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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Barb (SSN-596)

Radio Call Sign: November - Foxtrot - Charlie - Juliet
Thresher Class Attack Submarine: Laid down, 9 November 1959, at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp, Pascagoula, MS.; Launched, 12 February 1962; Commissioned, USS Barb (SSN-596), 24 August 1963; Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 20 December 1989; Laid up at Bremerton Naval Shipyard; Final Disposition, entered the NPSSRP (Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., completed 14 March 1996.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 3,540 t., Submerged: 4,200 t.; Length 278' 5"; Beam 31' 8"; ; Speed, Surfaced 15 kts, Submerged 28+ kts; Operating Depth 400'; Complement, 143; Sensors, Raytheon BQS-6A or -6B active/passive systems BQQ-1 and the Edo BQR-7 passive, conformal array, TB-26 Towed Sonar Array; Armament, four 21" torpedo tubes, forward, MK 48 torpedoes, UUM-44A SUBROC, UGM-84A/C Harpoon, MK 57 deep water mines, Mk 60 CAPTOR mines; Propulsion System, one S5W nuclear reactor, two Westinghouse steam turbines, one propeller 15,000 shp.
Click On Image
For Full Size		Size Image Description Contributed By
Thresher50kPlatform plan of Thresher (SSN-593) class submarines. PDF courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
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
Barb 300k Barb (SSN-596) sliding down the launching ways at the Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, 12 February 1962. Courtesy of Ingalls Shipbuilding & Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Barb
0859619		 300k The nuclear submarine Barb (SSN-596) officially joined the US Navy today in commissioning ceremonies in Pascagoula, Mississippi, 12 February 1962. Her primary mission in is to hunt out & destroy other submarines in time of war. Courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
Barb882kThe christening of Barb (SSN-596) by Mrs. Eugene B. Fluckey. Also in the photo are Admiral Fluckey, CO of the wartime Barb (SS-220), and Matron of Honor Mrs. C. C. Gold.Ingalls News photo via Dale Hargrave.
Barb 26k Pre-commissioning photo of the Barb (SSN-596), during her alpha trials on 16 July 1963. Admiral Rickover, USN, is shown at far right on the sub's sail planes. USN photo courtesy of USNI.
Thresher745kCirca commissioning era, summer of 1963 showing the Barb (SSN-596)underway. USN photo # NPC 1071535 courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Reception
0860724		NRPRESIDENT F. J. MAYO OF JACKSON COUNTY PORT.
Authority presented plaques to visiting commanders of ships at Pascagoula at a reception last week at Longfellow House. The reception honored officers of Huse (DE-145). Fran left are C. W. Grojean, Barb (SSN-596), O. Kimzey, Holland (AS-32), Mayo, J. A. Walsh , Dace (SSN-607) and Dale Kerfoot, commander of Huse.		Image and text provided by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
(Chronicle staff photo)
Photo from The Chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1961-1966, 10 July 1963, Image 1, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Barb
0859621		 NR Barb (SSN-596) Commissioned In Pas Ceremonies (Ingalls photo)
Image and text provided by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Photo & text by The Chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1961-1966, 26 August 1963, Image 1, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Barb
0859622		 NR REMINISCING ABOUT THE OLD "BARB (SS-220)" ARE ITS COMMANDER, NOW REAR ADM Eugene Bennett Fluckey, left, Vice Adm. E. W. Grenfell, center, and commander of the present nuclear Barb (SSN-596), Cmdr. Charles D. Grojean.(Ingalls photo)
Image and text provided by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Photo & text by The Chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1961-1966, 26 August 1963, Image 3, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Barb 99k Commemorative post mark issued on the occasion of the Barb's (SSN-596) commissioning, 24 August 1963. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Barb
0859623		 NR LIEUTENANT COMMANDER A. J. BACIOCCO, JR., BARB'S (SSN-596) EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CHECKS a "contact" through the submarine’s periscope. The Barb was commissioned here Saturday. (Ingalls photo)
Image and text provided by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Photo & text by The Chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1961-1966, 28 August 1963, Image 5, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Barb
0859620		 NR BARB’S (SSN-596) DIVING OFFICER, LT. W. P. CHASE, SUPERVISES THE PLANESMEN DURING high speed maneuvering. The submarine was commissioned at Ingalls Shipyard Saturday. (Ingalls photo)
Image and text provided by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Photo & text by The Chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1961-1966, 30 August 1963, Image 11, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Barb
