USS Grayling SSN646

• Namesake: USS Grayling (SSN-646) was named after the grayling, a freshwater fish, continuing a tradition of naming submarines after marine creatures. • Sturgeon-Class Submarine: Grayling was part of the Sturgeon-class, the backbone of the US Navy’s attack submarine force during the Cold War, known for their quiet operation and advanced sonar systems. • Commissioned in 1969: The submarine was commissioned on October 11, 1969, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. • Cold War Operations: USS Grayling spent her career conducting covert surveillance missions and intelligence gathering, often tracking Soviet submarines during heightened Cold War tensions. • Collision Incident: In March 1993, Grayling collided with the Russian ballistic missile submarine K-407 Novomoskovsk in the Barents Sea. Both vessels survived, but the incident heightened US-Russian tensions post-Cold War. • Ice Operations: USS Grayling participated in Arctic operations, surfacing at the North Pole as part of ICEX exercises, showcasing the US Navy’s ability to operate under the polar ice cap. • Special Missions: Grayling was sometimes involved in deploying and recovering special operations forces, highlighting her versatility beyond traditional anti-submarine warfare. • Decommissioned in 1997: After nearly 28 years of service, Grayling was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on July 18, 1997. • Recycling Program: The submarine was scrapped through the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, completed in March 1998. • Crew Legacy: Sailors who served aboard Grayling formed a strong alumni network, sharing stories of their unique and sometimes hazardous missions, preserving the submarine’s legacy in naval history.