uss von steuben ssbn632 gold

USS Von Steuben (SSBN-632) was a James Madison-class fleet ballistic missile submarine commissioned by the United States Navy in 1964. Assigned to the "Gold" crew, one of the two alternating crews, she conducted numerous strategic deterrent patrols during the height of the Cold War, carrying Polaris and later Poseidon ballistic missiles. The Gold crew played a critical role in ensuring continuous at-sea deterrence, operating out of bases such as Rota, Spain, and Holy Loch, Scotland. After nearly three decades of service, Von Steuben was decommissioned in 1994, marking the end of her contribution to America's undersea nuclear deterrent force.