Uss Greeneville In the News
USS Greeneville Completes Overhaul, Heads To Hawaii
Nuclear Submarine Had Been At Maine Shipyard Since '07
BY TOM YANCEY
STAFF WRITER
The USS Greeneville, the fast-attack nuclear submarine named for this city, left Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine on Thursday, after more than a year of refueling and upgrades.
It is heading back to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the sub's homeport.
The refueling and upgrade process began soon after the submarine arrived at the Navy's oldest shipyard in December 2007. The shipyard is located on the Maine side of Portsmouth Harbor, between Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth, N.H.
This was the first major overhaul the submarine had received since its commissioning in 1996.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's primary mission is the overhaul, repair and modernization of Los Angeles Class submarines like the USS Greeneville, according to its Web site.
SUB'S UPGRADES
While at the shipyard, the Greeneville underwent what the Navy calls a Depot Modernization Period (DMP).
The DMP was to include systems maintenance and equipment upgrades, according to the Navy's press release soon after the sub's arrival at the shipyard.
The submarine was refueled, and was also to have many of its weapons and other systems upgraded, according to those familiar with the process.
Several other Los Angeles class submarines were also in the shipyard undergoing various upgrades and maintenance during 2008 and early 2009, including the USS Hyman G. Rickover, USS Memphis, USS Santa Fe and USS Louisville.
The Greeneville is en route back to its home port, Pearl Harbor, where it has been assigned since its commissioning.
The Greeneville is the 61st Los Angeles Class submarine and the 22nd Improved Los Angeles Class Attack submarine.
Its construction began on March 1, 1990, and the sub's keel was laid on April 16, 1992, at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia.
The pre-commissioning unit, that is, the first crew of the Greeneville, came aboard on January 19, 1994, and the sub was christened on Sept. 17, 1994 by Tipper Gore, wife of then-Vice President Al Gore.
The Greeneville was commissioned a U.S. Naval warship at Norfolk Naval Base on Feb. 16, 1996. The Greeneville changed its homeport to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in March 1997.
The submarine's current commanding officer is Commander Alan Dorrbecker. His wife and family visited Greeneville in the summer of 2008.
HISTORY OF SHIPYARD
Established by the Federal Government in 1800, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) launched its first product, the 74-gun warship USS Washington, in 1815.
During World War I, the PNS workforce expanded to nearly 5,000. At that time, PNS took on a new and important role -- the construction of submarines, in addition to the overhaul and repair of surface vessels.
World War II saw the civilian employment rolls swell to more than 25,000. Over the course of World War II more than 70 submarines were constructed at PNS, with a record four submarines launched on one day.
Following World War II, PNS was the Navy's center for submarine design and development. The research submarine, USS Albacore, with its revolutionary "tear drop" shaped hull and round cross section, set the standard for all subsequent submarine hull design worldwide.
PNS continued to build submarines until 1969, when the last submarine built in a public shipyard, the nuclear-powered USS Sand Lance, was launched.