of the senator from Hawaii, christening Dolphin (AGSS-555). Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave.
Dolphin 120k Stern view of the Dolphin (AGSS-555) on the launching skids moments before she starts her slide into the waters at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., on 8 June 1968. USN photo courtesy of St. Marys Submarine Museum, submitted by Thomas Denton, Submarine Art
Dolphin 95k LCdr J.R. McDonnell waves from the Dolphin's (AGSS-555) conning tower as she begins to enter bow first at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., on 8 June 1968. USN photo courtesy of St. Marys Submarine Museum, submitted by Thomas Denton, Submarine Art
Dolphin 91k The Dolphin (AGSS-555) is now at the end of the launching ways entering the waters with her launching skid almost completely submerged. USN photo courtesy of St. Marys Submarine Museum, submitted by Thomas Denton, Submarine Art
Dolphin 113k The Dolphin (AGSS-555) is now waterborne on the Piscataqua River, Kittery, ME. USN photo courtesy of St. Marys Submarine Museum, submitted by Thomas Denton, Submarine Art
Dolphin 882k Crewmen of the submarine stand ready during commissioning ceremonies at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME. 17 August 1968. The Dolphin (AGSS-555), a new breed of submarinein the US Navy, is an experimental craft which the navy says can submerge deeper than any other known submarine.... United Press International Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
Dolphin 845k Surfaced Dolphin (AGSS-555) on 7 October 1969. USN photo # NPC K-77758 courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Dolphin 1.04k Five page PDF of the Dolphin's (AGSS-555) life dating from 1971 to 2002. Navy Photo # 211104-10-85 NS, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker
Dolphin 29k Postmarked Mare Island Naval Shipyard dated 21 October 1971 of the Dolphin (AGSS-555) with a special Machine cancellation honoring MIA-POW's from RVN era. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Dolphin 682k Five page PDF of the 1973 Welcome Aboard pamphlet for the Dolphin (AGSS-555). Navy Photo # 211104-10-85 NS, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker
Dolphin 335k A starboard bow view of the research submarine Dolphin (AGSS-555) underway on 30 July 1974. Official USN photo photo # DN-SC-85-01908 by PH1 Smith, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
Dolphin582kDolphin (AGSS-555) moored at Naval Station, Kodiak, Alaska in June 1977.USN photo from the files of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Dolphin 35k Capt. Edward L. Hasell - former Commanding Officer of the Dolphin (AGSS-555). USN photo photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
Dolphin 1.40k Dolphin (AGSS-555) about ready to depart Mare Island after a short availability on 25 April 1980. A Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker
Dolphin 50k Dolphin (AGSS-555) passing under the Golden Gate Bridge, on her way out for sea trials after completion of work accomplished at Mare Island in 1983 or 1984. USN photo courtesy of Jim Richardson.
Dolphin 846k View of the welcoming ceremonies for Dolphin (AGSS-555) at Mare Island in June 1985. The tug Pushmataha (YTB-830) has joined in the ceremony. Navy Photo # 209129-6-85, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker
Dolphin 499k The Dolphin (AGSS-555) is docked in an old AFDL that the shipyard rented for her overhaul in October 1985. To the right of Dolphin is the yard's dry dock #4 where the new extended hull section for Parche (SSN-683) is under construction.
Dolphin is in the tan colored floating dry dock berth to center left. Parche's hull section is in dry dock #4 under all those metal roofs under the three large dock cranes (two green and one yellow).
You can't see the hull section - it was a classified project. 		Navy Photo # 211104-10-85 NS, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker
Ballast Point, San Diego48kAn Oil on Masonite painting by the artist John Charles Roach, entitled "Ballast Point, San Diego", depicts sub base with subs and tenders at the pier in San Diego during mid 1986. The tenders were possibly the: McKee (AS-42) for Subron 7:
Dixon (AS-37) for Subron 3:
Among the subs were the:
Dolphin (AGSS-555):
Gudgeon (SS-567):
Albacore (AGSS-569):
Barbel (SS-580):
Blueback (SS-581):
Permit (SSN-594):
Plunger (SSN-595):
Pollack (SSN-603)
Haddo (SSN-604):
Guardfish (SSN-612):
Haddock (SSN-621):
Sturgeon (SSN-637):
Gurnard (SSN-662) :
Hawkbill (SSN-666):
Pintado (SSN-672):
Drum (SSN-677):
William H. Bates (SSN-680):
La Jolla (SSN-701):
Portsmouth (SSN-707) &
Salt Lake City (SSN-716). 		Ballast Point, San Diego
John Charles Roach 1986.5
Oil on Masonite, 1986, courtesy of the USNHC, # 88-163-CR.