0859624		 NR ON BARB’S (SSN-596) TRIAL TRIP SATURDAY ARE NEWSMEN, FROM LEFT CLOCKWISE, Ken Ernst, The Chronicle, Bob Marchese, WLOX-TV, A. C. Weeks, Ingalls public relations chief, and Pete Martin, WLOX-TV (with camera.) The man with the hood is the ship's lookout. They are standing on the diving plane of the submarine. (Ingalls photo)
Image and text provided by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Photo & text by The Chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1961-1966, 30 September 1963, Image 1, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Barb 242k A 1953 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Vice Admiral Bernard "Bud" Marvin Kauderer first served as Navigator in the destroyer The Sullivans (DD-537), and then as Executive Officer in the minesweeper, Hummingbird (MSC-192). He attended Submarine School in New London, Connecticut in 1957. Following qualification in the radar picket submarine Raton (SSR-270) in 1958, he was selected for the nuclear power program and attended a year of training in New London, Connecticut and Idaho Falls, Idaho. He then served as Damage Control Assistant in the Polaris missile submarine Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601); as Engineer Officer in the attack submarine Skipjack (SSN-585); and then as Executive Officer in the Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631). He was the Commanding Officer of the nuclear attack submarine Barb (SSN-596) from 21 May 1966 to 11 July 1970 was followed by command of the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and command of the submarine tender Dixon (AS-37) from 1973 to 1975. He next served on the staff of the Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, first as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Management, and then as Chief of Staff. Following selection to Rear Admiral in 1977, he served as Commander Submarine Group FIVE in San Diego. In 1979, he was ordered to Washington, D.C. as Deputy Director, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. In June 1981, he assumed command of the Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, serving there until June 1983, at which time he was promoted to Vice Admiral and assigned as Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He served concurrently as Commander Submarine, Allied Command Atlantic, and as Commander, Submarine Forces, Western Atlantic, both NATO posts. Admiral Kauderer and his wife (Mickey) always maintained a traditional Jewish home for their family, which also served as an example of Judaism for their non-Jewish friends and associates. Bio courtesy of The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs.
USN photo DN-SC-86-00314 courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
Plunger 192k Four Thresher Class boats exercise on 20 May 1968:
Plunger (SSN-595), Barb (SSN-596), Guardfish (SSN-612) & Flasher (SSN-613). 		USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Plunger 345k Four Thresher Class boats exercise on 20 May 1968 in color:
Plunger (SSN-595), Barb (SSN-596), Guardfish (SSN-612) & Flasher (SSN-613). 		USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Thomas Jefferson
0859604		1.38kEight photo PDF depicting the rescue of crew members of B-52D S/N 59-2600 published by Popular Mechanics, December 1977, by Barb (SSN-596) & Gurnard (SSN-662) on July 8, 1972.Photos courtesy of Fabio Pena & Bob Canchola.
Barb 73k Oil on canvas by the artist Tom Freeman entitled "Rescue by USS Barb, 9 July 1972" in which Barb (SSN-596) rescues the crew of a B-52 off Guam during Typhoon Rita, 9 July 1972. Courtesy of usni.org
Barb818kBarb's (SSN-596) history, 1963 - 1972PDF courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Thresher954kSixteen page PDF Welcome Aboard progam for the Barb (SSN-596). Photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Barb757kSeven page PDF Welcome Aborad the Barb (SSN-596), 1973. Photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Barb618kFront paper of Mare Island's Newspaper on 8 March 1974 announcing the arrival of Barb (SSN-596) with Commanding Officer photo. PDF courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Wahoo882kMayor Florence E. Douglas presents Key to the City of Vallejo on 31 July 1974 to commanding officers undergoing overhaul at Mare Island: Left to right are: LCDR Ronald Doyle, [CO, Wahoo (SS-565)], CDR John Hummer [CO, Barb (SSN-596)], Mayor Florence E. Douglas and CDR Russell Knowles [CO, Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618)]. Photo MINSY 123X01-7-74 TH, from the files of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum, via Darryl L. Baker.
Thomas Jefferson
0861821		2.34kEight submarines plus a deep-diving submersible were at Mare Island during March 1975. Skippers of the submarines are from the left CDR Noel B. Henderson, Flasher (SSN-613); LCDR Ronald J. Doyle, Wahoo (SS-565); CDR Russell Knowles, Jr., Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618); CDR Charles R. Larson, Halibut (SSGN-587) ; CDR John A. Webster, Jr., Seawolf (SSN-575); CDR Thomas H. Bond, John Marshall (SSN-611); CDR John J. Hummer, Barb (SSN-596); LCDR Roger B. Whitaker; Trieste II and CDR James D. Cossey, Snook (SSN-592). All vessels were under overhaul at the yard. Photo MINSY 128732-3-75, via Darryl L. Baker.
