USS Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624)

• Namesake: USS Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624) was named after the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, who led the country through World War I. • Polaris Missile Submarine: She was a fleet ballistic missile submarine, designed to carry and launch Polaris nuclear missiles as a key part of America's Cold War nuclear deterrent. • Launch and Commissioning: The submarine was launched on February 22, 1963, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California, and commissioned on December 27, 1963. • Dual Crews: Like other ballistic missile submarines, USS Woodrow Wilson operated with two alternating crews—Blue and Gold—to maximize her operational time at sea. • First Patrol: The vessel conducted her first deterrent patrol in October 1964, marking the beginning of her Cold War service. • Missile Upgrades: Originally equipped with Polaris missiles, she was later upgraded to carry Poseidon and then Trident I (C4) missiles, keeping her at the forefront of strategic deterrence technology. • Over 60 Patrols: During her career, USS Woodrow Wilson completed over 60 strategic deterrent patrols, spending thousands of days submerged. • Conversion to Attack Submarine: In 1990, the submarine was converted to an attack submarine (SSN-624) as part of arms reduction agreements, with her missile tubes disabled. • Decommissioning: She was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on September 23, 1994, after more than 30 years of service. • Final Fate: USS Woodrow Wilson was scrapped through the Navy’s Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bremerton, Washington, with recycling completed in 1998.