Text contributed by OMC J. Reid Pallady USNR-RET & QM2(SS)David Johnston (USN, retired)
Dolphin 217k The Dolphin (AGSS-555) in drydock, probably undergoing her overhaul in 1993. USN photo courtesy of St. Marys Submarine Museum, submitted by Thomas Denton, Submarine Art
Dolphin 177k Dolphin (AGSS-555) with bow pumped out and positive trim for Hemi-head exam - January 1995. Photo courtesy of Marc Couture and Arnold A. Putnam.
Dolphin 92k A line stretches from the bow of the diesel-powered auxiliary research submarine Dolphin (AGSS-555) as it is towed by a tug to port following a fire and flooding approximately 100 miles off the coast of San Diego late Tuesday evening. All 43 crew members were evacuated safely with only a few minor injuries. USN photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael D. Kennedy, photo # N-5067K-004, CHINFO Chief of Naval Information.
Dolphin 275k The Oceanographic Research Motor Vessel WM. A. McGAW arrives with crew members from the US Navy diesel research Submarine Dolphin (AGSS-555) on 22 May 2002, at the Submarine Base Point Loma. The crew members were rescued from their submarine, after reporting fire and flooding. Official USN photo photo # DN-SD-04-09744 by PH2 Erin A. Zocco, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil. & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
Dolphin 87k On November 2003, the Dolphin (AGSS-555) celebrated its 35th year in service with a small ceremony held on Naval Base Point Loma, San Diego, CA. USN photo courtesy of JOC (SCW) Robert Feinberg, COMSUBPAC REP WEST COAST.
Dolphin 520k A Sailor assigned to the deep submergence vehicle Dolphin (AGSS-555), hoists the Commanding Officers pennant during a change of command ceremony at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego 18 November 2005. Dolphin was commissioned on 17 August 1968 and serves as the Navy's deep diving submarine and scientific test platform. It is assigned to Submarine Development Squadron Five in San Diego. USN photo # N-3714J-068 by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Erika N. Jones, courtesy of navy.news.mil.
Dolphin 248k Cmdr. Andrew C. Wilder relieves Cmdr. Edward L. Hasell as Commanding Officer, Dolphin (AGSS-555) during a change of command ceremony at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. USN photo # N-3714J-067 by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Erika N. Jones, courtesy of navy.news.mil.
Dolphin 236k Chief petty officers assigned to the deep submergence vehicle Dolphin (AGSS-555), celebrate their change of command ceremony at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. USN photo # N-3714J-059 by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Erika N. Jones, courtesy of navy.news.mil.
Dolphin 375k Executive Officer, Dolphin (AGSS-555), Lt. Cmdr. John Vlattas, relays the status of a simulated class alpha fire during a fire drill, 15 December 2005. USN photo # N-3532C-001 by Journalist Seaman Joseph Caballero, courtesy of navy.news.mil.
Dolphin 247k Dolphin's (AGSS-555) Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Andrew Wilde, Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Mark Mundwiller, and Electrician's Mate 1st Class David Carlisle, man the bridge as the Navy's only diesel-electric submarine pulls into her homeport at Naval Space and Warfare Systems Command in San Diego on 14 July 2006. The exercises were the first for Dolphin following shipyard availability. USN photo # N-4281P-146 by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Woody Paschall, courtesy of navy.news.mil.
Dolphin 253k Crew lining the Dolphin's (AGSS-555) deck for deactivation, 22 September 2006. Navy Photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Dolphin6.85kThirty one page PDF Inactivation pamphlet of the Dolphin (AGSS-555), 22 September 2006.USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
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0855506		 1.88k Bridge cockpit. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855501		 1.56k Sonar room. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855514		 1.72k Control room looking aft. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855502		 1.66k Helmsman station gauges. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855535		 1.09k Crew mess table. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855536		 1.24k Galley and mess area, looking forward. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855537		 1.59k CO quarters. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855542		 1.72k Ballast control. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855538		 1.05k Galley area starboard side. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855539		 2.05k Single helmsman control station. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855540		 1.32k Electric drive motors. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855541		 1.30k Shaft seal. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855543		 1.81k Dolphin (AGSS-555) at the Maritime Museum in San Diego. Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
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0855505		 3.01k 19 page PDF of the Dolphin (AGSS-555) that appeared in the June 2020 edition of the Subcommittee Photo courtesy of Tom Dougherty.
There is no DANFS History currently available for Dolphin (AGSS-555)at the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site, the main archive for the DANFS Online Project.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Federation of American Scientists -- USS Dolphin (AGSS 555)
HISTORIC SUBMARINE DOCUMENTARY AND TRAINING FILMS
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