Unitas XX 264k A bow view possibly of the attack submarine Barb (SSN-596) in the harbor during exercise Unitas XX in 1979. Official USN photo # DN-SN-82-09744, by PH2 J. Vinson, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
Barb580kFront paper of Mare Island's Newspaper on 1 August 1980 announcing the arrival of Barb (SSN-596) with Commanding Officer photo. PDF courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Barb 261k San Diego, May 1983: Barb (SSN-596) tied up inboard of Flasher (SSN-613) at Dixon pier (so named because that was the pier where the Dixon (AS-37) always tied up.) Photo taken from the deck of the sub tender Sperry (AS-12). Photo courtesy of John MacKay.
Barb 329k Barb (SSN-596) tied up outboard Pogy (SSN-647). Photo was taken from the deck of the sub tender Dixon (AS-37) on 29 July 1984. Photo courtesy of John MacKay.
Barb 143k Broadside view of the Barb (SSN-596), underway out of Pearl Harbor, date unknown. Official USN photo courtesy of Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
Barb 91k The Barb (SSN-596) wearing the "E" for excellence on her sail executing a high-speed turn on the surface, date and location unknown. USN photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Barb 104k Photo on the back of the welcome aboard pamphlet - She is off Diamond Head; the date is between 1963-73. Official USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Thresher2.64kTwenty two page PDF Deactivation Ceremony for the Barb (SSN-596) on 10 March 1989. Photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
PSNSY 683k An aerial view of a section of the Ship Intermediate Maintenance Facility at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 17 May 1993. One submarine tender and 16 decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines are shown including the Seawolf (SSN-575); six George Washington, and Lafayette class SSBN's (with their missile sections cut out) plus several Skate, Skipjack, Permit and Sturgeon class SSN's. All are awaiting scrapping.
Bottom row, from left to right Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610), Skipjack (SS-585), Snook (SSN-592), Henry Clay (SSBN-625), Lapon (SSN-661), Dace (SSN-607), Skate (SSN-578), Swordfish (SSN-579), Sargo (SSN-583), Seadragon (SSN-584).
Across the pier are Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618), and not in view, Patrick Henry (SSBN-599), George Washington (SSBN-598), Barb (SSN-596) & Sea Devil (SSN-664). 		Official USN photo # DN-ST-95-01863, by Calvin Larsen, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil. Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston.
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).
PSNSY291k"Sign of the times." March 1994 photo of Nuclear submarines at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard waiting in line for scrapping.
Top row left to right are Ethan Allen (SSBN-608), Seawolf (SSN-575), Plunger (SSN-595), Shark (SSN-591), Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636), Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) alongside Sperry (AS-12), with Triton (SSRN-586) across the pier from the Sperry .
Bottom row, from left to right Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610), Skipjack (SS-585), Snook (SSN-592), Henry Clay (SSBN-625), Lapon (SSN-661), Dace (SSN-607), Skate (SSN-578), Swordfish (SSN-579), Sargo (SSN-583), Seadragon (SSN-584).
Across the pier are Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618), and not in view, Patrick Henry (SSBN-599), George Washington (SSBN-598), Barb (SSN-596) & Sea Devil (SSN-664).
There are so many submarines at PSNSY that the yard is running out of pier space. 		Courtesy of 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. Grojean, Charles David (Chuck), USN (USNA 1946) :RADM24.08.1963 - 08.08.1964 First Date in Commission
02CDR. Bulmer, Robert William, USN (USNA 1949)08.08.1964 - 21.05.1966
03CDR. Kauderer, Bernard Marvin (Bud), USN (USNA 1953) :VADM21.05.1966 - 11.07.1970
04CDR. Juergens, John Goucher, USN (USNA 1954)11.07.1970 - 16.09.1972
05CDR. Hummer, John Jay, USN (USNA 1958)16.09.1972 - 24.11.1976
06CDR. Schlauder, Wallace Joseph, USN24.11.1976 - 08.02.1979
07CDR. Taylor III, Wade Hampton, USN (USNA 1963)08.02.1979 - 15.01.1983
08CDR. Frantz, James Joseph, USN15.01.1983 - 12.04.1985
09CDR. Grossenbacher, John Joseph, USN (USNA 1970) :VADM12.04.1985 - 10.08.1988
10CDR. Stewart, Frank Wood, USN10.08.1988 - 20.12.1989 Last Date in Commission
Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
There is no DANFS History currently available for Barb (SSN-596) 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
FAS - SSN-594 Permit Class

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